Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamrun and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,670 in Hamrun, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Hamrun
🇲🇹 Malta
$1,670
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hamrun 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 Hamrun and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,670 in Hamrun versus $918 in Cebu.

  • Hamrun $1,670
  • Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,558 in Hamrun versus $1,409 in Cebu.

  • Hamrun $2,558
  • Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,445 in Hamrun versus $1,900 in Cebu.

  • Hamrun $3,445
  • Cebu $1,900

Living in Hamrun is roughly 82% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hamrun is 24% above, Cebu is 32% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hamrun
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.76 €11.35
$3.09 ₱194
312.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.7 €49.50
$24.22 ₱1,525
129.77%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.69 €7.73
$3.92 ₱247
121.68%
Cappuccino
$1.99 €1.77
$2.51 ₱158
-20.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00 €1.78
$1.59 ₱100
25.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.21
$0.53 ₱33.43
156.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.91 €1.70
$1.78 ₱112
7.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 €2.01
$2.17 ₱137
4.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hamrun
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.27 €1.13
$1.92 ₱121
-33.85%
White Bread (500g)
$1.32 €1.17
$1.36 ₱85.4
-2.94%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.26 €3.79
$1.01 ₱63.5
321.78%
Eggs
$4.36 €3.87
$2.03 ₱128
114.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.38 €7.45
$9.86 ₱621
-15.01%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.25 €9.12
$4.39 ₱277
133.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.10 €16.10
$7.60 ₱479
138.16%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 €3.60
$3.30 ₱208
22.73%
Banana (1kg)
$2.71 €2.41
$1.39 ₱87.8
94.96%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.54 €3.15
$2.33 ₱147
51.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.43 €3.05
$1.50 ₱94.3
128.67%
Potato (1kg)
$2.42 €2.15
$2.36 ₱149
2.54%
Onion (1kg)
$1.96 €1.74
$1.90 ₱119
3.16%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.26 €2.01
$1.19 ₱74.9
89.92%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.35 €1.20
$0.63 ₱39.71
114.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.85
$3.00 ₱189
119.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.91 €7.03
$6.03 ₱379
31.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.55
$1.23 ₱77.7
41.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41 €2.14
$1.75 ₱110
37.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Hamrun
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.47 €2.20
$0.25 ₱15.86
888.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$12.64 ₱796
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.54 €4.92
$0.77 ₱48.62
619.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.29 €2.03
$0.23 ₱14.53
895.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.03 €24.04
$4.46 ₱281
506.05%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 €1.35
$1.31 ₱82.8
16.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.4K €33.3K
$21.2K ₱1.3M
76.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.5K €34.2K
$19.1K ₱1.2M
100.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hamrun
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$101 €89.7
$120 ₱7,569
-16.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.10 €22.33
$14.00 ₱882
79.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.69 €24.63
$27.54 ₱1,734
0.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hamrun
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.2 €54.4
$32.33 ₱2,035
89.24%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.65 ₱419
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.86 €8.77
$5.65 ₱356
74.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hamrun
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$363 €323
$275 ₱17.3K
31.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K €10.0K
$7,918 ₱498.5K
42.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hamrun
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.6 €78.8
$49.33 ₱3,106
79.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.07 €36.53
$25.24 ₱1,589
62.72%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100.0 €88.9
$77.0 ₱4,846
29.90%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.0 €69.4
$57.2 ₱3,601
36.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hamrun
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$834 €742
$500 ₱31.5K
66.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$767 €682
$309 ₱19.4K
148.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,564 €1,391
$1,078 ₱67.9K
45.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,333 €1,186
$615 ₱38.7K
116.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,965 €3,527
$2,886 ₱181.7K
37.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,772 €2,466
$1,917 ₱120.7K
44.64%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hamrun
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$346 ₱21.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.9
7.2
-59.72%

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

Last update for Hamrun: 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
Hamrun
$767
Cebu
$309 59.7% $458
Groceries & Markets
Hamrun
$325
Cebu
$206 36.6% $119
Eating Out
Hamrun
$180
Cebu
$88 50.8% $91
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hamrun
$154
Cebu
$162 5.3% $8.1
Clothing & Footwear
Hamrun
$138
Cebu
$94 32.1% $44
Sport & Entertainment
Hamrun
$81
Cebu
$44 46.1% $37
Getting Around
Hamrun
$27 *
Cebu
$16 42% $11

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $834 in Hamrun and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $56.0 in Hamrun vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $325 vs $206 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇹 Hamrun
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
17:32 5:32 PM
23:32 11:32 PM
6 h ahead of Hamrun
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,000
964,169
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Hamrun Cebu 11,030 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Hamrun
  • 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
Hamrun vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Hamrun?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 82% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,506 in Hamrun and $1,377 in Cebu to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Hamrun and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $834 in Hamrun versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Hamrun and in Cebu?
Supermarket bills run roughly 58% higher in Hamrun. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Hamrun and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $1,670 per month in Hamrun versus $918 in Cebu – a 82% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Hamrun or in Cebu?
At $918 in Cebu versus $1,670 in Hamrun, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Hamrun. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Hamrun or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Hamrun, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Hamrun or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Hamrun 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 82% less than in Hamrun. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Hamrun vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?