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: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $873 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $1,339 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,805 in Cebu.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 162% more expensive than in Cebu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Cebu is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$4.39 ₱271

268.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$24.30 ₱1,499

160.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$4.53 ₱280

127.81%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.52 ₱155

12.30%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$0.80 ₱49.51

186.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.42 ₱26.02

276.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$1.59 ₱97.9

113.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$2.19 ₱135

84.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$2.26 ₱139

-51.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.51 ₱93.2

15.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.16 ₱71.7

51.72%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.36 ₱146

34.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$12.87 ₱794

2.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$5.38 ₱332

48.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$7.82 ₱482

98.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$3.53 ₱218

-32.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.51 ₱93.1

13.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$3.29 ₱203

-38.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$2.20 ₱136

10.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.64 ₱163

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.46 ₱152

-17.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.00 ₱61.5

92.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.78 ₱48.14

8.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$3.10 ₱191

112.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$6.43 ₱397

-13.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.16 ₱71.8

14.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.24 ₱138

32.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.26 ₱15.83

776.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$15.36 ₱947

198.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$0.81 ₱49.90

422.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.23 ₱14.08

252.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$2.64 ₱163

598.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.10 ₱67.8

89.09%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$30.5K ₱1.9M

13.79%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$27.7K ₱1.7M

41.21%

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

$148 €130

$95.9 ₱5,914

54.40%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$34.05 ₱2,100

-39.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$29.86 ₱1,842

32.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$33.32 ₱2,055

44.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$8.45 ₱521

120.12%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$5.79 ₱357

59.24%

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

$616 €540

$235 ₱14.5K

161.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$3,913 ₱241.3K

320.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$53.1 ₱3,277

93.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$22.65 ₱1,397

84.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$76.1 ₱4,692

24.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$55.0 ₱3,389

122.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$508 ₱31.3K

221.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$210 ₱12.9K

488.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$800 ₱49.3K

287.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$389 ₱24.0K

422.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$3,013 ₱185.8K

159.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$1,950 ₱120.3K

125.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$340 ₱21.0K

372.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-52.37%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Cebu: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $508 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 373% 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 $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $241 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 162% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 373% 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $508 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $873 in Cebu – a 162% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 198% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $873 in Cebu versus $2,291 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 162% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.