For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $915 a month against $1,845 in Hanko, rent and utilities included – about $11,200 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 Hanko and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,845 in Hanko versus $915 in Cebu.
Hanko $1,845
Cebu $915
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,870 in Hanko versus $1,418 in Cebu.
Hanko $2,870
Cebu $1,418
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,894 in Hanko versus $1,921 in Cebu.
Hanko $3,894
Cebu $1,921
🌍
Living in Hanko is roughly 102% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Hanko is 36% above, Cebu is 33% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Hanko
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.24€14.45
$3.05₱192
432.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$88.7€78.9
$24.00₱1,511
269.50%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.59€10.31
$3.99₱251
190.48%
Cappuccino
$5.32€4.73
$2.50₱157
112.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00€2.67
$1.54₱97.1
94.81%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92€1.71
$0.50₱31.37
284.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$7.61€6.77
$1.78₱112
327.53%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$8.91€7.92
$2.17₱136
310.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hanko
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.29€1.15
$2.00₱126
-35.50%
White Bread(500g)
$2.67€2.37
$1.37₱86.2
94.89%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.49€2.22
$1.03₱64.9
141.75%
Eggs
$3.19€2.84
$2.03₱128
57.14%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.05€8.05
$10.20₱642
-11.27%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$13.99€12.44
$4.45₱280
214.38%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$21.10€18.77
$7.67₱483
175.10%
Apples(1kg)
$2.34€2.08
$3.31₱208
-29.31%
Banana(1kg)
$2.12€1.89
$1.46₱91.8
45.21%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.54€2.26
$2.32₱146
9.48%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.90€3.47
$1.49₱94.0
161.74%
Potato(1kg)
$1.26€1.12
$2.34₱147
-46.15%
Onion(1kg)
$1.92€1.71
$1.94₱122
-1.03%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.81€2.50
$1.16₱73.0
142.24%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.96€1.74
$0.68₱42.89
188.24%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$12.95€11.52
$2.99₱188
333.11%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.10€14.32
$6.24₱393
158.01%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.04€2.71
$1.23₱77.3
147.15%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40€3.02
$1.73₱109
96.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Hanko
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.25€2.89
$0.23₱14.36
1313.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$64.7€57.5
$12.34₱777
424.15%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.29€3.82
$0.79₱49.96
443.04%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.31€1.16
$0.22₱13.86
495.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$66.6€59.3
$4.54₱286
1367.62%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.35€2.09
$1.32₱82.9
78.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.4K€32.3K
$21.0K₱1.3M
73.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.4K€32.3K
$19.4K₱1.2M
87.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hanko
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$130€116
$119₱7,464
9.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.93€22.17
$14.22₱896
75.32%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.64€21.02
$27.47₱1,730
-13.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hanko
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$43.34€38.55
$32.31₱2,034
34.14%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.16€19.71
$6.50₱409
240.92%
Cinema Ticket
$17.97€15.99
$5.40₱340
232.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hanko
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$335€298
$276₱17.4K
21.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.4K€11.1K
$7,866₱495.3K
58.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hanko
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$96.8€86.1
$49.37₱3,108
96.03%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.95€43.54
$24.58₱1,548
99.15%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$102€91.0
$76.6₱4,825
33.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$151€134
$58.9₱3,706
156.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hanko
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$785€698
$503₱31.7K
55.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$642€571
$305₱19.2K
110.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,225€1,090
$1,075₱67.7K
13.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,032€918
$632₱39.8K
63.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,038€3,592
$2,870₱180.7K
40.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,106€1,874
$1,877₱118.2K
12.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hanko
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,380€3,896
$336₱21.1K
1203.95%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.51
7.2
-51.25%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Hanko: October 19, 2026
Last update for Cebu: October 19, 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
Hanko
$642 34.8%
Cebu
$305 33.3% ↓ 52.6%$337
🛒Groceries & Markets
Hanko
$373 20.2%
Cebu
$210 22.9% ↓ 43.9%$164
🍽Eating Out
Hanko
$304 16.5%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 71.1%$216
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Hanko
$179 9.7%
Cebu
$94 10.3% ↓ 47.5%$85
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hanko
$179 9.7%
Cebu
$160 17.5% ↓ 10.2%$18
🚌Getting Around
Hanko
$89 4.8%
Cebu
$15 1.7% ↓ 82.9%$73
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Hanko
$79 4.3%
Cebu
$43 4.7% ↓ 45.6%$36
🏠Accommodation & Living
Hanko
$1K 26.5%
Cebu
$632 32.9% ↓ 38.7%$400
🛒Groceries & Markets
Hanko
$848 21.8%
Cebu
$491 25.6% ↓ 42.1%$357
🍽Eating Out
Hanko
$1K 26.9%
Cebu
$290 15.1% ↓ 72.3%$757
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Hanko
$399 10.2%
Cebu
$209 10.9% ↓ 47.5%$189
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hanko
$203 5.2%
Cebu
$174 9.1% ↓ 14.2%$29
🚌Getting Around
Hanko
$184 4.7%
Cebu
$31 1.6% ↓ 83.2%$153
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Hanko
$181 4.6%
Cebu
$93 4.8% ↓ 48.7%$88
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $785 in Hanko and $503 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Hanko pays 1204% 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: $89.0 in Hanko vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $373 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
Hanko vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Hanko?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 102% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Hanko or Cebu?
Average pay runs 1204% higher in Hanko, 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 Hanko and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $785 in Hanko versus $503 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Hanko and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $1,845 per month in Hanko versus $915 in Cebu – a 102% 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 424% less than in Hanko. 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 Hanko or in Cebu?
At $915 in Cebu versus $1,845 in Hanko, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Hanko. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Hanko or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Hanko, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Hanko or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Hanko 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 102% less than in Hanko. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.