Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Madinat Hamad and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,199 in Madinat Hamad, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

58

Cost of Living Index in Madinat Hamad
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Madinat Hamad Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index

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Madinat Hamad

🇧🇭 Bahrain

$1,199

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,199 in Madinat Hamad versus $918 in Cebu.

Madinat Hamad $1,199
Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,913 in Madinat Hamad versus $1,409 in Cebu.

Madinat Hamad $1,913
Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,626 in Madinat Hamad versus $1,900 in Cebu.

Madinat Hamad $2,626
Cebu $1,900

Living in Madinat Hamad is roughly 31% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Madinat Hamad 11% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.61 BHD 0.99

$3.09 ₱194

-15.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 BHD 20.02

$24.22 ₱1,525

119.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.30 BHD 2.76

$3.92 ₱247

86.22%

Cappuccino

$2.60 BHD 0.98

$2.51 ₱158

3.59%

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

$0.90 BHD 0.34

$1.59 ₱100

-43.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 BHD 0.11

$0.53 ₱33.43

-43.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.48 BHD 2.44

$1.78 ₱112

264.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.81 BHD 3.70

$2.17 ₱137

352.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 BHD 0.53

$1.92 ₱121

-27.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 BHD 0.39

$1.36 ₱85.4

-23.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 BHD 0.90

$1.01 ₱63.5

135.64%

Eggs

$2.06 BHD 0.78

$2.03 ₱128

1.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.59 BHD 3.24

$9.86 ₱621

-12.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 BHD 2.41

$4.39 ₱277

45.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.70 BHD 3.28

$7.60 ₱479

14.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 BHD 0.82

$3.30 ₱208

-34.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 BHD 0.58

$1.39 ₱87.8

11.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 BHD 0.73

$2.33 ₱147

-17.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 BHD 0.50

$1.50 ₱94.3

-11.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 BHD 0.38

$2.36 ₱149

-56.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 BHD 0.41

$1.90 ₱119

-42.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 BHD 0.59

$1.19 ₱74.9

31.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 BHD 0.21

$0.63 ₱39.71

-12.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.35 BHD 2.02

$3.00 ₱189

78.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.44 BHD 6.96

$6.03 ₱379

205.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.67 BHD 1.39

$1.23 ₱77.7

198.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 BHD 0.97

$1.75 ₱110

47.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 BHD 0.24

$0.25 ₱15.86

152.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.67 BHD 13.09

$12.64 ₱796

174.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 BHD 2.02

$0.77 ₱48.62

596.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.60 BHD 0.98

$0.23 ₱14.53

1030.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.62 BHD 5.90

$4.46 ₱281

250.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.39 BHD 0.15

$1.31 ₱82.8

-70.23%

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

$37.6K BHD 14.2K

$21.2K ₱1.3M

77.13%

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

$20.7K BHD 7,822

$19.1K ₱1.2M

8.25%

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

$155 BHD 58.4

$120 ₱7,569

28.71%

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

$24.29 BHD 9.17

$14.00 ₱882

73.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.20 BHD 6.87

$27.54 ₱1,734

-33.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$119 BHD 45.06

$32.33 ₱2,035

269.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.4 BHD 19.76

$6.65 ₱419

687.37%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 BHD 1.95

$5.65 ₱356

-8.67%

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

$489 BHD 185

$275 ₱17.3K

77.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K BHD 4,170

$7,918 ₱498.5K

39.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 BHD 18.90

$49.33 ₱3,106

1.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 BHD 22.09

$25.24 ₱1,589

131.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.8 BHD 33.53

$77.0 ₱4,846

15.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 BHD 33.54

$57.2 ₱3,601

55.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$398 BHD 150

$500 ₱31.5K

-20.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$318 BHD 120

$309 ₱19.4K

2.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 BHD 304

$1,078 ₱67.9K

-25.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 BHD 251

$615 ₱38.7K

8.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$669 BHD 252

$346 ₱21.8K

93.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

7.2

-13.75%

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

Last update for Madinat Hamad: October 10, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Madinat Hamad

$318 26.5%

Cebu

$309 33.6% 2.8% $9

Groceries & Markets

Madinat Hamad

$239 19.9%

Cebu

$206 22.4% 13.8% $33

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Madinat Hamad

$197 16.5%

Cebu

$162 17.6% 18% $35

Eating Out

Madinat Hamad

$131 10.9%

Cebu

$88 9.6% 32.5% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Madinat Hamad

$130 10.8%

Cebu

$44 4.8% 66.4% $86

Clothing & Footwear

Madinat Hamad

$129 10.8%

Cebu

$94 10.2% 27.1% $35

Getting Around

Madinat Hamad

$56 4.6%

Cebu

$16 1.7% 72% $40

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $398 in Madinat Hamad and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Madinat Hamad pays 93% 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: $53.0 in Madinat Hamad vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $206 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇭 Madinat Hamad

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

17:58 5:58 PM

22:58 10:58 PM

5 h ahead of Madinat Hamad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

133,350

964,169

💱 Currency

Bahraini Dinar BHD .د.ب

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

1 BHD = 2.65 USD

1 BHD = 2.36 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to BHD – Bahraini Dinar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇭 Bahraini Dinar (.د.ب)

Bahraini Dinar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.377 BHD (1 BHD = 2.65 USD). 1 EUR = 0.424 BHD (1 BHD = 2.36 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to BHD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Madinat Hamad Cebu 7,860 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Madinat Hamad
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

Madinat Hamad vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 93% higher in Madinat Hamad, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $398 in Madinat Hamad versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,199 per month in Madinat Hamad versus $918 in Cebu – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 174% less than in Madinat Hamad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $918 in Cebu versus $1,199 in Madinat Hamad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Madinat Hamad. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Madinat Hamad 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 Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Madinat Hamad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.