Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hastings and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $2,667 in Hastings, rent and utilities included – about $21,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Hastings
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,667
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,667 in Hastings versus $918 in Cebu.

  • Hastings $2,667
  • Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,558 in Hastings versus $1,409 in Cebu.

  • Hastings $3,558
  • Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,449 in Hastings versus $1,900 in Cebu.

  • Hastings $4,449
  • Cebu $1,900

Living in Hastings is roughly 191% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hastings is 98% above, Cebu is 32% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hastings
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.82 £18.62
$3.09 ₱194
703.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.3 £60.3
$24.22 ₱1,525
231.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.28 £8.46
$3.92 ₱247
187.76%
Cappuccino
$4.43 £3.33
$2.51 ₱158
76.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.96 £2.22
$1.59 ₱100
86.16%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 £1.01
$0.53 ₱33.43
152.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.78 £5.09
$1.78 ₱112
280.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.78 £5.08
$2.17 ₱137
212.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hastings
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.72 £0.54
$1.92 ₱121
-62.50%
White Bread (500g)
$1.71 £1.29
$1.36 ₱85.4
25.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.62 £1.96
$1.01 ₱63.5
159.41%
Eggs
$3.19 £2.40
$2.03 ₱128
57.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.70 £7.28
$9.86 ₱621
-1.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.68 £7.26
$4.39 ₱277
120.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.27 £9.96
$7.60 ₱479
74.61%
Apples (1kg)
$2.82 £2.12
$3.30 ₱208
-14.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.74 £1.31
$1.39 ₱87.8
25.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.89 £2.17
$2.33 ₱147
24.03%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.42 £2.57
$1.50 ₱94.3
128.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.84 £1.38
$2.36 ₱149
-22.03%
Onion (1kg)
$1.54 £1.16
$1.90 ₱119
-18.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.20 £0.90
$1.19 ₱74.9
0.84%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.75 £1.32
$0.63 ₱39.71
177.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$17.49 £13.12
$3.00 ₱189
483.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.75 £5.07
$6.03 ₱379
11.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.88 £2.16
$1.23 ₱77.7
134.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.39 £2.54
$1.75 ₱110
93.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Hastings
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.50 £2.63
$0.25 ₱15.86
1300.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$95.9 £71.9
$12.64 ₱796
658.39%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.35 £3.26
$0.77 ₱48.62
464.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.09 £0.82
$0.23 ₱14.53
373.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$31.53 £23.65
$4.46 ₱281
606.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.96 £1.47
$1.31 ₱82.8
49.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.8K £29.1K
$21.2K ₱1.3M
82.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.2K £30.1K
$19.1K ₱1.2M
109.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hastings
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$324 £243
$120 ₱7,569
169.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.77 £14.83
$14.00 ₱882
41.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.7 £40.27
$27.54 ₱1,734
94.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hastings
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.83 £33.63
$32.33 ₱2,035
38.66%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.65 ₱419
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.81 £11.86
$5.65 ₱356
179.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hastings
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,572 £1,180
$275 ₱17.3K
471.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.5K £13.1K
$7,918 ₱498.5K
121.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hastings
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 £78.0
$49.33 ₱3,106
110.80%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.9 £38.92
$25.24 ₱1,589
105.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 £76.9
$77.0 ₱4,846
33.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$134 £100
$57.2 ₱3,601
133.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hastings
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,465 £1,099
$500 ₱31.5K
193.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,259 £945
$309 ₱19.4K
307.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,071 £1,553
$1,078 ₱67.9K
92.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,464 £1,098
$615 ₱38.7K
137.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,994 £3,747
$2,886 ₱181.7K
73.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,809 £2,857
$1,917 ₱120.7K
98.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hastings
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,279 £2,460
$346 ₱21.8K
847.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.96
7.2
-31.11%

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

Last update for Hastings: 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
Hastings
$1.3K
Cebu
$309 75.5% $951
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hastings
$397
Cebu
$162 59.3% $235
Eating Out
Hastings
$350
Cebu
$88 74.8% $262
Groceries & Markets
Hastings
$287
Cebu
$206 28.3% $81
Clothing & Footwear
Hastings
$176
Cebu
$94 46.8% $82
Getting Around
Hastings
$120
Cebu
$16 87% $104
Sport & Entertainment
Hastings
$76
Cebu
$44 42.9% $33

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,465 in Hastings and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hastings pays 848% 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: $80.0 in Hastings vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 vs $206 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Hastings
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
16:13 4:13 PM
23:13 11:13 PM
7 h ahead of Hastings
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
92,855
964,169
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Hastings Cebu 11,310 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Hastings
  • 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
Hastings vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Hastings?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and clothing. The 191% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Hastings or Cebu?
Average pay runs 848% higher in Hastings, 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 Hastings and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,465 in Hastings 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 Hastings and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $2,667 per month in Hastings versus $918 in Cebu – a 191% 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 658% less than in Hastings. 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 Hastings or in Cebu?
At $918 in Cebu versus $2,667 in Hastings, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Hastings. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Hastings or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Hastings, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Hastings or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Hastings 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 191% less than in Hastings. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Hastings vs other spots: cost of living compared

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