For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $2,121 in Gizo, rent and utilities included – about $14,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Gizo and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,121 in Gizo versus $934 in Cebu.
Gizo $2,121
Cebu $934
Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,041 in Gizo versus $1,415 in Cebu.
Gizo $3,041
Cebu $1,415
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,960 in Gizo versus $1,896 in Cebu.
Gizo $3,960
Cebu $1,896
🌍
Living in Gizo is roughly 127% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Gizo is 58% above, Cebu is 30% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Gizo
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.15SBD 25.41
$3.03₱191
3.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.5SBD 456
$23.48₱1,476
140.46%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$15.76SBD 127
$4.09₱257
285.33%
Cappuccino
$2.76SBD 22.26
$2.52₱158
9.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.26SBD 10.17
$1.54₱97.2
-18.18%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.25SBD 10.10
$0.49₱31.06
155.10%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.55SBD 20.62
$1.79₱113
42.46%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53SBD 20.44
$2.26₱142
11.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gizo
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$3.29SBD 26.58
$1.95₱122
68.72%
White Bread(500g)
$1.32SBD 10.66
$1.43₱89.9
-7.69%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.40SBD 11.33
$1.02₱64.0
37.25%
Eggs
$7.24SBD 58.5
$2.06₱129
251.46%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.64SBD 69.8
$9.81₱617
-11.93%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.33SBD 51.1
$4.61₱290
37.31%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.74SBD 70.6
$7.70₱484
13.51%
Apples(1kg)
$6.88SBD 55.6
$3.31₱208
107.85%
Banana(1kg)
$6.01SBD 48.52
$1.45₱91.2
314.48%
Oranges(1kg)
$6.33SBD 51.2
$2.36₱148
168.22%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.04SBD 24.57
$1.54₱96.6
97.40%
Potato(1kg)
$3.03SBD 24.50
$2.36₱148
28.39%
Onion(1kg)
$2.41SBD 19.50
$1.99₱125
21.11%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.43SBD 19.62
$1.15₱72.3
111.30%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.33SBD 10.77
$0.67₱42.26
98.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27SBD 34.51
$3.00₱189
42.33%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.57SBD 102
$6.35₱399
97.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.89SBD 15.25
$1.31₱82.1
44.27%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19SBD 17.68
$1.73₱109
26.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Gizo
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.39SBD 3.12
$0.25₱15.82
56.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$31.04SBD 251
$12.65₱796
145.38%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.23SBD 9.91
$0.74₱46.44
66.22%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.45SBD 19.77
$0.21₱13.15
1066.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$12.41SBD 100
$4.33₱272
186.61%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.77SBD 14.26
$1.33₱83.7
33.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.6KSBD 166.4K
$21.8K₱1.4M
-5.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.5KSBD 173.5K
$19.4K₱1.2M
10.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gizo
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$756SBD 6,110
$121₱7,583
527.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.69SBD 111
$14.45₱909
-5.26%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$125SBD 1,009
$28.29₱1,779
341.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gizo
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$18.41SBD 149
$32.68₱2,055
-43.67%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.05SBD 48.89
$6.39₱402
-5.32%
Cinema Ticket
$4.39SBD 35.44
$5.46₱343
-19.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gizo
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$121SBD 981
$273₱17.2K
-55.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,253SBD 10.1K
$8,156₱512.9K
-84.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gizo
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.88SBD 201
$49.57₱3,117
-49.81%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$92.0SBD 743
$24.87₱1,564
269.92%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$100SBD 809
$76.6₱4,817
30.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.5SBD 731
$59.3₱3,727
52.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gizo
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$608SBD 4,910
$506₱31.8K
20.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$594SBD 4,801
$309₱19.5K
92.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$618SBD 4,993
$1,052₱66.1K
-41.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,234SBD 9,968
$619₱38.9K
99.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$86.8KSBD 700.9K
$2,915₱183.4K
2875.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,867₱117.4K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gizo
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$395SBD 3,194
$341₱21.5K
15.91%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
16.33
7.2
126.81%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Gizo: October 4, 2026
Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gizo
$895 40.9%
Cebu
$163 17.7% ↓ 81.7%$732
🏠Accommodation & Living
Gizo
$594 27.2%
Cebu
$309 33.5% ↓ 47.9%$285
🛒Groceries & Markets
Gizo
$354 16.2%
Cebu
$210 22.7% ↓ 40.6%$144
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Gizo
$138 6.3%
Cebu
$95 10.2% ↓ 31.6%$44
🍽Eating Out
Gizo
$133 6.1%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 33.7%$45
🚌Getting Around
Gizo
$46 2.1%
Cebu
$15 1.7% ↓ 66.5%$31
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Gizo
$27 1.2%
Cebu
$44 4.7% ↑ 60.4%$16
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gizo
$909 22.9%
Cebu
$178 9.3% ↓ 80.4%$731
🏠Accommodation & Living
Gizo
$1.2K 31%
Cebu
$619 32.4% ↓ 49.8%$615
🛒Groceries & Markets
Gizo
$842 21.2%
Cebu
$493 25.8% ↓ 41.5%$349
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Gizo
$308 7.7%
Cebu
$210 11% ↓ 31.6%$97
🍽Eating Out
Gizo
$529 13.3%
Cebu
$288 15.1% ↓ 45.5%$241
🚌Getting Around
Gizo
$93 2.3%
Cebu
$31 1.6% ↓ 66.2%$61
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Gizo
$60 1.5%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↑ 54.9%$33
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $608 in Gizo and $506 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Gizo pays 16% 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: $56.0 in Gizo vs $23.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $210 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.
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
Gizo vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Gizo?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, utilities, and clothing. The 127% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Gizo or Cebu?
Average pay runs 16% higher in Gizo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Gizo and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $608 in Gizo versus $506 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Gizo and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $2,121 per month in Gizo versus $934 in Cebu – a 127% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 145% less than in Gizo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Gizo or in Cebu?
At $934 in Cebu versus $2,121 in Gizo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Gizo. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Gizo or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Gizo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Gizo or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Gizo 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 127% less than in Gizo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.