Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mindelo and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Mindelo: $388 a month against $943 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mindelo, Cape Verde
Cebu, Philippines
Mindelo
🇨🇻 Cape Verde
$388
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$943
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $388 in Mindelo versus $943 in Cebu.

  • Mindelo $388
  • Cebu $943

Estimated couple costs with rent: $894 in Mindelo versus $1,437 in Cebu.

  • Mindelo $894
  • Cebu $1,437

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,399 in Mindelo versus $1,930 in Cebu.

  • Mindelo $1,399
  • Cebu $1,930

Living in Mindelo costs roughly 59% less than in Cebu.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mindelo 71% lower, Cebu 30% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mindelo
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.86 CVE 870
$3.88 ₱244
128.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.8 CVE 5,380
$23.22 ₱1,462
135.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
-
$3.90 ₱246
-
Cappuccino
$1.14 CVE 112
$2.56 ₱161
-55.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 CVE 126
$1.60 ₱101
-20.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.04 CVE 102
$0.51 ₱32.04
103.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.74 CVE 269
$1.76 ₱111
55.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48 CVE 145
$2.15 ₱136
-31.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mindelo
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 CVE 143
$1.99 ₱125
-27.14%
White Bread (500g)
$1.10 CVE 108
$1.37 ₱86.3
-19.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.78 CVE 76.7
$0.95 ₱59.9
-17.89%
Eggs
$2.57 CVE 252
$2.02 ₱127
27.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.99 CVE 1,571
$9.63 ₱606
66.04%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$4.35 ₱274
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.27 CVE 1,697
$7.70 ₱485
124.29%
Apples (1kg)
$2.12 CVE 208
$3.30 ₱208
-35.76%
Banana (1kg)
$1.97 CVE 194
$1.27 ₱79.7
55.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.91 CVE 286
$2.34 ₱148
24.36%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.08 CVE 303
$1.51 ₱95.4
103.97%
Potato (1kg)
$0.85 CVE 83.4
$2.23 ₱141
-61.88%
Onion (1kg)
$1.68 CVE 165
$1.93 ₱122
-12.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 CVE 101
$1.18 ₱74.4
-12.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.71 CVE 69.6
$0.65 ₱40.94
9.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.00 CVE 491
$2.89 ₱182
73.01%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.04 CVE 790
$6.35 ₱400
26.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.96 CVE 193
$1.27 ₱80.1
54.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 CVE 203
$1.64 ₱103
25.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Mindelo
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.42 CVE 40.94
$0.23 ₱14.42
82.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.05 CVE 2,952
$12.24 ₱771
145.51%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.56 CVE 153
$0.82 ₱51.6
90.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.55 CVE 152
$0.20 ₱12.57
675.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.97 CVE 979
$4.32 ₱272
130.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.65 CVE 162
$1.38 ₱86.7
19.57%
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
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mindelo
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$124 ₱7,818
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$15.93 ₱1,003
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$28.07 ₱1,768
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mindelo
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$33.41 ₱2,104
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$2.98 CVE 293
$6.40 ₱403
-53.44%
Cinema Ticket
-
$5.85 ₱369
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mindelo
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$271 ₱17.0K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$8,060 ₱507.6K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mindelo
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$48.31 ₱3,043
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$24.56 ₱1,547
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$77.1 ₱4,858
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$56.5 ₱3,559
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mindelo
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$495 ₱31.2K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$322 ₱20.3K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$358 CVE 35.2K
$990 ₱62.4K
-63.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$254 CVE 25.0K
$628 ₱39.6K
-59.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,459 ₱280.8K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,030 ₱190.8K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mindelo
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$343 ₱21.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
7.2
-

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

Last update for Mindelo: November 1, 2026

Last update for Cebu: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mindelo
–
Cebu
$322
Groceries & Markets
Mindelo
–
Cebu
$206
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mindelo
–
Cebu
$168
Eating Out
Mindelo
–
Cebu
$95
Clothing & Footwear
Mindelo
–
Cebu
$93
Sport & Entertainment
Mindelo
–
Cebu
$45
Getting Around
Mindelo
–
Cebu
$15

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $55 in Mindelo vs $23 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $206 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇻 Mindelo
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
01:32 1:32 AM
10:32 10:32 AM
9 h ahead of Mindelo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
70,000
964,169
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to CVE – Cabo Verdean Escudo Converter

Cabo Verdean Escudo exchange rates as of November 7, 2026: 1 USD = 98.25 CVE (100 CVE = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 110 CVE (1,000 CVE = 9.11 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 7, 2026: 1 USD = 62.98 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.38 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mindelo Cebu 15,450 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mindelo
  • 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
Mindelo vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mindelo and in Cebu?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $388 in Mindelo and $943 in Cebu, so Mindelo is about 59% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $582 in Mindelo and $1,415 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.
How do food prices compare in Mindelo and in Cebu?
Shoppers in Cebu pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
What are total monthly expenses in Mindelo and in Cebu?
All in, you’ll spend $388 per month in Mindelo versus $943 in Cebu – Mindelo is about 59% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Is it better to live in Mindelo or in Cebu?
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.
Which city is safer, Mindelo or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Mindelo and Cebu are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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