For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $1,733 in Kosice, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 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 Kosice and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,733 in Kosice versus $934 in Cebu.
Kosice $1,733
Cebu $934
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,533 in Kosice versus $1,415 in Cebu.
Kosice $2,533
Cebu $1,415
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,332 in Kosice versus $1,896 in Cebu.
Kosice $3,332
Cebu $1,896
🌍
Living in Kosice is roughly 86% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Kosice is 29% above, Cebu is 30% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Kosice
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.30€9.18
$3.03₱191
239.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.4€49.37
$23.48₱1,476
135.82%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.11€8.12
$4.09₱257
122.74%
Cappuccino
$3.46€3.09
$2.52₱158
37.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05€1.83
$1.54₱97.2
33.12%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41€1.25
$0.49₱31.06
187.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.89€2.58
$1.79₱113
61.45%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25€2.01
$2.26₱142
-0.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kosice
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.09€0.97
$1.95₱122
-44.10%
White Bread(500g)
$1.48€1.32
$1.43₱89.9
3.50%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.07€1.85
$1.02₱64.0
102.94%
Eggs
$3.91€3.48
$2.06₱129
89.81%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.47€11.12
$9.81₱617
27.12%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.81€6.96
$4.61₱290
69.41%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.87€11.48
$7.70₱484
67.14%
Apples(1kg)
$1.75€1.56
$3.31₱208
-47.13%
Banana(1kg)
$2.13€1.90
$1.45₱91.2
46.90%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33€2.08
$2.36₱148
-1.27%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.63€4.13
$1.54₱96.6
200.65%
Potato(1kg)
$1.31€1.17
$2.36₱148
-44.49%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51€1.35
$1.99₱125
-24.12%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.66€1.48
$1.15₱72.3
44.35%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84€0.75
$0.67₱42.26
25.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.62€5.91
$3.00₱189
120.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.55€4.95
$6.35₱399
-12.60%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.93€0.83
$1.31₱82.1
-29.01%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89€1.69
$1.73₱109
9.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Kosice
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.25€1.12
$0.25₱15.82
400.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$33.64€30.00
$12.65₱796
165.93%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.70€1.52
$0.74₱46.44
129.73%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.24€1.11
$0.21₱13.15
490.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$22.07€19.68
$4.33₱272
409.70%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.98€1.77
$1.33₱83.7
48.87%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.2K€23.4K
$21.8K₱1.4M
20.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.2K€21.5K
$19.4K₱1.2M
24.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kosice
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$333€297
$121₱7,583
176.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.60€17.48
$14.45₱909
35.64%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.43€18.22
$28.29₱1,779
-27.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kosice
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$50.6€45.07
$32.68₱2,055
54.68%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.71€14.90
$6.39₱402
161.50%
Cinema Ticket
$9.67€8.62
$5.46₱343
77.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kosice
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$401€358
$273₱17.2K
46.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.6K€9,433
$8,156₱512.9K
29.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kosice
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.4€61.9
$49.57₱3,117
39.94%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.69€27.36
$24.87₱1,564
23.40%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$81.7€72.8
$76.6₱4,817
6.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.7€84.4
$59.3₱3,727
59.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kosice
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$917€818
$506₱31.8K
81.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$701€625
$309₱19.5K
126.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,698€1,514
$1,052₱66.1K
61.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,157€1,031
$619₱38.9K
86.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,911€3,487
$2,915₱183.4K
34.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,849€2,540
$1,867₱117.4K
52.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kosice
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,470€1,311
$341₱21.5K
331.08%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.79
7.2
-47.36%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Kosice: October 4, 2026
Last update for Cebu: October 5, 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
Kosice
$701 39.8%
Cebu
$309 33.5% ↓ 55.8%$391
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kosice
$373 21.2%
Cebu
$163 17.7% ↓ 56.2%$210
🛒Groceries & Markets
Kosice
$262 14.9%
Cebu
$210 22.7% ↓ 19.7%$52
🍽Eating Out
Kosice
$184 10.5%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 52%$96
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Kosice
$124 7.1%
Cebu
$95 10.2% ↓ 23.9%$30
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Kosice
$70 4%
Cebu
$44 4.7% ↓ 37.6%$26
🚌Getting Around
Kosice
$47 2.7%
Cebu
$15 1.7% ↓ 66.9%$31
🏠Accommodation & Living
Kosice
$1.2K 34.6%
Cebu
$619 32.4% ↓ 46.5%$538
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kosice
$393 11.8%
Cebu
$178 9.3% ↓ 54.7%$215
🛒Groceries & Markets
Kosice
$621 18.6%
Cebu
$493 25.8% ↓ 20.6%$128
🍽Eating Out
Kosice
$644 19.3%
Cebu
$288 15.1% ↓ 55.2%$355
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Kosice
$276 8.3%
Cebu
$210 11% ↓ 23.9%$66
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Kosice
$156 4.7%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↓ 40.2%$63
🚌Getting Around
Kosice
$96 2.9%
Cebu
$31 1.6% ↓ 67.2%$64
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $917 in Kosice and $506 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Kosice pays 331% 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: $55.0 in Kosice vs $23.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $262 vs $210 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
Kosice vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Kosice?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 86% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Kosice or Cebu?
Average pay runs 331% higher in Kosice, 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 Kosice and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $917 in Kosice versus $506 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Kosice and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $1,733 per month in Kosice versus $934 in Cebu – a 86% 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 Cebu runs roughly 166% less than in Kosice. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Kosice or in Cebu?
At $934 in Cebu versus $1,733 in Kosice, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Kosice. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Kosice or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kosice, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Kosice or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Kosice 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 86% less than in Kosice. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.