For one person, living is cheaper in Msaken: $646 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cebu outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Msaken and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $646 in Msaken versus $918 in Cebu.
Msaken $646
Cebu $918
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,020 in Msaken versus $1,409 in Cebu.
Msaken $1,020
Cebu $1,409
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,394 in Msaken versus $1,900 in Cebu.
Msaken $1,394
Cebu $1,900
🌍
Living in Msaken costs roughly 30% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Msaken52% lower, Cebu32% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Msaken
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.93TND 14.76
$3.09₱195
59.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$21.88TND 65.5
$24.22₱1,525
-9.66%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.86TND 17.55
$3.92₱247
49.49%
Cappuccino
$1.03TND 3.08
$2.51₱158
-58.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.80TND 2.39
$1.59₱100
-49.69%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37TND 1.11
$0.53₱33.45
-30.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.71TND 5.11
$1.78₱112
-3.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13TND 6.38
$2.17₱137
-1.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Msaken
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.48TND 1.45
$1.92₱121
-75.00%
White Bread(500g)
$0.30TND 0.90
$1.36₱85.5
-77.94%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.71TND 5.12
$1.01₱63.6
69.31%
Eggs
$1.76TND 5.26
$2.03₱128
-13.30%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.69TND 41.00
$9.86₱621
38.84%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.65TND 16.93
$4.39₱277
28.70%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.36TND 43.00
$7.60₱479
88.95%
Apples(1kg)
$2.04TND 6.10
$3.30₱208
-38.18%
Banana(1kg)
$3.60TND 10.78
$1.39₱87.8
158.99%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.11TND 3.33
$2.33₱147
-52.36%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.81TND 2.43
$1.50₱94.3
-46.00%
Potato(1kg)
$0.86TND 2.59
$2.36₱149
-63.56%
Onion(1kg)
$0.63TND 1.88
$1.90₱119
-66.84%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.40TND 1.20
$1.19₱74.9
-66.39%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.32TND 0.95
$0.63₱39.73
-49.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.76TND 11.26
$3.00₱189
25.33%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.94TND 17.78
$6.03₱380
-1.49%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.07TND 3.20
$1.23₱77.7
-13.01%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31TND 3.92
$1.75₱110
-25.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Msaken
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.34TND 1.02
$0.25₱15.87
36.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$12.64₱796
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.32TND 0.96
$0.77₱48.64
-58.44%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.32TND 0.96
$0.23₱14.54
39.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.91TND 11.71
$4.46₱281
-12.33%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.86TND 2.58
$1.31₱82.8
-34.35%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.9KTND 116.4K
$21.2K₱1.3M
83.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.6KTND 106.8K
$19.1K₱1.2M
86.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Msaken
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$59.7TND 179
$120₱7,573
-50.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.20TND 27.56
$14.00₱882
-34.29%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.21TND 60.5
$27.54₱1,735
-26.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Msaken
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$21.29TND 63.8
$32.33₱2,036
-34.15%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.65₱419
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.92TND 17.73
$5.65₱356
4.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Msaken
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$91.9TND 275
$275₱17.3K
-66.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,156TND 9,452
$7,918₱498.8K
-60.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Msaken
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.28TND 130
$49.33₱3,107
-12.26%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.7TND 176
$25.24₱1,590
132.73%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$117TND 351
$77.0₱4,848
52.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.0TND 258
$57.2₱3,603
50.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Msaken
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$108TND 325
$500₱31.5K
-78.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$93.1TND 279
$309₱19.5K
-69.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$203TND 607
$1,078₱67.9K
-81.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$150TND 450
$615₱38.8K
-75.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$2,886₱181.8K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,917₱120.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Msaken
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$244TND 731
$346₱21.8K
-29.45%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.67
7.2
48.19%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Msaken: October 10, 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.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Msaken
$203 31.5%
Cebu
$206 22.4% ↑ 1.2%$2.4
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Msaken
$137 21.3%
Cebu
$94 10.2% ↓ 31.7%$44
🏠Accommodation & Living
Msaken
$93 14.4%
Cebu
$309 33.6% ↑ 232%$216
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Msaken
$89 13.8%
Cebu
$162 17.6% ↑ 81.6%$73
🍽Eating Out
Msaken
$87 13.4%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↑ 1.6%$1.4
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Msaken
$33 5.1%
Cebu
$44 4.8% ↑ 31.6%$10
🚌Getting Around
Msaken
$3.3 * 0.5%
Cebu
$16 1.7% ↑ 375%$12
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Msaken
$485 34.8%
Cebu
$483 25.4% ↓ 0.4%$2
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Msaken
$305 21.9%
Cebu
$209 11% ↓ 31.7%$97
🏠Accommodation & Living
Msaken
$150 10.8%
Cebu
$615 32.4% ↑ 310%$465
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Msaken
$98 7.1%
Cebu
$176 9.3% ↑ 78.8%$77
🍽Eating Out
Msaken
$281 20.2%
Cebu
$292 15.4% ↑ 3.8%$11
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Msaken
$66 * 4.8%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↑ 41.7%$28
🚌Getting Around
Msaken
$7.2 * 0.5%
Cebu
$32 1.7% ↑ 337%$24
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $108 in Msaken and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Cebu pays 42% 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: $22.00 in Msaken vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $206 per month, with Msaken 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
Msaken vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Msaken?
Msaken is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Msaken or Cebu?
On paper, salaries run 42% lower in Cebu. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Msaken and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $108 in Msaken versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Msaken and in Cebu?
Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Msaken and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $646 per month in Msaken versus $918 in Cebu – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,000 enough for either Msaken or Cebu?
Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Msaken gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Msaken or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Msaken 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, Msaken or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Msaken 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 Msaken gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.