Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Isa Town and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Isa Town: $750 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cebu outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index

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Isa Town

🇧🇭 Bahrain

$750

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $750 in Isa Town versus $918 in Cebu.

Isa Town $750
Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,774 in Isa Town versus $1,409 in Cebu.

Isa Town $1,774
Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,797 in Isa Town versus $1,900 in Cebu.

Isa Town $2,797
Cebu $1,900

Living in Isa Town costs roughly 18% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Isa Town 44% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.17 BHD 3.08

$3.09 ₱194

164.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.73 BHD 10.09

$24.22 ₱1,525

10.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.59 BHD 2.49

$3.92 ₱247

68.11%

Cappuccino

$4.74 BHD 1.79

$2.51 ₱158

88.84%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 BHD 0.33

$1.59 ₱100

-44.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 BHD 0.09

$0.53 ₱33.43

-52.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.46 BHD 2.44

$1.78 ₱112

262.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 BHD 0.49

$1.92 ₱121

-32.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 BHD 0.49

$1.36 ₱85.4

-5.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.44 BHD 2.05

$1.01 ₱63.5

438.61%

Eggs

$3.21 BHD 1.21

$2.03 ₱128

58.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 BHD 4.02

$9.86 ₱621

8.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.77 BHD 2.93

$4.39 ₱277

76.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.13 BHD 7.97

$7.60 ₱479

178.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 BHD 0.99

$3.30 ₱208

-20.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 BHD 1.02

$1.39 ₱87.8

94.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 BHD 1.02

$2.33 ₱147

15.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.60 BHD 0.98

$1.50 ₱94.3

73.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 BHD 0.98

$2.36 ₱149

9.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 BHD 0.61

$1.90 ₱119

-14.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 BHD 0.20

$1.19 ₱74.9

-56.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 BHD 0.39

$0.63 ₱39.71

65.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱379

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 BHD 0.39

$0.25 ₱15.86

312.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.05 BHD 4.92

$12.64 ₱796

3.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.21 BHD 1.96

$0.77 ₱48.62

576.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.53

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 BHD 0.30

$1.31 ₱82.8

-38.17%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.2K ₱1.3M

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$13.0K BHD 4,899

$19.1K ₱1.2M

-32.20%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$120 ₱7,569

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$14.00 ₱882

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.25 BHD 15.19

$27.54 ₱1,734

46.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 BHD 40.12

$32.33 ₱2,035

228.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

Cinema Ticket

$10.55 BHD 3.98

$5.65 ₱356

86.73%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$275 ₱17.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,830 BHD 2,955

$7,918 ₱498.5K

-1.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.46 BHD 15.27

$49.33 ₱3,106

-17.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.98 BHD 4.90

$25.24 ₱1,589

-48.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 BHD 30.34

$77.0 ₱4,846

4.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 BHD 40.10

$57.2 ₱3,601

85.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱31.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 BHD 494

$1,078 ₱67.9K

21.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 BHD 402

$615 ₱38.7K

72.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,056 BHD 398

$346 ₱21.8K

205.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

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

Last update for Isa Town: 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

Isa Town

–

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Groceries & Markets

Isa Town

–

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Isa Town

–

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Clothing & Footwear

Isa Town

–

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Eating Out

Isa Town

–

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Isa Town

–

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Getting Around

Isa Town

–

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Cost Breakdown

Isa Town pays 205% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Isa Town vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $206 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇭 Isa Town

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

17:55 5:55 PM

22:55 10:55 PM

5 h ahead of Isa Town

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

36,876

964,169

💱 Currency

Bahraini Dinar BHD .د.ب

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

1 BHD = 2.65 USD

1 BHD = 2.36 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to BHD – Bahraini Dinar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇭 Bahraini Dinar (.د.ب)

Bahraini Dinar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.377 BHD (1 BHD = 2.65 USD). 1 EUR = 0.424 BHD (1 BHD = 2.36 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).

USD to BHD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Isa Town Cebu 7,850 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Isa Town
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

Isa Town vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Isa Town is cheaper overall, especially in utilities. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 205% higher in Isa Town, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Shoppers in Cebu pay roughly 33% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $750 per month in Isa Town versus $918 in Cebu – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Isa Town gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Isa Town is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cebu, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Isa Town 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.

Expats usually find Isa Town gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.