Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karaganda and Cebu

For one person, living costs are similar in Karaganda and in Cebu: $927 and $943 a month, rent and utilities included.

Karaganda, Kazakhstan
Cebu, Philippines
Karaganda
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$927
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$943
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $927 in Karaganda versus $943 in Cebu.

  • Karaganda $927
  • Cebu $943

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,497 in Karaganda versus $1,437 in Cebu.

  • Karaganda $1,497
  • Cebu $1,437

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,066 in Karaganda versus $1,930 in Cebu.

  • Karaganda $2,066
  • Cebu $1,930

Monthly costs are close between Karaganda and Cebu; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Karaganda 31% lower, Cebu 30% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Karaganda
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.89 ₸4,455
$3.88 ₱244
154.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.32 ₸15.9K
$23.22 ₱1,462
52.11%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.41 ₸2,438
$3.90 ₱246
38.72%
Cappuccino
$1.87 ₸844
$2.56 ₱161
-26.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.86 ₸387
$1.60 ₱101
-46.25%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.61 ₸273
$0.51 ₱32.02
19.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.32 ₸594
$1.76 ₱111
-25.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90 ₸1,307
$2.15 ₱136
34.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Karaganda
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.28 ₸578
$1.99 ₱125
-35.68%
White Bread (500g)
$0.49 ₸220
$1.37 ₱86.3
-64.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.31 ₸590
$0.95 ₱59.8
37.89%
Eggs
$1.79 ₸805
$2.02 ₱127
-11.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.39 ₸6,033
$9.63 ₱606
39.04%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.55 ₸2,501
$4.35 ₱274
27.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.06 ₸4,980
$7.70 ₱485
43.64%
Apples (1kg)
$1.51 ₸681
$3.30 ₱207
-54.24%
Banana (1kg)
$1.91 ₸863
$1.27 ₱79.7
50.39%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.87 ₸1,293
$2.34 ₱147
22.65%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.17 ₸979
$1.51 ₱95.3
43.71%
Potato (1kg)
$0.61 ₸276
$2.23 ₱141
-72.65%
Onion (1kg)
$0.58 ₸262
$1.93 ₱122
-69.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 ₸460
$1.18 ₱74.4
-13.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.70 ₸315
$0.65 ₱40.92
7.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.24 ₸1,010
$2.89 ₱182
-22.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.40 ₸3,781
$6.35 ₱400
32.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.35 ₸608
$1.27 ₱80.0
6.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 ₸949
$1.64 ₱103
28.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Karaganda
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.21 ₸94.5
$0.23 ₱14.42
-8.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.38 ₸6,930
$12.24 ₱770
25.65%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.25 ₸562
$0.82 ₱51.5
52.44%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.24 ₸558
$0.20 ₱12.56
520.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.37 ₸1,517
$4.32 ₱272
-21.99%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.56 ₸254
$1.38 ₱86.7
-59.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K ₸9.8M
$21.2K ₱1.3M
3.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.4K ₸14.6M
$19.3K ₱1.2M
67.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Karaganda
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$72.2 ₸32.5K
$124 ₱7,814
-41.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.09 ₸4,543
$15.93 ₱1,003
-36.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$12.06 ₸5,431
$28.07 ₱1,767
-57.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Karaganda
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.75 ₸20.2K
$33.41 ₱2,103
33.94%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.55 ₸8,355
$6.40 ₱403
189.84%
Cinema Ticket
$5.21 ₸2,347
$5.85 ₱368
-10.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Karaganda
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$132 ₸59.5K
$271 ₱17.0K
-51.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$8,060 ₱507.3K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Karaganda
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.1 ₸27.1K
$48.31 ₱3,041
24.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.1 ₸26.6K
$24.56 ₱1,546
140.72%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.0 ₸35.2K
$77.1 ₱4,855
1.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.3 ₸38.9K
$56.5 ₱3,557
52.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Karaganda
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$406 ₸182.7K
$495 ₱31.2K
-18.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$274 ₸123.6K
$322 ₱20.2K
-14.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$715 ₸321.8K
$990 ₱62.3K
-27.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$544 ₸245.1K
$628 ₱39.5K
-13.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,054 ₸474.6K
$4,459 ₱280.6K
-76.37%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$698 ₸314.2K
$3,030 ₱190.7K
-76.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Karaganda
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$569 ₸256.4K
$343 ₱21.6K
66.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
19.25
7.2
167.36%

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

Last update for Karaganda: November 1, 2026

Last update for Cebu: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Karaganda
$274
Cebu
$322 17.2% $47
Groceries & Markets
Karaganda
$216
Cebu
$206 4.7% $10
Eating Out
Karaganda
$136
Cebu
$95 30.2% $41
Clothing & Footwear
Karaganda
$128
Cebu
$93 27.2% $35
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Karaganda
$94
Cebu
$168 78.2% $74
Sport & Entertainment
Karaganda
$55
Cebu
$45 18.2% $10
Getting Around
Karaganda
$24
Cebu
$15 36.7% $8.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $406 in Karaganda and $495 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Karaganda pays 66% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $35 in Karaganda vs $23 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $206 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇰🇿 Karaganda
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
23:36 11:36 PM
02:36 2:36 AM
3 h ahead of Karaganda
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
520,486
964,169
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 450 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.98 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 62.95 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.73 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Karaganda Cebu 6,390 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Karaganda
  • 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
Karaganda vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Where can you earn more: Karaganda or Cebu?
Average pay runs 66% higher in Karaganda, 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 Karaganda and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $406 in Karaganda versus $495 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 20% less than in Karaganda. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
How do food prices compare in Karaganda and in Cebu?
Shoppers in Cebu pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,200 enough for either Karaganda or Cebu?
Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Karaganda gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is it better to live in Karaganda or in Cebu?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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