For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $2,476 in Moss, rent and utilities included – about $18,700 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 Moss and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,476 in Moss versus $918 in Cebu.
Moss $2,476
Cebu $918
Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,721 in Moss versus $1,409 in Cebu.
Moss $3,721
Cebu $1,409
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,966 in Moss versus $1,900 in Cebu.
Moss $4,966
Cebu $1,900
🌍
Living in Moss is roughly 170% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Moss is 83% above, Cebu is 32% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Moss
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.02NOK 198
$3.09₱194
580.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.2NOK 736
$24.22₱1,525
222.67%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.46NOK 127
$3.92₱247
243.37%
Cappuccino
$5.11NOK 48.08
$2.51₱158
103.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.13NOK 29.45
$1.59₱100
96.86%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63NOK 24.74
$0.53₱33.43
396.23%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.67NOK 62.8
$1.78₱112
274.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$8.29NOK 78.1
$2.17₱137
282.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Moss
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.40NOK 22.58
$1.92₱121
25.00%
White Bread(500g)
$3.56NOK 33.54
$1.36₱85.4
161.76%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.54NOK 33.35
$1.01₱63.5
250.50%
Eggs
$3.42NOK 32.23
$2.03₱128
68.47%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.38NOK 126
$9.86₱621
35.70%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.92NOK 122
$4.39₱277
194.31%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$27.90NOK 263
$7.60₱479
267.11%
Apples(1kg)
$3.38NOK 31.79
$3.30₱208
2.42%
Banana(1kg)
$2.57NOK 24.21
$1.39₱87.8
84.89%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.95NOK 27.81
$2.33₱147
26.61%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.83NOK 54.9
$1.50₱94.3
288.67%
Potato(1kg)
$2.30NOK 21.69
$2.36₱149
-2.54%
Onion(1kg)
$2.49NOK 23.47
$1.90₱119
31.05%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.53NOK 23.77
$1.19₱74.9
112.61%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.35NOK 22.10
$0.63₱39.71
273.02%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$15.35NOK 144
$3.00₱189
411.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.77NOK 148
$6.03₱379
161.53%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.64NOK 24.83
$1.23₱77.7
114.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.85NOK 36.27
$1.75₱110
120.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Moss
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.76NOK 44.85
$0.25₱15.86
1804.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$86.5NOK 814
$12.64₱796
584.49%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$10.43NOK 98.2
$0.77₱48.62
1254.55%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.88NOK 17.66
$0.23₱14.53
717.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$45.81NOK 431
$4.46₱281
927.13%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.30NOK 21.66
$1.31₱82.8
75.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.6KNOK 401.0K
$21.2K₱1.3M
100.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.2KNOK 387.7K
$19.1K₱1.2M
115.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Moss
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$299NOK 2,816
$120₱7,569
148.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.40NOK 314
$14.00₱882
138.57%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.0NOK 508
$27.54₱1,734
96.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Moss
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$39.52NOK 372
$32.33₱2,035
22.24%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$33.32NOK 314
$6.65₱419
401.05%
Cinema Ticket
$18.14NOK 171
$5.65₱356
221.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Moss
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$235NOK 2,217
$275₱17.3K
-14.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,756NOK 35.4K
$7,918₱498.5K
-52.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Moss
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$97.8NOK 920
$49.33₱3,106
98.20%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$60.0NOK 565
$25.24₱1,589
137.68%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$104NOK 979
$77.0₱4,846
35.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$142NOK 1,332
$57.2₱3,601
147.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Moss
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,218NOK 11.5K
$500₱31.5K
143.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$912NOK 8,586
$309₱19.4K
195.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,091NOK 19.7K
$1,078₱67.9K
94.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,576NOK 14.8K
$615₱38.7K
156.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,125NOK 48.2K
$2,886₱181.7K
77.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,121NOK 38.8K
$1,917₱120.7K
115.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Moss
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,341NOK 40.9K
$346₱21.8K
1154.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.94
7.2
-31.39%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Moss: October 11, 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
Moss
$912 36.9%
Cebu
$309 33.6% ↓ 66.1%$603
🛒Groceries & Markets
Moss
$452 18.3%
Cebu
$206 22.4% ↓ 54.4%$246
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Moss
$387 15.6%
Cebu
$162 17.6% ↓ 58.2%$225
🍽Eating Out
Moss
$343 13.8%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 74.3%$255
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Moss
$181 7.3%
Cebu
$94 10.2% ↓ 48.2%$88
🚌Getting Around
Moss
$125 5.1%
Cebu
$16 1.7% ↓ 87.6%$110
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Moss
$76 3.1%
Cebu
$44 4.8% ↓ 42.4%$32
🏠Accommodation & Living
Moss
$1.6K 31.7%
Cebu
$615 32.4% ↓ 61%$960
🛒Groceries & Markets
Moss
$1K 21%
Cebu
$483 25.4% ↓ 53.7%$559
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Moss
$420 8.5%
Cebu
$176 9.3% ↓ 58.1%$244
🍽Eating Out
Moss
$1.1K 21.8%
Cebu
$292 15.4% ↓ 73%$788
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Moss
$403 8.1%
Cebu
$209 11% ↓ 48.2%$195
🚌Getting Around
Moss
$260 5.2%
Cebu
$32 1.7% ↓ 87.8%$229
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Moss
$185 3.7%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↓ 49.2%$91
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,218 in Moss and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Moss pays 1155% 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: $78.0 in Moss vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $452 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
Moss vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Moss?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 170% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Moss or Cebu?
Average pay runs 1155% higher in Moss, 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 Moss and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,218 in Moss 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 Moss and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $2,476 per month in Moss versus $918 in Cebu – a 170% 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 584% less than in Moss. 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 Moss or in Cebu?
At $918 in Cebu versus $2,476 in Moss, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Moss. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Moss or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Moss, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Moss or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Moss 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 170% less than in Moss. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.