For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $1,999 in Lyon, rent and utilities included – about $12,800 less a year. Other living expenses 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 Lyon and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,999 in Lyon versus $934 in Cebu.
Lyon $1,999
Cebu $934
Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,120 in Lyon versus $1,415 in Cebu.
Lyon $3,120
Cebu $1,415
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,240 in Lyon versus $1,896 in Cebu.
Lyon $4,240
Cebu $1,896
🌍
Living in Lyon is roughly 114% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Lyon is 49% above, Cebu is 30% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Lyon
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.87€15.05
$3.03₱191
456.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.4€61.0
$23.48₱1,476
191.14%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.23€11.79
$4.09₱257
223.47%
Cappuccino
$4.09€3.65
$2.52₱158
62.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79€2.48
$1.54₱97.2
81.17%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74€1.55
$0.49₱31.06
255.10%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$7.81€6.96
$1.79₱113
336.31%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.00€5.35
$2.26₱142
165.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lyon
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.56€1.39
$1.95₱122
-20.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.89€1.68
$1.43₱89.9
32.17%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.53€2.25
$1.02₱64.0
148.04%
Eggs
$4.98€4.44
$2.06₱129
141.75%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$22.71€20.25
$9.81₱617
131.50%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.56€11.20
$4.61₱290
172.45%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$23.40€20.86
$7.70₱484
203.90%
Apples(1kg)
$2.32€2.07
$3.31₱208
-29.91%
Banana(1kg)
$2.49€2.22
$1.45₱91.2
71.72%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.50€3.12
$2.36₱148
48.31%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.34€2.97
$1.54₱96.6
116.88%
Potato(1kg)
$2.57€2.29
$2.36₱148
8.90%
Onion(1kg)
$2.96€2.64
$1.99₱125
48.74%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.38€1.23
$1.15₱72.3
20.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.11€0.99
$0.67₱42.26
65.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$14.08€12.55
$3.00₱189
369.33%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.09€7.21
$6.35₱399
27.40%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.68€2.39
$1.31₱82.1
104.58%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.36€3.00
$1.73₱109
94.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Lyon
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.32€2.06
$0.25₱15.82
828.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$83.5€74.4
$12.65₱796
559.84%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$8.26€7.37
$0.74₱46.44
1016.22%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.19€1.95
$0.21₱13.15
942.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$42.44€37.84
$4.33₱272
880.14%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.22€1.98
$1.33₱83.7
66.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K€30.6K
$21.8K₱1.4M
57.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K€30.9K
$19.4K₱1.2M
78.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lyon
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$271€241
$121₱7,583
124.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.32€12.77
$14.45₱909
-0.90%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.07€26.81
$28.29₱1,779
6.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lyon
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$39.48€35.20
$32.68₱2,055
20.81%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.23€25.17
$6.39₱402
341.78%
Cinema Ticket
$14.86€13.25
$5.46₱343
172.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lyon
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$636€567
$273₱17.2K
132.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K€10.2K
$8,156₱512.9K
40.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lyon
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$117€105
$49.57₱3,117
137.00%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.54€38.82
$24.87₱1,564
75.07%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$123€109
$76.6₱4,817
60.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129€115
$59.3₱3,727
116.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lyon
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$879€784
$506₱31.8K
73.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$678€604
$309₱19.5K
119.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,778€1,586
$1,052₱66.1K
69.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,300€1,159
$619₱38.9K
110.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$6,332€5,646
$2,915₱183.4K
117.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,977€3,546
$1,867₱117.4K
113.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lyon
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,091€2,756
$341₱21.5K
806.12%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.68
7.2
-48.89%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Lyon: 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
Lyon
$678 33.2%
Cebu
$309 33.5% ↓ 54.3%$368
🛒Groceries & Markets
Lyon
$392 19.2%
Cebu
$210 22.7% ↓ 46.3%$181
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lyon
$315 15.4%
Cebu
$163 17.7% ↓ 48.2%$152
🍽Eating Out
Lyon
$293 14.3%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 69.8%$205
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Lyon
$186 9.1%
Cebu
$95 10.2% ↓ 49%$91
🚌Getting Around
Lyon
$112 5.5%
Cebu
$15 1.7% ↓ 86.2%$96
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Lyon
$69 3.4%
Cebu
$44 4.7% ↓ 37%$26
🏠Accommodation & Living
Lyon
$1.3K 30.3%
Cebu
$619 32.4% ↓ 52.4%$681
🛒Groceries & Markets
Lyon
$927 21.6%
Cebu
$493 25.8% ↓ 46.8%$434
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lyon
$329 7.7%
Cebu
$178 9.3% ↓ 46%$152
🍽Eating Out
Lyon
$923 21.5%
Cebu
$288 15.1% ↓ 68.8%$635
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Lyon
$412 9.6%
Cebu
$210 11% ↓ 49%$202
🚌Getting Around
Lyon
$228 5.3%
Cebu
$31 1.6% ↓ 86.3%$197
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Lyon
$167 3.9%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↓ 43.8%$73
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $879 in Lyon and $506 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Lyon pays 806% 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: $68.0 in Lyon vs $23.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 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
Lyon vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Lyon?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 114% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Lyon or Cebu?
Average pay runs 806% higher in Lyon, 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 Lyon and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $879 in Lyon 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 Lyon and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $1,999 per month in Lyon versus $934 in Cebu – a 114% 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 560% less than in Lyon. 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 Lyon or in Cebu?
At $934 in Cebu versus $1,999 in Lyon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Lyon. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Lyon or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lyon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Lyon or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Lyon 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 114% less than in Lyon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.