Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Cebu Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Cebu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $931 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,439 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,947 in Cebu.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 147% more expensive than in Cebu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Cebu is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$3.05 ₱191

476.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$23.09 ₱1,448

172.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$4.03 ₱253

187.34%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.58 ₱162

20.16%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$1.53 ₱95.9

62.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.53 ₱33.31

228.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$1.71 ₱107

103.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$2.27 ₱143

51.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.87 ₱118

-38.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$1.34 ₱84.0

42.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.02 ₱64.1

47.06%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$1.96 ₱123

103.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$9.93 ₱623

33.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$4.58 ₱287

74.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$7.45 ₱467

142.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$3.46 ₱217

-32.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.45 ₱91.2

20.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$2.39 ₱150

-22.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$1.55 ₱97.4

64.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$2.31 ₱145

-20.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.88 ₱118

11.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$1.23 ₱77.1

21.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.62 ₱39.10

32.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$3.01 ₱189

135.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$6.13 ₱385

-3.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.29 ₱81.1

1.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.70 ₱107

25.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$0.25 ₱15.71

844.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

$12.35 ₱775

277.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$0.79 ₱49.72

416.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.20 ₱12.52

470.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$4.40 ₱276

288.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.31 ₱82.1

76.34%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$21.6K ₱1.4M

57.96%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$19.3K ₱1.2M

114.12%

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

$169 €147

$122 ₱7,681

37.64%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$15.08 ₱946

28.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$28.10 ₱1,762

19.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$31.67 ₱1,987

54.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

$6.65 ₱417

192.18%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$5.40 ₱339

77.22%

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

$696 €607

$278 ₱17.5K

150.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$7,849 ₱492.3K

121.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$48.20 ₱3,023

118.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$25.32 ₱1,588

88.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$76.3 ₱4,782

31.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$58.1 ₱3,643

114.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$489 ₱30.7K

239.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$307 ₱19.3K

305.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$1,075 ₱67.4K

175.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$636 ₱39.9K

222.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

$2,871 ₱180.0K

172.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

$1,912 ₱119.9K

133.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$335 ₱21.0K

387.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

7.2

-47.50%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Cebu: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $489 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 388% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $23.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $208 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

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

Lisbon vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 147% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 388% higher in Lisbon, 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $489 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $931 in Cebu – a 147% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 277% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $931 in Cebu versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lisbon 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 Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 147% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.