Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mary and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Mary: $471 a month against $943 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index

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Mary

🇹🇲 Turkmenistan

$471

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$943

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $471 in Mary versus $943 in Cebu.

Mary $471
Cebu $943

Estimated couple costs with rent: $713 in Mary versus $1,437 in Cebu.

Mary $713
Cebu $1,437

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $956 in Mary versus $1,930 in Cebu.

Mary $956
Cebu $1,930

Living in Mary costs roughly 50% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mary 65% lower, Cebu 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.42 TMT 38.36

$3.88 ₱244

194.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.22 ₱1,462

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.85 TMT 29.73

$3.90 ₱246

126.92%

Cappuccino

$8.48 TMT 28.48

$2.56 ₱161

231.25%

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

$12.99 TMT 43.66

$1.60 ₱101

711.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 TMT 4.78

$0.51 ₱32.02

178.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$14.23 TMT 47.82

$1.76 ₱111

708.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.73 TMT 39.40

$2.15 ₱136

445.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.82 TMT 9.48

$1.99 ₱125

41.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 ₱86.3

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ₱59.8

Eggs

$7.07 TMT 23.74

$2.02 ₱127

250.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.63 ₱606

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 ₱274

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱485

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 TMT 7.83

$3.30 ₱207

-29.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 ₱79.7

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 ₱147

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 TMT 4.99

$1.51 ₱95.3

-1.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 TMT 6.94

$2.23 ₱141

-7.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 TMT 6.02

$1.93 ₱122

-7.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₱74.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 TMT 3.84

$0.65 ₱40.92

75.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.64 TMT 59.3

$2.89 ₱182

510.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱400

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₱80.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₱103

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₱14.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.24 ₱770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱51.5

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 ₱12.56

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.32 ₱272

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₱86.7

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

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

$19.3K ₱1.2M

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

$124 ₱7,814

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

$15.93 ₱1,003

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 ₱1,767

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.41 ₱2,103

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.40 ₱403

Cinema Ticket

$5.85 ₱368

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

$271 ₱17.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,060 ₱507.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.31 ₱3,041

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.56 ₱1,546

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.1 ₱4,855

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.5 ₱3,557

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$495 ₱31.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 ₱20.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$990 ₱62.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$628 ₱39.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,459 ₱280.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,030 ₱190.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$216 TMT 726

$343 ₱21.6K

-36.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

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

Last update for Mary: October 31, 2026

Last update for Cebu: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mary

–

Cebu

$322 34.1%

Groceries & Markets

Mary

–

Cebu

$206 21.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mary

–

Cebu

$168 17.8%

Eating Out

Mary

–

Cebu

$95 10.1%

Clothing & Footwear

Mary

–

Cebu

$93 9.9%

Sport & Entertainment

Mary

–

Cebu

$45 4.8%

Getting Around

Mary

–

Cebu

$15 1.6%

Cost Breakdown

Cebu pays 59% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Good to know

🇹🇲 Mary

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

01:59 1:59 AM

04:59 4:59 AM

3 h ahead of Mary

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

123,000

964,169

💱 Currency

Turkmenistani Manat TMT m

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

1 TMT = 0.298 USD

1 TMT = 0.265 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to TMT – Turkmenistani Manat Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇲 Turkmenistani Manat (m)

Turkmenistani Manat exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3.36 TMT (1 TMT = 0.298 USD). 1 EUR = 3.77 TMT (1 TMT = 0.265 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 62.95 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.66 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

USD to TMT in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Mary Cebu 6,860 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Mary
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

Mary vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mary is about 50% cheaper overall, especially in groceries. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 37% lower in Mary. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 108% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $471 per month in Mary versus $943 in Cebu – Mary is about 50% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $471 in Mary versus $943 in Cebu, a $800 budget is realistic in Mary but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Mary the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mary and Cebu are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Mary wins on affordability, Cebu on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.