Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karaj and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Karaj: $816 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. The total is higher in Cebu despite lower rent and utilities.

40

Cost of Living Index in Karaj
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Karaj Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index

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Karaj

🇮🇷 Iran

$816

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $816 in Karaj versus $918 in Cebu.

Karaj $816
Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,054 in Karaj versus $1,409 in Cebu.

Karaj $1,054
Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,292 in Karaj versus $1,900 in Cebu.

Karaj $1,292
Cebu $1,900

Living in Karaj costs roughly 11% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Karaj 40% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 $3.79

$3.09 ₱194

22.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.25 $17.25

$24.22 ₱1,525

-28.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 $3.92

$3.92 ₱247

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.48 $0.48

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 $1.12

Cappuccino

$1.11 $1.11

$2.51 ₱158

-55.78%

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

$0.46 $0.46

$1.59 ₱100

-71.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.53 ₱33.43

213.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$1.92 ₱121

-63.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 $0.51

$1.36 ₱85.4

-62.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.01 ₱63.5

104.95%

Eggs

$1.08 $1.08

$2.03 ₱128

-46.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$9.86 ₱621

-56.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$4.39 ₱277

-24.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.38 $10.38

$7.60 ₱479

36.58%

Apples (1kg)

$0.86 $0.86

$3.30 ₱208

-73.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.39 ₱87.8

20.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.75 $0.75

$2.33 ₱147

-67.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 $0.49

$1.50 ₱94.3

-67.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 $0.46

$2.36 ₱149

-80.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 $0.47

$1.90 ₱119

-75.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 $0.57

$1.19 ₱74.9

-52.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.19 $0.19

$0.63 ₱39.71

-69.84%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.76 $0.76

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 $0.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 $1.34

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.00 ₱189

-16.00%

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)

$0.19 $0.19

$0.25 ₱15.86

-24.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.23 $13.23

$12.64 ₱796

4.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 $0.31

$0.77 ₱48.62

-59.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 $0.29

$0.23 ₱14.53

26.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 $2.66

$4.46 ₱281

-40.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.08 $0.08

$1.31 ₱82.8

-93.89%

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

$49.4K $49.4K

$21.2K ₱1.3M

132.56%

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

$44.9K $44.9K

$19.1K ₱1.2M

134.65%

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

$12.86 $12.86

$120 ₱7,569

-89.30%

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

$1.58 $1.58

$14.00 ₱882

-88.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$3.69 $3.69

$27.54 ₱1,734

-86.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.06 $23.06

$32.33 ₱2,035

-28.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.06 $10.06

$6.65 ₱419

51.28%

Cinema Ticket

$1.12 $1.12

$5.65 ₱356

-80.18%

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

$108 $108

$275 ₱17.3K

-60.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$817 $817

$7,918 ₱498.5K

-89.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.45 $25.45

$49.33 ₱3,106

-48.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.36 $28.36

$25.24 ₱1,589

12.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 $95.8

$77.0 ₱4,846

24.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.5 $74.5

$57.2 ₱3,601

30.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$291 $291

$500 ₱31.5K

-41.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 $480

$309 ₱19.4K

55.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$829 $829

$1,078 ₱67.9K

-23.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 $467

$615 ₱38.7K

-24.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,249 $1,249

$2,886 ₱181.7K

-56.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$528 $528

$1,917 ₱120.7K

-72.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$245 $245

$346 ₱21.8K

-29.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

219.44%

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

Last update for Karaj: 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

Karaj

$480 58.8%

Cebu

$309 33.6% 35.7% $171

Groceries & Markets

Karaj

$112 13.7%

Cebu

$206 22.4% 83.7% $94

Clothing & Footwear

Karaj

$101 12.4%

Cebu

$94 10.2% 6.9% $6.9

Eating Out

Karaj

$64 7.8%

Cebu

$88 9.6% 38.1% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Karaj

$25 3.1%

Cebu

$44 4.8% 72.4% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Karaj

$18 2.2%

Cebu

$162 17.6% 792% $144

Getting Around

Karaj

$16 1.9%

Cebu

$16 1.7% 1% $0.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $291 in Karaj and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 41% 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: $17.00 in Karaj vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $112 vs $206 per month, with Karaj cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Karaj

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

05:52 5:52 AM

10:22 10:22 AM

4 h 30 min ahead of Karaj

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,712,000

964,169

💱 Currency

USD USD

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, EUR to USD – USD Converter

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

USD exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 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).

PHP to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Karaj Cebu 7,800 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Karaj
Cebu

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Karaj vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karaj is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 41% lower in Cebu. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $291 in Karaj versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $816 per month in Karaj versus $918 in Cebu – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karaj runs roughly 5% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Karaj gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Karaj 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, Karaj 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 Karaj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.