For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $2,691 in Hobart, rent and utilities included – about $21,100 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 Hobart and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,691 in Hobart versus $934 in Cebu.
Hobart $2,691
Cebu $934
Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,700 in Hobart versus $1,415 in Cebu.
Hobart $3,700
Cebu $1,415
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,710 in Hobart versus $1,896 in Cebu.
Hobart $4,710
Cebu $1,896
🌍
Living in Hobart is roughly 188% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Hobart is 101% above, Cebu is 30% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Hobart
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.57A$26.67
$3.03₱191
512.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$91.6A$132
$23.48₱1,476
290.20%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.43A$14.98
$4.09₱257
155.01%
Cappuccino
$3.88A$5.58
$2.52₱158
53.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.50A$5.03
$1.54₱97.2
127.27%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.23A$3.20
$0.49₱31.06
355.10%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$8.44A$12.12
$1.79₱113
371.51%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$9.52A$13.68
$2.26₱142
321.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hobart
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.84A$2.65
$1.95₱122
-5.64%
White Bread(500g)
$2.52A$3.61
$1.43₱89.9
76.22%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.88A$2.70
$1.02₱64.0
84.31%
Eggs
$5.24A$7.52
$2.06₱129
154.37%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.81A$14.09
$9.81₱617
-
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.46A$12.16
$4.61₱290
83.51%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.45A$25.06
$7.70₱484
126.62%
Apples(1kg)
$3.05A$4.38
$3.31₱208
-7.85%
Banana(1kg)
$3.24A$4.65
$1.45₱91.2
123.45%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.04A$4.36
$2.36₱148
28.81%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.57A$6.57
$1.54₱96.6
196.75%
Potato(1kg)
$2.53A$3.63
$2.36₱148
7.20%
Onion(1kg)
$2.16A$3.10
$1.99₱125
8.54%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.56A$3.68
$1.15₱72.3
122.61%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.66A$2.39
$0.67₱42.26
147.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$36.51A$52.5
$3.00₱189
1117.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.77A$21.22
$6.35₱399
132.60%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$4.96A$7.13
$1.31₱82.1
278.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.48A$7.87
$1.73₱109
216.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Hobart
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.02A$4.34
$0.25₱15.82
1108.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$97.9A$141
$12.65₱796
674.15%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.57A$6.56
$0.74₱46.44
517.57%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.04A$2.94
$0.21₱13.15
871.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$41.13A$59.1
$4.33₱272
849.88%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31A$1.88
$1.33₱83.7
-1.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2KA$39.1K
$21.8K₱1.4M
24.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.0KA$56.0K
$19.4K₱1.2M
100.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hobart
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$224A$322
$121₱7,583
85.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.07A$41.76
$14.45₱909
101.18%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$60.5A$87.0
$28.29₱1,779
114.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hobart
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$36.85A$52.9
$32.68₱2,055
12.76%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.64A$18.15
$6.39₱402
97.81%
Cinema Ticket
$16.85A$24.21
$5.46₱343
208.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hobart
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,966A$2,825
$273₱17.2K
619.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$21.1KA$30.2K
$8,156₱512.9K
158.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hobart
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.1A$111
$49.57₱3,117
55.56%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.4A$76.7
$24.87₱1,564
114.80%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$106A$153
$76.6₱4,817
38.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$127A$182
$59.3₱3,727
114.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hobart
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,826A$2,622
$506₱31.8K
260.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,350A$1,940
$309₱19.5K
336.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,112A$3,033
$1,052₱66.1K
100.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,613A$2,317
$619₱38.9K
160.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$9,210A$13.2K
$2,915₱183.4K
215.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,813A$9,786
$1,867₱117.4K
264.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hobart
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,150A$5,961
$341₱21.5K
1116.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.2
7.2
-13.89%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Hobart: 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.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Hobart
$1.4K 49.9%
Cebu
$309 33.5% ↓ 77.1%$1K
🛒Groceries & Markets
Hobart
$373 13.8%
Cebu
$210 22.7% ↓ 43.6%$163
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hobart
$314 11.6%
Cebu
$163 17.7% ↓ 47.9%$150
🍽Eating Out
Hobart
$311 11.5%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 71.5%$222
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Hobart
$164 6.1%
Cebu
$95 10.2% ↓ 42.2%$69
🚌Getting Around
Hobart
$125 4.6%
Cebu
$15 1.7% ↓ 87.6%$109
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Hobart
$71 2.6%
Cebu
$44 4.7% ↓ 38.2%$27
🏠Accommodation & Living
Hobart
$1.6K 34.7%
Cebu
$619 32.4% ↓ 61.6%$994
🛒Groceries & Markets
Hobart
$847 18.2%
Cebu
$493 25.8% ↓ 41.8%$354
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hobart
$343 7.4%
Cebu
$178 9.3% ↓ 48.1%$165
🍽Eating Out
Hobart
$1.1K 23.2%
Cebu
$288 15.1% ↓ 73.2%$789
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Hobart
$364 7.8%
Cebu
$210 11% ↓ 42.2%$153
🚌Getting Around
Hobart
$256 5.5%
Cebu
$31 1.6% ↓ 87.7%$224
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Hobart
$154 3.3%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↓ 39.1%$60
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,826 in Hobart and $506 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Hobart pays 1117% 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: $92.0 in Hobart vs $23.00 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
Hobart vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Hobart?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 188% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Hobart or Cebu?
Average pay runs 1117% higher in Hobart, 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 Hobart and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,826 in Hobart 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 Hobart and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $2,691 per month in Hobart versus $934 in Cebu – a 188% 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 674% less than in Hobart. 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 Hobart or in Cebu?
At $934 in Cebu versus $2,691 in Hobart, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Hobart. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Hobart or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Hobart, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Hobart or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Hobart 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 188% less than in Hobart. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.