For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $2,017 in Lucca, rent and utilities included – about $13,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half 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 Lucca and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,017 in Lucca versus $918 in Cebu.
Lucca $2,017
Cebu $918
Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,004 in Lucca versus $1,409 in Cebu.
Lucca $3,004
Cebu $1,409
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,990 in Lucca versus $1,900 in Cebu.
Lucca $3,990
Cebu $1,900
🌍
Living in Lucca is roughly 120% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Lucca is 49% above, Cebu is 32% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Lucca
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.78€17.59
$3.09₱194
540.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.6€71.7
$24.22₱1,525
232.82%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.84€10.53
$3.92₱247
202.04%
Cappuccino
$2.02€1.79
$2.51₱158
-19.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.30€2.93
$1.59₱100
107.55%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43€1.27
$0.53₱33.43
169.81%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.73€5.99
$1.78₱112
278.09%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.08€4.52
$2.17₱137
134.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lucca
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.64€1.46
$1.92₱121
-14.58%
White Bread(500g)
$2.42€2.15
$1.36₱85.4
77.94%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.99€2.66
$1.01₱63.5
196.04%
Eggs
$4.01€3.56
$2.03₱128
97.54%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$20.76€18.46
$9.86₱621
110.55%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$14.43€12.83
$4.39₱277
228.70%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$21.07€18.74
$7.60₱479
177.24%
Apples(1kg)
$2.38€2.12
$3.30₱208
-27.88%
Banana(1kg)
$2.14€1.91
$1.39₱87.8
53.96%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.52€2.24
$2.33₱147
8.15%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.20€2.84
$1.50₱94.3
113.33%
Potato(1kg)
$1.90€1.69
$2.36₱149
-19.49%
Onion(1kg)
$2.14€1.91
$1.90₱119
12.63%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.82€1.62
$1.19₱74.9
52.94%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57€0.50
$0.63₱39.71
-9.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.05€6.28
$3.00₱189
135.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.83€6.96
$6.03₱379
29.85%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.93€1.72
$1.23₱77.7
56.91%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81€2.50
$1.75₱110
60.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Lucca
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.95€1.74
$0.25₱15.86
680.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$34.12€30.35
$12.64₱796
169.94%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.53€4.03
$0.77₱48.62
488.31%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.62€1.44
$0.23₱14.53
604.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$27.76€24.69
$4.46₱281
522.42%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.11€1.88
$1.31₱82.8
61.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.5K€32.4K
$21.2K₱1.3M
71.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K€30.9K
$19.1K₱1.2M
81.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lucca
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$336€299
$120₱7,569
179.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.93€10.62
$14.00₱882
-14.79%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.27€28.70
$27.54₱1,734
17.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lucca
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$65.8€58.6
$32.33₱2,035
103.62%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$50.0€44.47
$6.65₱419
651.88%
Cinema Ticket
$9.86€8.77
$5.65₱356
74.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lucca
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$645€574
$275₱17.3K
134.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.3K€10.0K
$7,918₱498.5K
42.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lucca
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101€89.6
$49.33₱3,106
104.22%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.80€42.52
$25.24₱1,589
89.38%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$90.5€80.5
$77.0₱4,846
17.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$165€146
$57.2₱3,601
187.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lucca
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$796€708
$500₱31.5K
59.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$663€589
$309₱19.4K
114.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,431€1,273
$1,078₱67.9K
32.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,012€900
$615₱38.7K
64.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,989€3,549
$2,886₱181.7K
38.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,088€1,857
$1,917₱120.7K
8.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lucca
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,765€1,570
$346₱21.8K
410.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.7
7.2
-48.61%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Lucca: October 11, 2026
Last update for Cebu: October 12, 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
Lucca
$663 32.8%
Cebu
$309 33.6% ↓ 53.4%$354
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lucca
$380 18.9%
Cebu
$162 17.6% ↓ 57.5%$218
🛒Groceries & Markets
Lucca
$372 18.5%
Cebu
$206 22.4% ↓ 44.7%$166
🍽Eating Out
Lucca
$281 13.9%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 68.6%$192
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Lucca
$182 9%
Cebu
$94 10.2% ↓ 48.3%$88
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Lucca
$86 4.2%
Cebu
$44 4.8% ↓ 49%$42
🚌Getting Around
Lucca
$55 2.7%
Cebu
$16 1.7% ↓ 71.5%$39
🏠Accommodation & Living
Lucca
$1K 25.4%
Cebu
$615 32.4% ↓ 39.2%$396
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lucca
$392 9.8%
Cebu
$176 9.3% ↓ 55.2%$216
🛒Groceries & Markets
Lucca
$879 22%
Cebu
$483 25.4% ↓ 45.1%$396
🍽Eating Out
Lucca
$969 24.3%
Cebu
$292 15.4% ↓ 69.9%$677
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Lucca
$404 10.1%
Cebu
$209 11% ↓ 48.3%$195
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Lucca
$221 5.5%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↓ 57.5%$127
🚌Getting Around
Lucca
$113 2.8%
Cebu
$32 1.7% ↓ 72%$81
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $796 in Lucca and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Lucca pays 410% 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: $81.0 in Lucca vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $372 vs $206 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
Lucca vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Lucca?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 120% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Lucca or Cebu?
Average pay runs 410% higher in Lucca, 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 Lucca and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $796 in Lucca versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Lucca and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $2,017 per month in Lucca versus $918 in Cebu – a 120% 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 170% less than in Lucca. 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 Lucca or in Cebu?
At $918 in Cebu versus $2,017 in Lucca, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Lucca. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Lucca or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lucca, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Lucca or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Lucca 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 120% less than in Lucca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.