Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kostroma and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,228 in Kostroma, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Kostroma
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,228
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,228 in Kostroma versus $918 in Cebu.

  • Kostroma $1,228
  • Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,964 in Kostroma versus $1,409 in Cebu.

  • Kostroma $1,964
  • Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,700 in Kostroma versus $1,900 in Cebu.

  • Kostroma $2,700
  • Cebu $1,900

Living in Kostroma is roughly 34% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kostroma 9% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kostroma
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.72 ₽978
$3.09 ₱194
279.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.2 ₽4,940
$24.22 ₱1,525
144.38%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.31 ₽610
$3.92 ₱247
86.48%
Cappuccino
$3.69 ₽308
$2.51 ₱158
47.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.58 ₽132
$1.59 ₱100
-0.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.89 ₽74.0
$0.53 ₱33.43
67.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.75 ₽146
$1.78 ₱112
-1.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.39 ₽449
$2.17 ₱137
148.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kostroma
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.28 ₽107
$1.92 ₱121
-33.33%
White Bread (500g)
$1.01 ₽84.0
$1.36 ₱85.4
-25.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.66 ₽139
$1.01 ₱63.5
64.36%
Eggs
$1.96 ₽163
$2.03 ₱128
-3.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.64 ₽1,222
$9.86 ₱621
48.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.55 ₽547
$4.39 ₱277
49.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.95 ₽1,248
$7.60 ₱479
96.71%
Apples (1kg)
$2.07 ₽173
$3.30 ₱208
-37.27%
Banana (1kg)
$1.76 ₽147
$1.39 ₱87.8
26.62%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.03 ₽169
$2.33 ₱147
-12.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.08 ₽341
$1.50 ₱94.3
172.00%
Potato (1kg)
$0.93 ₽77.3
$2.36 ₱149
-60.59%
Onion (1kg)
$0.75 ₽62.4
$1.90 ₱119
-60.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.63 ₽136
$1.19 ₱74.9
36.97%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.92 ₽76.7
$0.63 ₱39.71
46.03%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.54 ₽296
$3.00 ₱189
18.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.92 ₽995
$6.03 ₱379
97.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 ₽100
$1.23 ₱77.7
-2.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65 ₽221
$1.75 ₱110
51.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Kostroma
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.49 ₽40.96
$0.25 ₱15.86
96.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$12.64 ₱796
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.46 ₽289
$0.77 ₱48.62
349.35%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.35 ₽29.46
$0.23 ₱14.53
52.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.76 ₽982
$4.46 ₱281
163.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.83 ₽69.2
$1.31 ₱82.8
-36.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.5K ₽3.3M
$21.2K ₱1.3M
85.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.1K ₽3.3M
$19.1K ₱1.2M
104.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kostroma
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$188 ₽15.7K
$120 ₱7,569
56.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.10 ₽759
$14.00 ₱882
-35.00%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.89 ₽825
$27.54 ₱1,734
-64.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kostroma
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.56 ₽3,218
$32.33 ₱2,035
19.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.29 ₽2,027
$6.65 ₱419
265.26%
Cinema Ticket
$9.55 ₽797
$5.65 ₱356
69.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kostroma
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$350 ₽29.2K
$275 ₱17.3K
27.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,197 ₽517.2K
$7,918 ₱498.5K
-21.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kostroma
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$111 ₽9,247
$49.33 ₱3,106
124.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$66.2 ₽5,521
$25.24 ₱1,589
162.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$147 ₽12.2K
$77.0 ₱4,846
90.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$180 ₽15.0K
$57.2 ₱3,601
214.63%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kostroma
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$515 ₽42.9K
$500 ₱31.5K
3.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$275 ₽23.0K
$309 ₱19.4K
-10.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$811 ₽67.7K
$1,078 ₱67.9K
-24.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$532 ₽44.4K
$615 ₱38.7K
-13.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,209 ₽184.4K
$2,886 ₱181.7K
-23.44%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,486 ₽124.0K
$1,917 ₱120.7K
-22.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kostroma
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$737 ₽61.5K
$346 ₱21.8K
113.17%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
19.56
7.2
171.67%

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

Last update for Kostroma: October 12, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kostroma
$275
Cebu
$309 12.3% $34
Groceries & Markets
Kostroma
$265
Cebu
$206 22.4% $59
Clothing & Footwear
Kostroma
$227
Cebu
$94 58.5% $133
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kostroma
$207
Cebu
$162 21.8% $45
Eating Out
Kostroma
$189
Cebu
$88 53.4% $101
Sport & Entertainment
Kostroma
$58
Cebu
$44 24.3% $14
Getting Around
Kostroma
$7.2 *
Cebu
$16 117% $8.4

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 $515 in Kostroma and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kostroma pays 113% 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: $59.0 in Kostroma vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $265 vs $206 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇷🇺 Kostroma
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
05:53 5:53 AM
10:53 10:53 AM
5 h ahead of Kostroma
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
277,393
964,169
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to RUB – Russian Ruble Converter

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 83.46 RUB (100 RUB = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 93.83 RUB (100 RUB = 1.07 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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kostroma Cebu 8,620 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Kostroma
  • 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
Kostroma vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Kostroma?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Kostroma or Cebu?
Average pay runs 113% higher in Kostroma, 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 Kostroma and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $515 in Kostroma 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 Kostroma and in Cebu?
Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Kostroma. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Kostroma and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $1,228 per month in Kostroma versus $918 in Cebu – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Kostroma or in Cebu?
At $918 in Cebu versus $1,228 in Kostroma, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Kostroma. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Kostroma or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kostroma, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Kostroma or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Kostroma 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 34% less than in Kostroma. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Kostroma vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?