Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Garissa and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Garissa: $381 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
Learn more

Cebu Living Index

Jump to prices

Garissa

🇰🇪 Kenya

$381

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Garissa and in Cebu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Garissa and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $381 in Garissa versus $918 in Cebu.

Garissa $381
Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $667 in Garissa versus $1,409 in Cebu.

Garissa $667
Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $952 in Garissa versus $1,900 in Cebu.

Garissa $952
Cebu $1,900

Living in Garissa costs roughly 58% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Garissa 72% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.79 KES 1,528

$3.09 ₱194

281.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.02 KES 2,984

$24.22 ₱1,525

-4.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱247

Cappuccino

$7.73 KES 1,002

$2.51 ₱158

207.97%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 KES 244

$1.59 ₱100

18.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 KES 147

$0.53 ₱33.43

113.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

Milk (1 liter)

$0.52 KES 66.9

$1.92 ₱121

-72.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 KES 76.9

$1.36 ₱85.4

-56.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 KES 191

$1.01 ₱63.5

45.54%

Eggs

$1.92 KES 249

$2.03 ₱128

-5.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.10 KES 791

$4.39 ₱277

38.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.39 KES 698

$7.60 ₱479

-29.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 KES 490

$3.30 ₱208

14.55%

Banana (1kg)

$3.11 KES 403

$1.39 ₱87.8

123.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.69 KES 608

$2.33 ₱147

101.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$1.50 ₱94.3

-47.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 KES 158

$2.36 ₱149

-48.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 KES 204

$1.90 ₱119

-17.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 KES 307

$1.19 ₱74.9

99.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 KES 72.3

$0.63 ₱39.71

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 KES 741

$6.03 ₱379

-5.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 KES 217

$1.23 ₱77.7

35.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 KES 496

$1.75 ₱110

118.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱796

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.62

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.53

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱82.8

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.2K ₱1.3M

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$19.1K ₱1.2M

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$120 ₱7,569

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$14.00 ₱882

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 ₱1,734

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,035

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱356

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$275 ₱17.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.33 ₱3,106

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ₱1,589

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,846

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,601

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ₱67.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₱38.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$129 KES 16.8K

$346 ₱21.8K

-62.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Garissa: October 11, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Garissa

–

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Groceries & Markets

Garissa

–

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Garissa

–

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Clothing & Footwear

Garissa

–

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Eating Out

Garissa

–

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Garissa

–

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Getting Around

Garissa

–

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Cost Breakdown

Cebu pays 168% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $23.00 in Garissa vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $206 per month, with Garissa cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇪 Garissa

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

17:52 5:52 PM

22:52 10:52 PM

5 h ahead of Garissa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

119,696

964,169

💱 Currency

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to KES – Kenyan Shilling Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇪 Kenyan Shilling (Sh)

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.71 USD). 1 EUR = 146 KES (1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.79 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to KES in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Garissa Cebu 9,390 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Garissa
Cebu

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Garissa vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Garissa is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and utilities. The 141% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 168% lower in Cebu. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Garissa – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $24.00 in Cebu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Garissa gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Garissa is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cebu, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Garissa and Cebu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Garissa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 141% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.