Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mostar and Cebu

For one person, living costs are similar in Mostar and in Cebu: $899 and $918 a month, rent and utilities included.

Mostar
🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina
$899
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $899 in Mostar versus $918 in Cebu.

  • Mostar $899
  • Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,402 in Mostar versus $1,409 in Cebu.

  • Mostar $1,402
  • Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,904 in Mostar versus $1,900 in Cebu.

  • Mostar $1,904
  • Cebu $1,900

Living in Mostar costs roughly 2% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mostar 33% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mostar
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.85 BAM 11.91
$3.09 ₱194
121.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.14 BAM 54.2
$24.22 ₱1,525
28.57%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.67 BAM 9.86
$3.92 ₱247
44.64%
Cappuccino
$1.65 BAM 2.86
$2.51 ₱158
-34.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 BAM 3.18
$1.59 ₱100
15.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18 BAM 2.05
$0.53 ₱33.43
122.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.34 BAM 4.07
$1.78 ₱112
31.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 BAM 3.64
$2.17 ₱137
-3.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mostar
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 BAM 2.01
$1.92 ₱121
-39.58%
White Bread (500g)
$0.91 BAM 1.58
$1.36 ₱85.4
-33.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.97 BAM 3.43
$1.01 ₱63.5
95.05%
Eggs
$2.63 BAM 4.58
$2.03 ₱128
29.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.77 BAM 13.52
$9.86 ₱621
-21.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.40 BAM 12.87
$4.39 ₱277
68.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.58 BAM 18.39
$7.60 ₱479
39.21%
Apples (1kg)
$1.10 BAM 1.91
$3.30 ₱208
-66.67%
Banana (1kg)
$1.65 BAM 2.87
$1.39 ₱87.8
18.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.35 BAM 2.35
$2.33 ₱147
-42.06%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.15 BAM 1.99
$1.50 ₱94.3
-23.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.04 BAM 1.80
$2.36 ₱149
-55.93%
Onion (1kg)
$0.97 BAM 1.69
$1.90 ₱119
-48.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 BAM 1.24
$1.19 ₱74.9
-40.34%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.71 BAM 1.23
$0.63 ₱39.71
12.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.92 BAM 6.82
$3.00 ₱189
30.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.04 BAM 7.02
$6.03 ₱379
-33.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 BAM 1.39
$1.23 ₱77.7
-34.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.89 BAM 1.54
$1.75 ₱110
-49.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Mostar
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.11 BAM 1.94
$0.25 ₱15.86
344.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$36.85 BAM 64.1
$12.64 ₱796
191.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.73 BAM 3.00
$0.77 ₱48.62
124.68%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.55 BAM 0.96
$0.23 ₱14.53
139.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.77 BAM 10.03
$4.46 ₱281
29.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 BAM 2.63
$1.31 ₱82.8
15.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.9K BAM 52.0K
$21.2K ₱1.3M
40.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.3K BAM 37.0K
$19.1K ₱1.2M
11.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mostar
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$90.6 BAM 158
$120 ₱7,569
-24.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.70 BAM 30.77
$14.00 ₱882
26.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.06 BAM 45.31
$27.54 ₱1,734
-5.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mostar
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.45 BAM 61.6
$32.33 ₱2,035
9.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.08 BAM 17.54
$6.65 ₱419
51.58%
Cinema Ticket
$5.77 BAM 10.04
$5.65 ₱356
2.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mostar
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$135 BAM 235
$275 ₱17.3K
-50.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.5K BAM 32.2K
$7,918 ₱498.5K
133.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mostar
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.9 BAM 101
$49.33 ₱3,106
17.43%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.01 BAM 55.7
$25.24 ₱1,589
26.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.0 BAM 151
$77.0 ₱4,846
13.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$81.3 BAM 141
$57.2 ₱3,601
42.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mostar
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$432 BAM 752
$500 ₱31.5K
-13.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$249 BAM 433
$309 ₱19.4K
-19.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$663 BAM 1,153
$1,078 ₱67.9K
-38.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$459 BAM 798
$615 ₱38.7K
-25.43%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,305 BAM 4,008
$2,886 ₱181.7K
-20.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,582 BAM 2,751
$1,917 ₱120.7K
-17.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mostar
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$860 BAM 1,495
$346 ₱21.8K
148.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.3
7.2
-40.28%

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

Last update for Mostar: October 11, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mostar
$249
Cebu
$309 24.1% $60
Groceries & Markets
Mostar
$188
Cebu
$206 9.6% $18
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mostar
$134
Cebu
$162 20.4% $27
Eating Out
Mostar
$119
Cebu
$88 26.1% $31
Clothing & Footwear
Mostar
$116
Cebu
$94 19.2% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Mostar
$47
Cebu
$44 7.2% $3.4
Getting Around
Mostar
$46
Cebu
$16 66% $30

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Mostar and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mostar pays 149% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $31.00 in Mostar vs $24.00 in Cebu. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $206, with Mostar cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇧🇦 Mostar
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
12:35 12:35 PM
18:35 6:35 PM
6 h ahead of Mostar
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
60,195
964,169
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to BAM – Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark Converter

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BAM (1 BAM = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.95 BAM (1 BAM = 0.512 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mostar Cebu 10,490 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mostar
  • 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
Mostar vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Mostar?
Mostar is cheaper overall, especially in groceries. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Mostar or Cebu?
Average pay runs 149% higher in Mostar, 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 Mostar and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $432 in Mostar 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 Mostar and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $899 per month in Mostar versus $918 in Cebu – a 2% 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 Mostar runs roughly 192% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,200 enough for either Mostar or Cebu?
Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Mostar gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Mostar or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Mostar 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.
Which city is safer, Mostar or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Mostar 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 Mostar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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