Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montana and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Montana: $833 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $1,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cebu outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

40

Cost of Living Index in Montana
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Montana Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
Learn more

Cebu Living Index

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Montana

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$833

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $833 in Montana versus $918 in Cebu.

Montana $833
Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,339 in Montana versus $1,409 in Cebu.

Montana $1,339
Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,846 in Montana versus $1,900 in Cebu.

Montana $1,846
Cebu $1,900

Living in Montana costs roughly 9% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Montana 38% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.04 BGN 15.83

$3.09 ₱194

192.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.16 BGN 63.3

$24.22 ₱1,521

49.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 BGN 17.24

$3.92 ₱246

151.28%

Cappuccino

$1.39 BGN 2.43

$2.51 ₱157

-44.62%

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

$1.38 BGN 2.42

$1.59 ₱100

-13.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 BGN 1.94

$0.53 ₱33.36

109.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 BGN 2.24

$1.78 ₱112

-28.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 BGN 1.77

$2.17 ₱136

-53.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 BGN 2.96

$1.92 ₱121

-11.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 BGN 1.76

$1.36 ₱85.2

-26.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 BGN 3.68

$1.01 ₱63.4

107.92%

Eggs

$2.72 BGN 4.77

$2.03 ₱127

33.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.73 BGN 17.03

$9.86 ₱620

-1.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 BGN 5.68

$4.39 ₱276

-25.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.63 BGN 22.10

$7.60 ₱478

66.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 BGN 2.12

$3.30 ₱207

-63.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 BGN 3.12

$1.39 ₱87.6

28.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 BGN 3.07

$2.33 ₱147

-24.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.56 BGN 4.49

$1.50 ₱94.1

70.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 BGN 1.23

$2.36 ₱148

-70.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 BGN 1.62

$1.90 ₱119

-51.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 BGN 1.58

$1.19 ₱74.7

-24.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 BGN 0.86

$0.63 ₱39.62

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.68 BGN 6.44

$3.00 ₱189

22.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.31 BGN 11.04

$6.03 ₱379

4.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 BGN 1.55

$1.23 ₱77.5

-27.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 BGN 1.97

$1.75 ₱110

-36.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 BGN 1.56

$0.25 ₱15.82

256.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.29 BGN 42.50

$12.64 ₱794

92.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 BGN 1.15

$0.77 ₱48.51

-14.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 BGN 0.83

$0.23 ₱14.50

104.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.36 BGN 18.12

$4.46 ₱280

132.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 BGN 2.76

$1.31 ₱82.6

20.61%

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

$19.6K BGN 34.3K

$21.2K ₱1.3M

-7.73%

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

$23.7K BGN 41.5K

$19.1K ₱1.2M

23.71%

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

$99.8 BGN 175

$120 ₱7,553

-17.02%

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

$18.72 BGN 32.77

$14.00 ₱880

33.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.52 BGN 14.90

$27.54 ₱1,730

-69.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.86 BGN 52.3

$32.33 ₱2,031

-7.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.20 BGN 30.10

$6.65 ₱418

158.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.31 BGN 9.29

$5.65 ₱355

-6.02%

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

$522 BGN 914

$275 ₱17.3K

89.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,479 BGN 9,589

$7,918 ₱497.4K

-30.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.8 BGN 119

$49.33 ₱3,099

37.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.05 BGN 73.6

$25.24 ₱1,586

66.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 BGN 166

$77.0 ₱4,835

23.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 BGN 183

$57.2 ₱3,593

83.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$214 BGN 374

$500 ₱31.4K

-57.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$160 BGN 280

$309 ₱19.4K

-48.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$404 BGN 707

$1,078 ₱67.7K

-62.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$304 BGN 532

$615 ₱38.7K

-50.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,329 BGN 2,326

$2,886 ₱181.3K

-53.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,078 BGN 1,886

$1,917 ₱120.4K

-43.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$992 BGN 1,737

$346 ₱21.7K

186.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.1

7.2

-56.94%

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

Last update for Montana: October 10, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Montana

$199 23.9%

Cebu

$206 22.4% 3.5% $6.9

Accommodation & Living

Montana

$160 19.2%

Cebu

$309 33.6% 93.1% $149

Clothing & Footwear

Montana

$139 16.7%

Cebu

$94 10.2% 32.5% $45

Eating Out

Montana

$137 16.4%

Cebu

$88 9.6% 35.5% $49

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montana

$127 15.2%

Cebu

$162 17.6% 27.4% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Montana

$40 4.9%

Cebu

$44 4.8% 7.8% $3.1

Getting Around

Montana

$31 3.7%

Cebu

$16 1.7% 49.6% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $214 in Montana and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montana pays 187% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Montana vs $24.00 in Cebu. Groceries flip the comparison at $199 vs $206, with Montana cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Montana

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

00:22 12:22 AM

05:22 5:22 AM

5 h ahead of Montana

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

44,502

964,169

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.51 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.51 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 62.82 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.33 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Montana Cebu 10,070 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Montana
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

Montana vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montana is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and utilities. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 187% higher in Montana, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $214 in Montana versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $833 per month in Montana versus $918 in Cebu – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Montana runs roughly 92% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Montana gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Montana 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.

Safety-wise, Montana 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.

Expats usually find Montana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.