For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $2,380 in Hamar, rent and utilities included – about $17,500 less a year. Other living expenses 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 Hamar and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,380 in Hamar versus $918 in Cebu.
Hamar $2,380
Cebu $918
Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,750 in Hamar versus $1,409 in Cebu.
Hamar $3,750
Cebu $1,409
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,120 in Hamar versus $1,900 in Cebu.
Hamar $5,120
Cebu $1,900
🌍
Living in Hamar is roughly 159% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Hamar is 76% above, Cebu is 32% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Hamar
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.18NOK 199
$3.09₱195
585.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$125NOK 1,180
$24.22₱1,525
417.38%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$15.83NOK 149
$3.92₱247
303.83%
Cappuccino
$5.76NOK 54.2
$2.51₱158
129.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.21NOK 39.63
$1.59₱100
164.78%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.28NOK 30.85
$0.53₱33.45
518.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$11.49NOK 108
$1.78₱112
545.51%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$8.07NOK 76.0
$2.17₱137
271.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hamar
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.50NOK 23.53
$1.92₱121
30.21%
White Bread(500g)
$2.93NOK 27.57
$1.36₱85.5
115.44%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.06NOK 19.36
$1.01₱63.6
103.96%
Eggs
$5.76NOK 54.3
$2.03₱128
183.74%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.05NOK 104
$9.86₱621
12.07%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.20NOK 115
$4.39₱277
177.90%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$31.42NOK 296
$7.60₱479
313.42%
Apples(1kg)
$3.21NOK 30.26
$3.30₱208
-2.73%
Banana(1kg)
$2.57NOK 24.17
$1.39₱87.8
84.89%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.05NOK 28.74
$2.33₱147
30.90%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.89NOK 55.5
$1.50₱94.3
292.67%
Potato(1kg)
$2.48NOK 23.34
$2.36₱149
5.08%
Onion(1kg)
$2.44NOK 22.95
$1.90₱119
28.42%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.12NOK 19.97
$1.19₱74.9
78.15%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.99NOK 18.74
$0.63₱39.73
215.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$18.94NOK 178
$3.00₱189
531.33%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.40NOK 154
$6.03₱380
171.97%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.38NOK 31.78
$1.23₱77.7
174.80%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.18NOK 39.37
$1.75₱110
138.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Hamar
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.66NOK 43.87
$0.25₱15.87
1764.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$67.5NOK 635
$12.64₱796
433.70%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$11.92NOK 112
$0.77₱48.64
1448.05%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.78NOK 16.76
$0.23₱14.54
673.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$69.5NOK 654
$4.46₱281
1458.74%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.37NOK 22.32
$1.31₱82.8
80.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$47.8KNOK 449.5K
$21.2K₱1.3M
124.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.6KNOK 410.2K
$19.1K₱1.2M
127.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hamar
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$223NOK 2,104
$120₱7,573
85.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.07NOK 311
$14.00₱882
136.21%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.1NOK 509
$27.54₱1,735
96.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hamar
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$58.2NOK 548
$32.33₱2,036
80.05%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.40NOK 277
$6.65₱419
342.11%
Cinema Ticket
$19.79NOK 186
$5.65₱356
250.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hamar
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$207NOK 1,948
$275₱17.3K
-24.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8KNOK 148.3K
$7,918₱498.8K
99.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hamar
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102NOK 959
$49.33₱3,107
106.51%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.5NOK 560
$25.24₱1,590
135.86%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$131NOK 1,230
$77.0₱4,848
69.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104NOK 977
$57.2₱3,603
81.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hamar
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,227NOK 11.6K
$500₱31.5K
145.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$847NOK 7,973
$309₱19.5K
174.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,578NOK 14.9K
$1,078₱67.9K
46.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,489NOK 14.0K
$615₱38.8K
142.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,302NOK 40.5K
$2,886₱181.8K
49.06%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,421NOK 32.2K
$1,917₱120.7K
78.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hamar
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,269NOK 40.2K
$346₱21.8K
1133.98%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.94
7.2
-31.39%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Hamar: October 11, 2026
Last update for Cebu: October 12, 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.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Hamar
$847 35.6%
Cebu
$309 33.6% ↓ 63.5%$538
🛒Groceries & Markets
Hamar
$450 18.9%
Cebu
$206 22.4% ↓ 54.2%$244
🍽Eating Out
Hamar
$390 16.4%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 77.3%$301
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hamar
$311 13.1%
Cebu
$162 17.6% ↓ 47.9%$149
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Hamar
$178 7.5%
Cebu
$94 10.2% ↓ 47.3%$84
🚌Getting Around
Hamar
$107 4.5%
Cebu
$16 1.7% ↓ 85.4%$91
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Hamar
$98 4.1%
Cebu
$44 4.8% ↓ 55.4%$54
🏠Accommodation & Living
Hamar
$1.5K 29.1%
Cebu
$615 32.4% ↓ 58.7%$874
🛒Groceries & Markets
Hamar
$1K 20.5%
Cebu
$483 25.4% ↓ 54%$566
🍽Eating Out
Hamar
$1.4K 27.2%
Cebu
$292 15.4% ↓ 79.1%$1.1K
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hamar
$344 6.7%
Cebu
$176 9.3% ↓ 48.9%$168
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Hamar
$396 7.7%
Cebu
$209 11% ↓ 47.3%$187
🚌Getting Around
Hamar
$223 4.4%
Cebu
$32 1.7% ↓ 85.8%$192
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Hamar
$225 4.4%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↓ 58.3%$131
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,227 in Hamar and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Hamar pays 1134% 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: $125 in Hamar vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $450 vs $206 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
Hamar vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Hamar?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 159% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Hamar or Cebu?
Average pay runs 1134% higher in Hamar, 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 Hamar and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,227 in Hamar versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Hamar and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $2,380 per month in Hamar versus $918 in Cebu – a 159% 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 434% less than in Hamar. 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 Hamar or in Cebu?
At $918 in Cebu versus $2,380 in Hamar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Hamar. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Hamar or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Hamar, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Hamar or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Hamar 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 159% less than in Hamar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.