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Last update: Oct 2026
Cost of Living Comparison Between Mantova and Cebu
For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,780 in Mantova, rent and utilities included – about $10,300 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 Mantova and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,780 in Mantova versus $918 in Cebu.
Mantova $1,780
Cebu $918
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,651 in Mantova versus $1,409 in Cebu.
Mantova $2,651
Cebu $1,409
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,523 in Mantova versus $1,900 in Cebu.
Mantova $3,523
Cebu $1,900
🌍
Living in Mantova is roughly 94% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Mantova is 32% above, Cebu is 32% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Mantova
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.99€11.56
$3.09₱194
320.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$71.2€63.3
$24.22₱1,525
193.97%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.15€9.03
$3.92₱247
158.93%
Cappuccino
$1.91€1.70
$2.51₱158
-23.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74€2.44
$1.59₱100
72.33%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87€0.78
$0.53₱33.43
64.15%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.89€4.35
$1.78₱112
174.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.06€4.50
$2.17₱137
133.18%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mantova
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.68€1.50
$1.92₱121
-12.50%
White Bread(500g)
$2.46€2.19
$1.36₱85.4
80.88%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.21€2.86
$1.01₱63.5
217.82%
Eggs
$3.83€3.41
$2.03₱128
88.67%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.60€14.76
$9.86₱621
68.36%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.96€8.86
$4.39₱277
126.88%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$23.80€21.17
$7.60₱479
213.16%
Apples(1kg)
$3.18€2.83
$3.30₱208
-3.64%
Banana(1kg)
$1.76€1.57
$1.39₱87.8
26.62%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.41€3.03
$2.33₱147
46.35%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.75€4.22
$1.50₱94.3
216.67%
Potato(1kg)
$1.68€1.50
$2.36₱149
-28.81%
Onion(1kg)
$2.56€2.27
$1.90₱119
34.74%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.15€1.02
$1.19₱74.9
-3.36%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.39€0.35
$0.63₱39.71
-38.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.20€5.52
$3.00₱189
106.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.72€6.87
$6.03₱379
28.03%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36€1.21
$1.23₱77.7
10.57%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65€1.47
$1.75₱110
-5.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Mantova
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.36€2.10
$0.25₱15.86
844.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$60.4€53.7
$12.64₱796
377.93%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.51€4.01
$0.77₱48.62
485.71%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.68€1.50
$0.23₱14.53
630.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$39.07€34.75
$4.46₱281
776.01%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.02€1.80
$1.31₱82.8
54.20%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.9K€29.3K
$21.2K₱1.3M
54.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.2K€30.5K
$19.1K₱1.2M
78.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mantova
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$200€178
$120₱7,569
66.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.84€7.86
$14.00₱882
-36.86%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.00€23.12
$27.54₱1,734
-5.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mantova
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$62.5€55.6
$32.33₱2,035
93.44%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$33.55€29.84
$6.65₱419
404.51%
Cinema Ticket
$11.11€9.89
$5.65₱356
96.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mantova
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$853€758
$275₱17.3K
209.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,594€4,976
$7,918₱498.5K
-29.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mantova
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.1€77.5
$49.33₱3,106
76.61%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.02€27.59
$25.24₱1,589
22.90%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.9€88.0
$77.0₱4,846
28.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$127€113
$57.2₱3,601
122.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mantova
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$847€753
$500₱31.5K
69.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$667€593
$309₱19.4K
115.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,563€1,390
$1,078₱67.9K
44.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$958€852
$615₱38.7K
55.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,765€4,238
$2,886₱181.7K
65.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,423€2,156
$1,917₱120.7K
26.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mantova
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,923€1,711
$346₱21.8K
455.91%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.03
7.2
-57.92%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mantova: October 12, 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
Mantova
$667 37.5%
Cebu
$309 33.6% ↓ 53.7%$358
🛒Groceries & Markets
Mantova
$350 19.6%
Cebu
$206 22.4% ↓ 41.1%$144
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mantova
$235 13.2%
Cebu
$162 17.6% ↓ 31.1%$73
🍽Eating Out
Mantova
$206 11.6%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 57.2%$118
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Mantova
$155 8.7%
Cebu
$94 10.2% ↓ 39.4%$61
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Mantova
$85 4.8%
Cebu
$44 4.8% ↓ 48.5%$41
🚌Getting Around
Mantova
$83 4.7%
Cebu
$16 1.7% ↓ 81.2%$67
🏠Accommodation & Living
Mantova
$958 27.2%
Cebu
$615 32.4% ↓ 35.8%$343
🛒Groceries & Markets
Mantova
$836 23.7%
Cebu
$483 25.4% ↓ 42.2%$353
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mantova
$243 6.9%
Cebu
$176 9.3% ↓ 27.8%$68
🍽Eating Out
Mantova
$768 21.8%
Cebu
$292 15.4% ↓ 62%$476
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Mantova
$344 9.8%
Cebu
$209 11% ↓ 39.4%$136
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Mantova
$203 5.8%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↓ 53.8%$109
🚌Getting Around
Mantova
$170 4.8%
Cebu
$32 1.7% ↓ 81.4%$139
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $847 in Mantova and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Mantova pays 456% 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: $71.0 in Mantova vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 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
Mantova vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Mantova?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 94% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Mantova or Cebu?
Average pay runs 456% higher in Mantova, 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 Mantova and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $847 in Mantova 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 Mantova and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $1,780 per month in Mantova versus $918 in Cebu – a 94% 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 378% less than in Mantova. 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 Mantova or in Cebu?
At $918 in Cebu versus $1,780 in Mantova, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Mantova. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Mantova or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mantova, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Mantova or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Mantova 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 94% less than in Mantova. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.