Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kerak and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $955 in Kerak versus $918 in Cebu.
Kerak $955
Cebu $918
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,499 in Kerak versus $1,409 in Cebu.
Kerak $1,499
Cebu $1,409
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,043 in Kerak versus $1,900 in Cebu.
Kerak $2,043
Cebu $1,900
🌍
Living in Kerak is roughly 4% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Kerak29% lower, Cebu32% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Kerak
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.80JOD 1.98
$3.09₱194
-9.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$71.8JOD 50.9
$24.22₱1,525
196.61%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.50JOD 3.89
$3.92₱247
40.31%
Cappuccino
$0.68JOD 0.48
$2.51₱158
-72.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.51JOD 0.36
$1.59₱100
-67.92%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36JOD 0.26
$0.53₱33.43
-32.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$8.59JOD 6.08
$1.78₱112
382.58%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$10.85JOD 7.68
$2.17₱137
400.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kerak
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43JOD 1.01
$1.92₱121
-25.52%
White Bread(500g)
$0.37JOD 0.26
$1.36₱85.4
-72.79%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.81JOD 0.58
$1.01₱63.5
-19.80%
Eggs
$1.72JOD 1.21
$2.03₱128
-15.27%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.98JOD 4.94
$9.86₱621
-29.21%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.26JOD 3.02
$4.39₱277
-2.96%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.74JOD 9.02
$7.60₱479
67.63%
Apples(1kg)
$1.45JOD 1.03
$3.30₱208
-56.06%
Banana(1kg)
$1.42JOD 1.01
$1.39₱87.8
2.16%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.45JOD 1.02
$2.33₱147
-37.77%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.41JOD 0.29
$1.50₱94.3
-72.67%
Potato(1kg)
$0.87JOD 0.62
$2.36₱149
-63.14%
Onion(1kg)
$0.80JOD 0.57
$1.90₱119
-57.89%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.64JOD 0.46
$1.19₱74.9
-46.22%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.66JOD 0.47
$0.63₱39.71
4.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.98JOD 2.82
$3.00₱189
32.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$20.86JOD 14.77
$6.03₱379
245.94%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$5.06JOD 3.58
$1.23₱77.7
311.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.92JOD 3.48
$1.75₱110
181.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Kerak
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$0.25₱15.86
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$12.64₱796
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.63JOD 0.44
$0.77₱48.62
-18.18%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.43JOD 1.01
$0.23₱14.53
521.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.94JOD 4.91
$4.46₱281
55.61%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.68JOD 1.19
$1.31₱82.8
28.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8KJOD 24.6K
$21.2K₱1.3M
63.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.2KJOD 24.9K
$19.1K₱1.2M
83.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kerak
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$111JOD 78.6
$120₱7,569
-7.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.71JOD 11.12
$14.00₱882
12.21%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.44JOD 20.13
$27.54₱1,734
3.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kerak
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.59JOD 30.16
$32.33₱2,035
31.74%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.65₱419
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.44JOD 8.10
$5.65₱356
102.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kerak
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$140JOD 99.0
$275₱17.3K
-49.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,415JOD 2,418
$7,918₱498.5K
-56.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kerak
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.8JOD 45.17
$49.33₱3,106
29.33%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$83.2JOD 58.9
$25.24₱1,589
229.56%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$124JOD 87.6
$77.0₱4,846
60.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.8JOD 61.4
$57.2₱3,601
51.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kerak
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$181JOD 128
$500₱31.5K
-63.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$227JOD 160
$309₱19.4K
-26.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$277JOD 196
$1,078₱67.9K
-74.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$321JOD 227
$615₱38.7K
-47.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$215JOD 153
$2,886₱181.7K
-92.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$280JOD 198
$1,917₱120.7K
-85.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kerak
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$521JOD 369
$346₱21.8K
50.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.81
7.2
-5.42%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Kerak: 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
Kerak
$227 23.7%
Cebu
$309 33.6% ↑ 36.3%$82
🛒Groceries & Markets
Kerak
$224 23.4%
Cebu
$206 22.4% ↓ 8%$18
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Kerak
$161 16.8%
Cebu
$94 10.2% ↓ 41.6%$67
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kerak
$155 16.3%
Cebu
$162 17.6% ↑ 4.2%$6.6
🍽Eating Out
Kerak
$115 12.1%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 23.4%$27
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Kerak
$65 6.9%
Cebu
$44 4.8% ↓ 33.4%$22
🚌Getting Around
Kerak
$7.8 * 0.8%
Cebu
$16 1.7% ↑ 101%$7.8
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Kerak
$321 15.7%
Cebu
$615 32.4% ↑ 91.5%$294
🛒Groceries & Markets
Kerak
$476 23.3%
Cebu
$483 25.4% ↑ 1.3%$6.4
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Kerak
$357 17.5%
Cebu
$209 11% ↓ 41.6%$149
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kerak
$171 8.4%
Cebu
$176 9.3% ↑ 2.8%$4.9
🍽Eating Out
Kerak
$571 28%
Cebu
$292 15.4% ↓ 48.8%$279
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Kerak
$131 * 6.4%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↓ 28.3%$37
🚌Getting Around
Kerak
$16 * 0.8%
Cebu
$32 1.7% ↑ 104%$16
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $181 in Kerak and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Kerak pays 51% 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: $72.0 in Kerak vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $224 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
Kerak vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Kerak?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Kerak or Cebu?
Average pay runs 51% higher in Kerak, 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 Kerak and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $181 in Kerak versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Kerak and in Cebu?
Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Kerak. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Kerak and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $955 per month in Kerak versus $918 in Cebu – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,000 enough for either Kerak or Cebu?
Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Cebu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Kerak or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kerak, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Kerak or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Kerak 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 4% less than in Kerak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.