For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $2,349 in Lewes, rent and utilities included – about $17,200 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 Lewes and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,349 in Lewes versus $918 in Cebu.
Lewes $2,349
Cebu $918
Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,484 in Lewes versus $1,409 in Cebu.
Lewes $3,484
Cebu $1,409
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,619 in Lewes versus $1,900 in Cebu.
Lewes $4,619
Cebu $1,900
🌍
Living in Lewes is roughly 156% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Lewes is 74% above, Cebu is 32% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Lewes
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.91£18.69
$3.09₱194
706.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$93.0£69.8
$24.22₱1,525
283.98%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.03£7.52
$3.92₱247
155.87%
Cappuccino
$4.82£3.61
$2.51₱158
92.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.96£2.22
$1.59₱100
86.16%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68£2.01
$0.53₱33.43
405.66%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$8.74£6.56
$1.78₱112
391.01%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.40£4.80
$2.17₱137
194.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lewes
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.42£1.07
$1.92₱121
-26.04%
White Bread(500g)
$1.76£1.32
$1.36₱85.4
29.41%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.11£1.59
$1.01₱63.5
108.91%
Eggs
$3.69£2.77
$2.03₱128
81.77%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.97£8.23
$9.86₱621
11.26%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.33£6.25
$4.39₱277
89.75%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.62£9.46
$7.60₱479
66.05%
Apples(1kg)
$2.86£2.15
$3.30₱208
-13.33%
Banana(1kg)
$1.53£1.15
$1.39₱87.8
10.07%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.76£2.07
$2.33₱147
18.45%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.25£2.43
$1.50₱94.3
116.67%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59£1.19
$2.36₱149
-32.63%
Onion(1kg)
$1.35£1.01
$1.90₱119
-28.95%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.94£0.70
$1.19₱74.9
-21.01%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.48£1.11
$0.63₱39.71
134.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$23.53£17.65
$3.00₱189
684.33%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.12£8.34
$6.03₱379
84.41%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.29£1.72
$1.23₱77.7
86.18%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16£2.37
$1.75₱110
80.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Lewes
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.33£2.50
$0.25₱15.86
1232.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$96.5£72.4
$12.64₱796
663.77%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.87£3.66
$0.77₱48.62
532.47%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.58£1.94
$0.23₱14.53
1021.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$22.61£16.96
$4.46₱281
406.95%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.07£1.55
$1.31₱82.8
58.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.3K£28.7K
$21.2K₱1.3M
80.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.9K£30.7K
$19.1K₱1.2M
113.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lewes
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$279£210
$120₱7,569
132.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.87£12.66
$14.00₱882
20.50%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.59£34.20
$27.54₱1,734
65.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lewes
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$45.22£33.92
$32.33₱2,035
39.87%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.98£9.74
$6.65₱419
95.19%
Cinema Ticket
$12.96£9.72
$5.65₱356
129.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lewes
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,757£1,318
$275₱17.3K
538.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$29.2K£21.9K
$7,918₱498.5K
268.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lewes
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$75.3£56.5
$49.33₱3,106
52.58%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.73£33.55
$25.24₱1,589
77.22%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$104£77.8
$77.0₱4,846
34.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5£66.4
$57.2₱3,601
54.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lewes
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,232£924
$500₱31.5K
146.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,014£761
$309₱19.4K
228.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,123£1,593
$1,078₱67.9K
96.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,664£1,248
$615₱38.7K
170.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,103£3,828
$2,886₱181.7K
76.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,930£2,948
$1,917₱120.7K
105.06%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lewes
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,554£3,416
$346₱21.8K
1216.25%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
7.2
-30.56%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Lewes: 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
Lewes
$1K 43.2%
Cebu
$309 33.6% ↓ 69.6%$706
🍽Eating Out
Lewes
$366 15.6%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 75.9%$278
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lewes
$342 14.6%
Cebu
$162 17.6% ↓ 52.7%$180
🛒Groceries & Markets
Lewes
$287 12.2%
Cebu
$206 22.4% ↓ 28.3%$81
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Lewes
$141 6%
Cebu
$94 10.2% ↓ 33.1%$47
🚌Getting Around
Lewes
$128 5.4%
Cebu
$16 1.7% ↓ 87.8%$112
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Lewes
$71 3%
Cebu
$44 4.8% ↓ 38.7%$28
🏠Accommodation & Living
Lewes
$1.7K 36%
Cebu
$615 32.4% ↓ 63%$1K
🍽Eating Out
Lewes
$1.2K 26.2%
Cebu
$292 15.4% ↓ 75.8%$916
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lewes
$359 7.8%
Cebu
$176 9.3% ↓ 51%$183
🛒Groceries & Markets
Lewes
$659 14.3%
Cebu
$483 25.4% ↓ 26.7%$176
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Lewes
$312 6.8%
Cebu
$209 11% ↓ 33.1%$103
🚌Getting Around
Lewes
$262 5.7%
Cebu
$32 1.7% ↓ 87.9%$230
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Lewes
$155 3.4%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↓ 39.5%$61
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,232 in Lewes and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Lewes pays 1216% 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: $93.0 in Lewes vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 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
Lewes vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Lewes?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and clothing. The 156% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Lewes or Cebu?
Average pay runs 1216% higher in Lewes, 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 Lewes and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,232 in Lewes 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 Lewes and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $2,349 per month in Lewes versus $918 in Cebu – a 156% 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 664% less than in Lewes. 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 Lewes or in Cebu?
At $918 in Cebu versus $2,349 in Lewes, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Lewes. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Lewes or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lewes, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Lewes or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Lewes 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 156% less than in Lewes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.