For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,539 in Ilion, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 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 Ilion and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,539 in Ilion versus $918 in Cebu.
Ilion $1,539
Cebu $918
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,422 in Ilion versus $1,409 in Cebu.
Ilion $2,422
Cebu $1,409
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,306 in Ilion versus $1,900 in Cebu.
Ilion $3,306
Cebu $1,900
🌍
Living in Ilion is roughly 68% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Ilion is 14% above, Cebu is 32% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Ilion
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.33€11.84
$3.09₱194
331.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.6€51.1
$24.22₱1,524
137.65%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.85€7.86
$3.92₱246
125.77%
Cappuccino
$4.18€3.71
$2.51₱158
66.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40€2.13
$1.59₱100
50.94%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.58€0.52
$0.53₱33.42
9.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.55€4.93
$1.78₱112
211.80%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.48€4.87
$2.17₱137
152.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ilion
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.55€1.38
$1.92₱121
-19.27%
White Bread(500g)
$1.38€1.23
$1.36₱85.4
1.47%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.71€2.40
$1.01₱63.5
168.32%
Eggs
$5.22€4.63
$2.03₱128
157.14%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.29€10.91
$9.86₱621
24.65%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.49€9.32
$4.39₱276
138.95%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$18.60€16.52
$7.60₱478
144.74%
Apples(1kg)
$2.12€1.88
$3.30₱208
-35.76%
Banana(1kg)
$1.97€1.75
$1.39₱87.7
41.73%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.37€1.22
$2.33₱147
-41.20%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.10€1.86
$1.50₱94.2
40.00%
Potato(1kg)
$1.11€0.98
$2.36₱149
-52.97%
Onion(1kg)
$1.12€0.99
$1.90₱119
-41.05%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.87€0.77
$1.19₱74.9
-26.89%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85€0.75
$0.63₱39.69
34.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.22€4.64
$3.00₱189
74.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.12€7.21
$6.03₱379
34.66%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.64€1.46
$1.23₱77.6
33.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.41€3.03
$1.75₱110
94.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Ilion
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37€1.22
$0.25₱15.85
448.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$44.37€39.40
$12.64₱795
251.03%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.36€3.87
$0.77₱48.59
466.23%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.97€0.86
$0.23₱14.52
321.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.68€12.15
$4.46₱280
206.73%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.24€1.99
$1.31₱82.8
70.99%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K€25.0K
$21.2K₱1.3M
32.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.6K€21.8K
$19.1K₱1.2M
28.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ilion
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$203€180
$120₱7,566
68.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.98€23.07
$14.00₱881
85.57%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.31€25.14
$27.54₱1,733
2.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ilion
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$50.8€45.10
$32.33₱2,034
57.07%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.95€22.16
$6.65₱418
275.19%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69€7.72
$5.65₱355
53.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ilion
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$474€421
$275₱17.3K
72.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,465€3,965
$7,918₱498.3K
-43.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ilion
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.9€62.1
$49.33₱3,105
41.78%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.56€31.59
$25.24₱1,589
40.89%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103€91.6
$77.0₱4,844
33.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106€94.0
$57.2₱3,600
85.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ilion
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$588€522
$500₱31.4K
17.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$484€430
$309₱19.4K
56.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,166€1,036
$1,078₱67.8K
8.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$973€864
$615₱38.7K
58.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,627€3,221
$2,886₱181.6K
25.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,949€2,619
$1,917₱120.6K
53.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ilion
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,262€1,121
$346₱21.8K
264.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.4
7.2
-38.89%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Ilion: October 12, 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
Ilion
$484 31.5%
Cebu
$309 33.6% ↓ 36.2%$175
🛒Groceries & Markets
Ilion
$295 19.2%
Cebu
$206 22.4% ↓ 30.2%$89
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ilion
$257 16.7%
Cebu
$162 17.6% ↓ 37.1%$95
🍽Eating Out
Ilion
$234 15.2%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 62.3%$146
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Ilion
$141 9.2%
Cebu
$94 10.2% ↓ 33.6%$48
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Ilion
$68 4.4%
Cebu
$44 4.8% ↓ 36%$25
🚌Getting Around
Ilion
$59 3.8%
Cebu
$16 1.7% ↓ 73.6%$44
🏠Accommodation & Living
Ilion
$973 29.4%
Cebu
$615 32.4% ↓ 36.7%$357
🛒Groceries & Markets
Ilion
$697 21.1%
Cebu
$483 25.4% ↓ 30.8%$215
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ilion
$283 8.6%
Cebu
$176 9.3% ↓ 37.9%$107
🍽Eating Out
Ilion
$756 22.9%
Cebu
$292 15.4% ↓ 61.4%$464
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Ilion
$314 9.5%
Cebu
$209 11% ↓ 33.6%$106
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Ilion
$161 4.9%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↓ 41.8%$67
🚌Getting Around
Ilion
$121 3.7%
Cebu
$32 1.7% ↓ 73.8%$89
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $588 in Ilion and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Ilion pays 265% 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: $58.0 in Ilion vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 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
Ilion vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Ilion?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Ilion or Cebu?
Average pay runs 265% higher in Ilion, 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 Ilion and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $588 in Ilion 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 Ilion and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $1,539 per month in Ilion versus $918 in Cebu – a 68% 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 251% less than in Ilion. 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 Ilion or in Cebu?
At $918 in Cebu versus $1,539 in Ilion, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Ilion. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Ilion or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ilion, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Ilion or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Ilion 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 68% less than in Ilion. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.