Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Livingstone and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Livingstone: $202 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index

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Livingstone

🇿🇲 Zambia

$202

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $202 in Livingstone versus $934 in Cebu.

Livingstone $202
Cebu $934

Estimated couple costs with rent: $374 in Livingstone versus $1,415 in Cebu.

Livingstone $374
Cebu $1,415

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $546 in Livingstone versus $1,896 in Cebu.

Livingstone $546
Cebu $1,896

Living in Livingstone costs roughly 78% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Livingstone 85% lower, Cebu 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.40 ZMW 147

$3.03 ₱190

144.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.21 ZMW 599

$23.48 ₱1,473

28.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.09 ZMW 180

$4.09 ₱256

122.25%

Cappuccino

$5.00 ZMW 99.2

$2.52 ₱158

98.41%

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

$1.54 ₱96.9

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ZMW 6.68

$0.49 ₱30.98

-30.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱112

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.7

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱63.8

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱615

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱289

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱483

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱207

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱90.9

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.4

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.15

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

Wine (Bottle)

$20.26 ZMW 402

$6.35 ₱398

219.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱81.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱108

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.78

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱793

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.32

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 ZMW 49.86

$0.21 ₱13.11

1095.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱271

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.5

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

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

$121 ₱7,563

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

$14.45 ₱907

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,774

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,050

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱401

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱342

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

$273 ₱17.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱511.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,109

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,560

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,804

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,717

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱182.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

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

Last update for Livingstone: October 4, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Livingstone

–

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Groceries & Markets

Livingstone

–

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Livingstone

–

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Clothing & Footwear

Livingstone

–

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Eating Out

Livingstone

–

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Livingstone

–

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Getting Around

Livingstone

–

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $30.00 in Livingstone vs $23.00 in Cebu. Groceries flip the comparison at $41.00 vs $210, with Livingstone cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇿🇲 Livingstone

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

06:59 6:59 AM

12:59 12:59 PM

6 h ahead of Livingstone

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

136,897

964,169

💱 Currency

Zambian Kwacha ZMW ZK

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 ZMW = 5.04 USD

100 ZMW = 4.5 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to ZMW – Zambian Kwacha Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇿🇲 Zambian Kwacha (ZK)

Zambian Kwacha exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 19.83 ZMW (100 ZMW = 5.04 USD). 1 EUR = 22.24 ZMW (100 ZMW = 4.5 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.35 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

USD to ZMW in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Livingstone Cebu 11,200 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Livingstone
Cebu

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

Livingstone vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Livingstone is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and utilities. The 363% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $303 in Livingstone and $1,401 in Cebu to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 419% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Livingstone – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $23.00 in Cebu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Livingstone gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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

Safety-wise, Livingstone 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 Livingstone gentler on the wallet – expenses run 363% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.