Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kish and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Kish: $561 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

27

Cost of Living Index in Kish
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Kish Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
Learn more

Cebu Living Index

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Kish

🇮🇷 Iran

$561

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $561 in Kish versus $918 in Cebu.

Kish $561
Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $879 in Kish versus $1,409 in Cebu.

Kish $879
Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,197 in Kish versus $1,900 in Cebu.

Kish $1,197
Cebu $1,900

Living in Kish costs roughly 39% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kish 58% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.52 $5.52

$3.09 ₱194

78.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.35 $15.35

$24.22 ₱1,525

-36.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.39 $4.39

$3.92 ₱247

11.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.72 $0.72

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 $1.23

Cappuccino

$1.19 $1.19

$2.51 ₱158

-52.59%

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

$0.50 $0.50

$1.59 ₱100

-68.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

$0.53 ₱33.43

90.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱137

Milk (1 liter)

$0.65 $0.65

$1.92 ₱121

-66.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 $0.55

$1.36 ₱85.4

-59.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.01 ₱63.5

101.98%

Eggs

$1.23 $1.23

$2.03 ₱128

-39.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$9.86 ₱621

-54.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$4.39 ₱277

-28.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.27 $9.27

$7.60 ₱479

21.97%

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 $0.92

$3.30 ₱208

-72.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.39 ₱87.8

7.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 $0.92

$2.33 ₱147

-60.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.62 $0.62

$1.50 ₱94.3

-58.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 $0.52

$2.36 ₱149

-77.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 $0.52

$1.90 ₱119

-72.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 $0.48

$1.19 ₱74.9

-59.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 $0.28

$0.63 ₱39.71

-55.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.78 $0.78

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 $0.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 $1.22

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.38 $2.38

$3.00 ₱189

-20.67%

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)

$0.15 $0.15

$0.25 ₱15.86

-40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.30 $8.30

$12.64 ₱796

-34.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 $0.38

$0.77 ₱48.62

-50.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 $0.27

$0.23 ₱14.53

17.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 $2.71

$4.46 ₱281

-39.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.09 $0.09

$1.31 ₱82.8

-93.13%

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

$54.6K $54.6K

$21.2K ₱1.3M

157.12%

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

$49.1K $49.1K

$19.1K ₱1.2M

156.31%

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

$13.43 $13.43

$120 ₱7,569

-88.83%

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

$1.57 $1.57

$14.00 ₱882

-88.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$3.31 $3.31

$27.54 ₱1,734

-87.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.31 $20.31

$32.33 ₱2,035

-37.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.66 $12.66

$6.65 ₱419

90.38%

Cinema Ticket

$2.07 $2.07

$5.65 ₱356

-63.36%

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

$113 $113

$275 ₱17.3K

-58.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,256 $2,256

$7,918 ₱498.5K

-71.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.42 $22.42

$49.33 ₱3,106

-54.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.14 $28.14

$25.24 ₱1,589

11.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 $111

$77.0 ₱4,846

43.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 $69.4

$57.2 ₱3,601

21.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 $286

$500 ₱31.5K

-42.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 $215

$309 ₱19.4K

-30.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 $800

$1,078 ₱67.9K

-25.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 $358

$615 ₱38.7K

-41.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,300 $1,300

$2,886 ₱181.7K

-54.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$563 $563

$1,917 ₱120.7K

-70.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$413 $413

$346 ₱21.8K

19.26%

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 Kish: October 10, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Kish

$215 38.4%

Cebu

$309 33.6% 43.3% $93

Groceries & Markets

Kish

$110 19.7%

Cebu

$206 22.4% 86.8% $96

Clothing & Footwear

Kish

$104 18.5%

Cebu

$94 10.2% 9.5% $9.9

Eating Out

Kish

$78 13.9%

Cebu

$88 9.6% 13.5% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Kish

$24 4.4%

Cebu

$44 4.8% 78.3% $19

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kish

$18 3.3%

Cebu

$162 17.6% 784% $143

Getting Around

Kish

$11 1.9%

Cebu

$16 1.7% 47% $5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $286 in Kish and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kish pays 19% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $15.00 in Kish vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $110 vs $206 per month, with Kish cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Kish

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

01:30 1:30 AM

06:00 6:00 AM

4 h 30 min ahead of Kish

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,819

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 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Kish Cebu 7,510 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Kish
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

Kish vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kish is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 64% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 19% higher in Kish, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $286 in Kish versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $561 per month in Kish versus $918 in Cebu – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kish runs roughly 52% 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 Kish gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Kish 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, Kish 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 Kish gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.