For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $1,469 in Lodz, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 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 Lodz and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,469 in Lodz versus $934 in Cebu.
Lodz $1,469
Cebu $934
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,141 in Lodz versus $1,415 in Cebu.
Lodz $2,141
Cebu $1,415
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,813 in Lodz versus $1,896 in Cebu.
Lodz $2,813
Cebu $1,896
🌍
Living in Lodz is roughly 57% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Lodz is 10% above, Cebu is 30% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Lodz
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.77zł 38.19
$3.03₱190
222.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.41zł 185
$23.48₱1,473
101.92%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.22zł 36.05
$4.09₱256
125.43%
Cappuccino
$3.53zł 13.79
$2.52₱158
40.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77zł 10.81
$1.54₱96.9
79.87%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68zł 10.46
$0.49₱30.98
446.94%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.49zł 17.54
$1.79₱112
150.84%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.00zł 19.54
$2.26₱142
121.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lodz
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.02zł 3.99
$1.95₱122
-47.69%
White Bread(500g)
$1.07zł 4.19
$1.43₱89.7
-25.17%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.34zł 5.25
$1.02₱63.8
31.37%
Eggs
$3.31zł 12.93
$2.06₱129
60.68%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.76zł 42.07
$9.81₱615
9.68%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.06zł 27.58
$4.61₱289
53.15%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.96zł 46.74
$7.70₱483
55.32%
Apples(1kg)
$1.15zł 4.48
$3.31₱207
-65.26%
Banana(1kg)
$1.67zł 6.54
$1.45₱90.9
15.17%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.31zł 9.05
$2.36₱148
-2.12%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.96zł 11.59
$1.54₱96.4
92.21%
Potato(1kg)
$0.84zł 3.29
$2.36₱148
-64.41%
Onion(1kg)
$0.91zł 3.56
$1.99₱125
-54.27%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.32zł 5.17
$1.15₱72.1
14.78%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.59zł 2.29
$0.67₱42.15
-11.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.78zł 22.59
$3.00₱188
92.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.72zł 26.25
$6.35₱398
5.83%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.16zł 4.52
$1.31₱81.9
-11.45%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68zł 6.57
$1.73₱108
-2.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Lodz
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.16zł 4.55
$0.25₱15.78
364.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$50.8zł 198
$12.65₱793
301.42%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.57zł 6.14
$0.74₱46.32
112.16%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.58zł 2.25
$0.21₱13.11
176.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$9.01zł 35.20
$4.33₱271
108.08%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.62zł 6.35
$1.33₱83.5
21.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.8Kzł 120.6K
$21.8K₱1.4M
41.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8Kzł 104.7K
$19.4K₱1.2M
38.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lodz
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$309zł 1,206
$121₱7,563
155.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.67zł 33.89
$14.45₱907
-40.00%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.27zł 67.5
$28.29₱1,774
-38.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lodz
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$36.49zł 143
$32.68₱2,050
11.66%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.00zł 70.3
$6.39₱401
181.69%
Cinema Ticket
$7.86zł 30.71
$5.46₱342
43.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lodz
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$514zł 2,010
$273₱17.1K
88.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.3Kzł 40.1K
$8,156₱511.5K
25.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lodz
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$74.5zł 291
$49.57₱3,109
50.25%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.66zł 159
$24.87₱1,560
63.49%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$89.0zł 348
$76.6₱4,804
16.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.2zł 376
$59.3₱3,717
62.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lodz
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$599zł 2,343
$506₱31.7K
18.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$456zł 1,784
$309₱19.4K
47.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,091zł 4,265
$1,052₱66.0K
3.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$810zł 3,167
$619₱38.8K
30.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,158zł 12.3K
$2,915₱182.9K
8.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,374zł 9,278
$1,867₱117.1K
27.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lodz
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,605zł 6,275
$341₱21.4K
370.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.87
7.2
-4.58%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Lodz: October 6, 2026
Last update for Cebu: October 5, 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
Lodz
$456 31.2%
Cebu
$309 33.5% ↓ 32.2%$147
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lodz
$335 22.9%
Cebu
$163 17.7% ↓ 51.2%$171
🛒Groceries & Markets
Lodz
$222 15.2%
Cebu
$210 22.7% ↓ 5.3%$12
🍽Eating Out
Lodz
$202 13.8%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 56.3%$114
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Lodz
$135 9.2%
Cebu
$95 10.2% ↓ 30%$41
🚌Getting Around
Lodz
$60 4.1%
Cebu
$15 1.7% ↓ 74.2%$44
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Lodz
$52 3.6%
Cebu
$44 4.7% ↓ 16.5%$8.6
🏠Accommodation & Living
Lodz
$810 28.4%
Cebu
$619 32.4% ↓ 23.6%$191
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lodz
$343 12%
Cebu
$178 9.3% ↓ 48.2%$165
🛒Groceries & Markets
Lodz
$523 18.3%
Cebu
$493 25.8% ↓ 5.7%$30
🍽Eating Out
Lodz
$632 22.2%
Cebu
$288 15.1% ↓ 54.4%$344
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Lodz
$300 10.5%
Cebu
$210 11% ↓ 30%$90
🚌Getting Around
Lodz
$122 4.3%
Cebu
$31 1.6% ↓ 74.3%$91
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Lodz
$122 4.3%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↓ 23.6%$29
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $599 in Lodz and $506 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Lodz pays 371% 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: $47.00 in Lodz vs $23.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 vs $210 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
Lodz vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Lodz?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Lodz or Cebu?
Average pay runs 371% higher in Lodz, 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 Lodz and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $599 in Lodz versus $506 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Lodz and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $1,469 per month in Lodz versus $934 in Cebu – a 57% 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 301% less than in Lodz. 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 Lodz or in Cebu?
At $934 in Cebu versus $1,469 in Lodz, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Lodz. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Lodz or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lodz, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Lodz or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Lodz 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 57% less than in Lodz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.