For one person, living is cheaper in Madiun: $557 a month against $915 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 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 Madiun and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $557 in Madiun versus $915 in Cebu.
Madiun $557
Cebu $915
Estimated couple costs with rent: $903 in Madiun versus $1,418 in Cebu.
Madiun $903
Cebu $1,418
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,250 in Madiun versus $1,921 in Cebu.
Madiun $1,250
Cebu $1,921
🌍
Living in Madiun costs roughly 39% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Madiun59% lower, Cebu33% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Madiun
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.10Rp 19.8K
$3.05₱192
-63.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$11.30Rp 203.3K
$24.00₱1,511
-52.92%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$2.71Rp 48.8K
$3.99₱251
-32.08%
Cappuccino
$1.27Rp 22.8K
$2.50₱157
-49.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29Rp 5,223
$1.54₱97.1
-81.17%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.17Rp 2,989
$0.50₱31.37
-66.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21Rp 39.8K
$1.78₱112
24.16%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92Rp 34.6K
$2.17₱136
-11.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Madiun
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.15Rp 20.7K
$2.00₱126
-42.50%
White Bread(500g)
$0.82Rp 14.7K
$1.37₱86.2
-40.15%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.71Rp 12.9K
$1.03₱64.9
-31.07%
Eggs
$1.31Rp 23.5K
$2.03₱128
-35.47%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$5.57Rp 100.3K
$10.20₱642
-45.39%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.02Rp 54.4K
$4.45₱280
-32.13%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$3.10Rp 55.9K
$7.67₱483
-59.58%
Apples(1kg)
$2.67Rp 48.0K
$3.31₱208
-19.34%
Banana(1kg)
$1.11Rp 19.9K
$1.46₱91.8
-23.97%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.14Rp 20.6K
$2.32₱146
-50.86%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.58Rp 10.4K
$1.49₱94.0
-61.07%
Potato(1kg)
$0.82Rp 14.8K
$2.34₱147
-64.96%
Onion(1kg)
$1.92Rp 34.5K
$1.94₱122
-1.03%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.41Rp 7,366
$1.16₱73.0
-64.66%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.40Rp 7,233
$0.68₱42.89
-41.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.86Rp 51.5K
$2.99₱188
-4.35%
Wine(Bottle)
$20.62Rp 371.2K
$6.24₱393
230.45%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.22Rp 39.9K
$1.23₱77.3
80.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.69Rp 66.3K
$1.73₱109
113.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Madiun
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.27Rp 4,859
$0.23₱14.36
17.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$12.34₱777
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.20Rp 3,567
$0.79₱49.96
-74.68%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.41Rp 7,332
$0.22₱13.86
86.36%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.34Rp 78.1K
$4.54₱286
-4.41%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.50Rp 8,955
$1.32₱82.9
-62.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$15.4KRp 277.6M
$21.0K₱1.3M
-26.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.5KRp 494.5M
$19.4K₱1.2M
41.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Madiun
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$22.62Rp 407.2K
$119₱7,464
-80.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.23Rp 76.2K
$14.22₱896
-70.25%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.87Rp 375.6K
$27.47₱1,730
-24.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Madiun
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$19.91Rp 358.5K
$32.31₱2,034
-38.38%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.24Rp 148.4K
$6.50₱409
26.77%
Cinema Ticket
$2.11Rp 38.0K
$5.40₱340
-60.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Madiun
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$83.4Rp 1.5M
$276₱17.4K
-69.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,046Rp 72.8M
$7,866₱495.3K
-48.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Madiun
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.1Rp 955.0K
$49.37₱3,108
7.45%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.08Rp 577.5K
$24.58₱1,548
30.51%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$84.9Rp 1.5M
$76.6₱4,825
10.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.4Rp 1.6M
$58.9₱3,706
53.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Madiun
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$226Rp 4.1M
$503₱31.7K
-55.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$146Rp 2.6M
$305₱19.2K
-51.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$538Rp 9.7M
$1,075₱67.7K
-49.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$367Rp 6.6M
$632₱39.8K
-41.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,149Rp 20.7M
$2,870₱180.7K
-59.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$784Rp 14.1M
$1,877₱118.2K
-58.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Madiun
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$133Rp 2.4M
$336₱21.1K
-60.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.5
7.2
-37.50%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Madiun: October 17, 2026
Last update for Cebu: October 19, 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.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Madiun
$169 30.3%
Cebu
$210 22.9% ↑ 24.2%$41
🏠Accommodation & Living
Madiun
$146 26.3%
Cebu
$305 33.3% ↑ 108%$158
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Madiun
$117 21.1%
Cebu
$94 10.3% ↓ 19.6%$23
🍽Eating Out
Madiun
$49 8.8%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↑ 79.4%$39
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Madiun
$48 8.6%
Cebu
$160 17.5% ↑ 236%$113
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Madiun
$24 4.3%
Cebu
$43 4.7% ↑ 78.6%$19
🚌Getting Around
Madiun
$3.3 * 0.6%
Cebu
$15 1.7% ↑ 358%$12
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Madiun
$359 28.7%
Cebu
$491 25.6% ↑ 36.8%$132
🏠Accommodation & Living
Madiun
$367 29.4%
Cebu
$632 32.9% ↑ 72.3%$265
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Madiun
$260 20.8%
Cebu
$209 10.9% ↓ 19.6%$51
🍽Eating Out
Madiun
$148 11.9%
Cebu
$290 15.1% ↑ 95.4%$142
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Madiun
$52 4.2%
Cebu
$174 9.1% ↑ 236%$123
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Madiun
$57 4.5%
Cebu
$93 4.8% ↑ 64.1%$36
🚌Getting Around
Madiun
$7.2 * 0.6%
Cebu
$31 1.6% ↑ 329%$24
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $226 in Madiun and $503 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Cebu pays 152% 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: $11.00 in Madiun vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $169 vs $210 per month, with Madiun 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
Madiun vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Madiun?
Madiun is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 64% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Madiun or Cebu?
On paper, salaries run 152% 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.
What is the rent difference between Madiun and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $226 in Madiun versus $503 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Madiun and in Cebu?
Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Madiun and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $557 per month in Madiun versus $915 in Cebu – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,200 enough for either Madiun or Cebu?
Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Madiun gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Madiun or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Madiun 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, Madiun or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Madiun 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 Madiun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.