Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lome and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Lome: $557 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lome
🇹🇬 Togo
$557
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$934
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $557 in Lome versus $934 in Cebu.

  • Lome $557
  • Cebu $934

Estimated couple costs with rent: $980 in Lome versus $1,415 in Cebu.

  • Lome $980
  • Cebu $1,415

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,404 in Lome versus $1,896 in Cebu.

  • Lome $1,404
  • Cebu $1,896

Living in Lome costs roughly 40% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lome 58% lower, Cebu 30% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lome
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.94 F CFA 1,718
$3.03 ₱190
-2.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$30.61 F CFA 17.9K
$23.48 ₱1,473
30.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.64 F CFA 3,301
$4.09 ₱256
37.90%
Cappuccino
$5.65 F CFA 3,307
$2.52 ₱158
124.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.22 F CFA 2,470
$1.54 ₱96.9
174.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 F CFA 407
$0.49 ₱30.98
42.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.96 F CFA 560
$1.79 ₱112
-46.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 F CFA 1,018
$2.26 ₱142
-23.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lome
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.22 F CFA 1,302
$1.95 ₱122
13.85%
White Bread (500g)
$1.36 F CFA 795
$1.43 ₱89.7
-4.90%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.49 F CFA 872
$1.02 ₱63.8
46.08%
Eggs
$2.04 F CFA 1,194
$2.06 ₱129
-0.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$9.81 ₱615
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$4.61 ₱289
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.70 F CFA 3,334
$7.70 ₱483
-25.97%
Apples (1kg)
$2.92 F CFA 1,710
$3.31 ₱207
-11.78%
Banana (1kg)
$1.67 F CFA 976
$1.45 ₱90.9
15.17%
Oranges (1kg)
-
$2.36 ₱148
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.55 F CFA 1,489
$1.54 ₱96.4
65.58%
Potato (1kg)
$1.75 F CFA 1,024
$2.36 ₱148
-25.85%
Onion (1kg)
$1.18 F CFA 692
$1.99 ₱125
-40.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.15 ₱72.1
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 F CFA 487
$0.67 ₱42.15
23.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$3.00 ₱188
-
Wine (Bottle)
$4.85 F CFA 2,835
$6.35 ₱398
-23.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 F CFA 640
$1.31 ₱81.9
-16.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 F CFA 820
$1.73 ₱108
-19.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Lome
Cebu
Difference
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)
$1.22 F CFA 714
$0.21 ₱13.11
480.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.24 F CFA 2,482
$4.33 ₱271
-2.08%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.23 F CFA 720
$1.33 ₱83.5
-7.52%
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
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lome
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$146 F CFA 85.6K
$121 ₱7,563
21.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.33 F CFA 12.5K
$14.45 ₱907
47.61%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.15 F CFA 24.7K
$28.29 ₱1,774
48.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lome
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.5 F CFA 35.4K
$32.68 ₱2,050
85.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.77 F CFA 5,132
$6.39 ₱401
37.25%
Cinema Ticket
$4.22 F CFA 2,467
$5.46 ₱342
-22.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lome
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$273 ₱17.1K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$8,156 ₱511.5K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lome
Cebu
Difference
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
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lome
Cebu
Difference
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)
$1,196 F CFA 699.6K
$1,052 ₱66.0K
13.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$294 F CFA 172.2K
$619 ₱38.8K
-52.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,915 ₱182.9K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,867 ₱117.1K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lome
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$295 F CFA 172.7K
$341 ₱21.4K
-13.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
7.2
-

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

Last update for Lome: October 5, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lome
$210
Cebu
$163 22.1% $46
Groceries & Markets
Lome
$140 *
Cebu
$210 50.3% $70
Eating Out
Lome
$136
Cebu
$88 35.1% $48
Sport & Entertainment
Lome
$69
Cebu
$44 36.7% $25
Getting Around
Lome
$6.1 *
Cebu
$15 153% $9.3
Clothing & Footwear
Lome
- *
Cebu
$95
Accommodation & Living
Lome
- *
Cebu
$309

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Cebu pays 16% 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: $31.00 in Lome vs $23.00 in Cebu. Groceries flip the comparison at $140 vs $210, with Lome cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇹🇬 Lome
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
04:53 4:53 AM
12:53 12:53 PM
8 h ahead of Lome
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
837,437 Capital
964,169
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to XOF – West African CFA Franc Converter

West African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 585 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.52 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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lome Cebu 13,410 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lome
  • 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
Lome vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Lome?
Lome is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and clothing. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Lome or Cebu?
On paper, salaries run 16% lower in Cebu. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do food prices compare in Lome and in Cebu?
Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Lome or in Cebu?
Dining out is cheaper in Lome – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $23.00 in Cebu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $800 enough for either Lome or Cebu?
Either city works on $800 a month, though Lome gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Lome or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Lome 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.
Which city is safer, Lome or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Lome 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 Lome gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Lome vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?