For one person, living is cheaper in Kerman: $508 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities 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 Kerman and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $508 in Kerman versus $918 in Cebu.
Kerman $508
Cebu $918
Estimated couple costs with rent: $874 in Kerman versus $1,409 in Cebu.
Kerman $874
Cebu $1,409
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,239 in Kerman versus $1,900 in Cebu.
Kerman $1,239
Cebu $1,900
🌍
Living in Kerman costs roughly 45% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Kerman62% lower, Cebu32% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Kerman
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.10$4.10
$3.09₱194
32.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$17.83$17.83
$24.22₱1,525
-26.38%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.92$3.92
$3.92₱247
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.71$0.71
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.06$1.06
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.13$1.13
$2.51₱158
-54.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70$0.70
$1.59₱100
-55.97%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97$0.97
$0.53₱33.43
83.02%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.78₱112
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.17₱137
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kerman
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.56$0.56
$1.92₱121
-70.83%
White Bread(500g)
$0.52$0.52
$1.36₱85.4
-61.76%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.71$2.71
$1.01₱63.5
168.32%
Eggs
$1.15$1.15
$2.03₱128
-43.35%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.38$4.38
$9.86₱621
-55.58%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$1.99$1.99
$4.39₱277
-54.67%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.11$10.11
$7.60₱479
33.03%
Apples(1kg)
$0.63$0.63
$3.30₱208
-80.91%
Banana(1kg)
$2.02$2.02
$1.39₱87.8
45.32%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.83$0.83
$2.33₱147
-64.38%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.57$0.57
$1.50₱94.3
-62.00%
Potato(1kg)
$0.39$0.39
$2.36₱149
-83.47%
Onion(1kg)
$0.39$0.39
$1.90₱119
-79.47%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.56$0.56
$1.19₱74.9
-52.94%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.20$0.20
$0.63₱39.71
-68.25%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$0.84$0.84
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.51$0.51
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33$1.33
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.46$1.46
$3.00₱189
-51.33%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$6.03₱379
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.23₱77.7
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.75₱110
-
🚌 Getting Around
Kerman
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.13$0.13
$0.25₱15.86
-48.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$9.47$9.47
$12.64₱796
-25.08%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.41$0.41
$0.77₱48.62
-46.75%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.32$0.32
$0.23₱14.53
39.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.42$2.42
$4.46₱281
-45.74%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.08$0.08
$1.31₱82.8
-93.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$46.2K$46.2K
$21.2K₱1.3M
117.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.7K$41.7K
$19.1K₱1.2M
118.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kerman
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$11.11$11.11
$120₱7,569
-90.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$1.60$1.60
$14.00₱882
-88.57%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$3.67$3.67
$27.54₱1,734
-86.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kerman
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$12.79$12.79
$32.33₱2,035
-60.44%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.77$13.77
$6.65₱419
107.07%
Cinema Ticket
$1.95$1.95
$5.65₱356
-65.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kerman
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$107$107
$275₱17.3K
-61.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,436$2,436
$7,918₱498.5K
-69.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kerman
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.35$22.35
$49.33₱3,106
-54.69%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$65.2$65.2
$25.24₱1,589
158.24%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$128$128
$77.0₱4,846
66.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.0$57.0
$57.2₱3,601
-0.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kerman
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$338$338
$500₱31.5K
-32.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$168$168
$309₱19.4K
-45.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$835$835
$1,078₱67.9K
-22.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$395$395
$615₱38.7K
-35.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$914$914
$2,886₱181.7K
-68.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$507$507
$1,917₱120.7K
-73.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kerman
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$201$201
$346₱21.8K
-41.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
24.3
7.2
237.50%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Kerman: October 10, 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
Kerman
$168 33.1%
Cebu
$309 33.6% ↑ 83.8%$141
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Kerman
$123 24.1%
Cebu
$94 10.2% ↓ 23.4%$29
🛒Groceries & Markets
Kerman
$108 21.2%
Cebu
$206 22.4% ↑ 90.9%$98
🍽Eating Out
Kerman
$65 12.8%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↑ 36.2%$23
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Kerman
$17 3.3%
Cebu
$44 4.8% ↑ 161%$27
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kerman
$16 3.2%
Cebu
$162 17.6% ↑ 888%$145
🚌Getting Around
Kerman
$12 2.4%
Cebu
$16 1.7% ↑ 29.9%$3.6
🏠Accommodation & Living
Kerman
$395 31.8%
Cebu
$615 32.4% ↑ 55.9%$221
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Kerman
$272 22%
Cebu
$209 11% ↓ 23.4%$64
🛒Groceries & Markets
Kerman
$263 21.3%
Cebu
$483 25.4% ↑ 83.3%$219
🍽Eating Out
Kerman
$220 17.7%
Cebu
$292 15.4% ↑ 33%$72
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Kerman
$47 3.8%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↑ 99.1%$47
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kerman
$18 1.5%
Cebu
$176 9.3% ↑ 878%$158
🚌Getting Around
Kerman
$24 2%
Cebu
$32 1.7% ↑ 30.6%$7.4
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $338 in Kerman and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Cebu pays 72% 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: $18.00 in Kerman vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $108 vs $206 per month, with Kerman cheaper across the board.
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
Kerman vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Kerman?
Kerman is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 81% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Kerman or Cebu?
On paper, salaries run 72% 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.
What is the rent difference between Kerman and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $338 in Kerman 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 Kerman and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $508 per month in Kerman versus $918 in Cebu – a 81% 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 Kerman runs roughly 33% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,200 enough for either Kerman or Cebu?
Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Kerman gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Kerman or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Kerman 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.
Which city is safer, Kerman or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Kerman 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 Kerman gentler on the wallet – expenses run 81% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.