Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Makarska and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,586 in Makarska, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Makarska
🇭🇷 Croatia
$1,586
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,586 in Makarska versus $918 in Cebu.

  • Makarska $1,586
  • Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,463 in Makarska versus $1,409 in Cebu.

  • Makarska $2,463
  • Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,339 in Makarska versus $1,900 in Cebu.

  • Makarska $3,339
  • Cebu $1,900

Living in Makarska is roughly 73% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Makarska is 17% above, Cebu is 32% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Makarska
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.45 €15.52
$3.09 ₱194
464.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.0 €70.3
$24.22 ₱1,525
226.09%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.89 €7.02
$3.92 ₱247
101.28%
Cappuccino
$3.34 €2.97
$2.51 ₱158
33.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.00 €3.56
$1.59 ₱100
151.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 €2.73
$0.53 ₱33.43
477.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.64 €5.02
$1.78 ₱112
216.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.54 €4.04
$2.17 ₱137
109.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Makarska
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.13 €1.01
$1.92 ₱121
-41.15%
White Bread (500g)
$1.70 €1.51
$1.36 ₱85.4
25.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.07 €2.73
$1.01 ₱63.5
203.96%
Eggs
$4.89 €4.35
$2.03 ₱128
140.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.33 €13.63
$9.86 ₱621
55.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.49 €8.45
$4.39 ₱277
116.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.73 €10.43
$7.60 ₱479
54.34%
Apples (1kg)
$1.96 €1.74
$3.30 ₱208
-40.61%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 €1.35
$1.39 ₱87.8
8.63%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$2.33 ₱147
-9.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.67 €2.38
$1.50 ₱94.3
78.00%
Potato (1kg)
$2.22 €1.97
$2.36 ₱149
-5.93%
Onion (1kg)
$2.01 €1.79
$1.90 ₱119
5.79%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.53 €1.36
$1.19 ₱74.9
28.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 €1.45
$0.63 ₱39.71
158.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.55 €4.94
$3.00 ₱189
85.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.65 €6.80
$6.03 ₱379
26.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.23 ₱77.7
11.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.49 €1.32
$1.75 ₱110
-14.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Makarska
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.53 €1.36
$0.25 ₱15.86
512.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$39.51 €35.14
$12.64 ₱796
212.58%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.09 €2.75
$0.77 ₱48.62
301.30%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.43 €1.27
$0.23 ₱14.53
521.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$12.02 €10.69
$4.46 ₱281
169.51%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.67 €1.49
$1.31 ₱82.8
27.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.9K €23.1K
$21.2K ₱1.3M
22.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.9K €22.2K
$19.1K ₱1.2M
30.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Makarska
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$177 €158
$120 ₱7,569
47.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.30 €24.28
$14.00 ₱882
95.00%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.91 €38.17
$27.54 ₱1,734
55.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Makarska
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.14 €41.04
$32.33 ₱2,035
42.72%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.43 €14.61
$6.65 ₱419
147.07%
Cinema Ticket
$8.98 €7.99
$5.65 ₱356
58.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Makarska
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$413 €368
$275 ₱17.3K
50.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,923 €6,158
$7,918 ₱498.5K
-12.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Makarska
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.7 €78.0
$49.33 ₱3,106
77.68%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.07 €40.09
$25.24 ₱1,589
78.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.5
$77.0 ₱4,846
36.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.2 €70.4
$57.2 ₱3,601
38.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Makarska
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$692 €616
$500 ₱31.5K
38.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$516 €459
$309 ₱19.4K
67.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,197 €1,065
$1,078 ₱67.9K
11.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$877 €780
$615 ₱38.7K
42.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,594 €3,197
$2,886 ₱181.7K
24.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,232 €2,875
$1,917 ₱120.7K
68.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Makarska
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$346 ₱21.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.72
7.2
-48.33%

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

Last update for Makarska: October 11, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Makarska
$516
Cebu
$309 40.2% $207
Groceries & Markets
Makarska
$291
Cebu
$206 29.2% $85
Eating Out
Makarska
$269
Cebu
$88 67.2% $181
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Makarska
$248
Cebu
$162 34.7% $86
Clothing & Footwear
Makarska
$143
Cebu
$94 34.2% $49
Sport & Entertainment
Makarska
$64
Cebu
$44 32% $20
Getting Around
Makarska
$56
Cebu
$16 72.1% $40

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $692 in Makarska and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79.0 in Makarska vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $206 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇭🇷 Makarska
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
14:17 2:17 PM
20:17 8:17 PM
6 h ahead of Makarska
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
12,809
964,169
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Makarska Cebu 10,550 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Makarska
  • 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
Makarska vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Makarska?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 73% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,379 in Makarska and $1,377 in Cebu to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Makarska and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $692 in Makarska 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 Makarska and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $1,586 per month in Makarska versus $918 in Cebu – a 73% 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 213% less than in Makarska. 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 Makarska or in Cebu?
At $918 in Cebu versus $1,586 in Makarska, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Makarska. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Makarska or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Makarska, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Makarska or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Makarska 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 73% less than in Makarska. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Makarska vs other spots: cost of living compared

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