Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montpellier and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $1,939 in Montpellier, rent and utilities included – about $12,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Montpellier
🇫🇷 France
$1,939
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$934
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,939 in Montpellier versus $934 in Cebu.

  • Montpellier $1,939
  • Cebu $934

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,940 in Montpellier versus $1,415 in Cebu.

  • Montpellier $2,940
  • Cebu $1,415

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,942 in Montpellier versus $1,896 in Cebu.

  • Montpellier $3,942
  • Cebu $1,896

Living in Montpellier is roughly 108% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Montpellier is 45% above, Cebu is 30% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montpellier
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.76 €14.96
$3.03 ₱190
453.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.0 €65.2
$23.48 ₱1,473
210.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.47 €13.80
$4.09 ₱256
278.24%
Cappuccino
$3.58 €3.19
$2.52 ₱158
42.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 €2.68
$1.54 ₱96.9
94.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97 €1.76
$0.49 ₱30.98
302.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.52 €4.93
$1.79 ₱112
208.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.55 €4.06
$2.26 ₱142
101.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montpellier
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.34 €1.19
$1.95 ₱122
-31.28%
White Bread (500g)
$2.24 €2.00
$1.43 ₱89.7
56.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.73 €2.44
$1.02 ₱63.8
167.65%
Eggs
$3.71 €3.31
$2.06 ₱129
80.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.80 €16.78
$9.81 ₱615
91.64%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.88 €12.39
$4.61 ₱289
201.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$24.64 €21.99
$7.70 ₱483
220.00%
Apples (1kg)
$2.98 €2.66
$3.31 ₱207
-9.97%
Banana (1kg)
$2.38 €2.12
$1.45 ₱90.9
64.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.94 €2.63
$2.36 ₱148
24.58%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.00 €3.57
$1.54 ₱96.4
159.74%
Potato (1kg)
$2.33 €2.08
$2.36 ₱148
-1.27%
Onion (1kg)
$2.86 €2.55
$1.99 ₱125
43.72%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.72 €1.53
$1.15 ₱72.1
49.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.65 €0.58
$0.67 ₱42.15
-2.99%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.21 €12.68
$3.00 ₱188
373.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.77 €6.94
$6.35 ₱398
22.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.73 €3.33
$1.31 ₱81.9
184.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83 €2.53
$1.73 ₱108
63.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Montpellier
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.01 €1.79
$0.25 ₱15.78
704.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$1.09 €0.97
$12.65 ₱793
-91.38%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.92 €4.39
$0.74 ₱46.32
564.86%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.63 €1.46
$0.21 ₱13.11
676.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.02 €29.47
$4.33 ₱271
662.59%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 €1.91
$1.33 ₱83.5
60.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.2K €31.4K
$21.8K ₱1.4M
61.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.3K €31.5K
$19.4K ₱1.2M
82.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montpellier
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$218 €195
$121 ₱7,563
80.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.47 €14.70
$14.45 ₱907
13.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.00 €28.56
$28.29 ₱1,774
13.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montpellier
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.67 €30.94
$32.68 ₱2,050
6.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.29 €12.75
$6.39 ₱401
123.63%
Cinema Ticket
$14.26 €12.73
$5.46 ₱342
161.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montpellier
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$756 €674
$273 ₱17.1K
176.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.2K €11.7K
$8,156 ₱511.5K
61.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montpellier
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.4 €80.6
$49.57 ₱3,109
82.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$65.7 €58.6
$24.87 ₱1,560
164.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 €94.4
$76.6 ₱4,804
38.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$177 €158
$59.3 ₱3,717
199.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montpellier
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$912 €814
$506 ₱31.7K
80.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$728 €649
$309 ₱19.4K
135.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,546 €1,380
$1,052 ₱66.0K
46.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,149 €1,026
$619 ₱38.8K
85.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,064 €4,519
$2,915 ₱182.9K
73.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,662 €3,268
$1,867 ₱117.1K
96.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montpellier
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,743 €2,447
$341 ₱21.4K
704.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.81
7.2
-47.08%

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

Last update for Montpellier: October 3, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montpellier
$728
Cebu
$309 57.5% $418
Groceries & Markets
Montpellier
$389
Cebu
$210 46% $179
Eating Out
Montpellier
$280
Cebu
$88 68.4% $192
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montpellier
$267
Cebu
$163 38.7% $103
Clothing & Footwear
Montpellier
$198
Cebu
$95 52.1% $103
Sport & Entertainment
Montpellier
$63
Cebu
$44 31% $20
Getting Around
Montpellier
$22
Cebu
$15 30.5% $6.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $912 in Montpellier and $506 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montpellier pays 704% 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: $73.0 in Montpellier vs $23.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $389 vs $210 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Montpellier
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
08:17 8:17 AM
14:17 2:17 PM
6 h ahead of Montpellier
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
302,454
964,169
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.35 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montpellier Cebu 11,510 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montpellier
  • 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
Montpellier vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Montpellier?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 108% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Montpellier or Cebu?
Average pay runs 704% higher in Montpellier, 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 Montpellier and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $912 in Montpellier versus $506 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Montpellier and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $1,939 per month in Montpellier versus $934 in Cebu – a 108% 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 1061% less than in Montpellier. 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 Montpellier or in Cebu?
At $934 in Cebu versus $1,939 in Montpellier, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Montpellier. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Montpellier or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Montpellier, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Montpellier or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Montpellier 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 108% less than in Montpellier. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Montpellier vs other spots: cost of living compared

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