For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,699 in Nancy, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most 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 Nancy and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,699 in Nancy versus $918 in Cebu.
Nancy $1,699
Cebu $918
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,681 in Nancy versus $1,409 in Cebu.
Nancy $2,681
Cebu $1,409
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,664 in Nancy versus $1,900 in Cebu.
Nancy $3,664
Cebu $1,900
🌍
Living in Nancy is roughly 85% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Nancy is 26% above, Cebu is 32% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Nancy
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.86€14.10
$3.09₱194
413.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.2€58.8
$24.22₱1,525
173.12%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.61€12.10
$3.92₱247
247.19%
Cappuccino
$4.31€3.83
$2.51₱158
71.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.30€2.93
$1.59₱100
107.55%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.08€1.85
$0.53₱33.43
292.45%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$7.59€6.75
$1.78₱112
326.40%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.48€4.87
$2.17₱137
152.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nancy
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06€0.94
$1.92₱121
-44.79%
White Bread(500g)
$1.33€1.18
$1.36₱85.4
-2.21%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.80€1.60
$1.01₱63.5
78.22%
Eggs
$3.44€3.06
$2.03₱128
69.46%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.26€12.68
$9.86₱621
44.62%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$16.40€14.59
$4.39₱277
273.58%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$23.13€20.58
$7.60₱479
204.34%
Apples(1kg)
$2.48€2.21
$3.30₱208
-24.85%
Banana(1kg)
$2.43€2.16
$1.39₱87.8
74.82%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.18€1.94
$2.33₱147
-6.44%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.58€3.18
$1.50₱94.3
138.67%
Potato(1kg)
$1.31€1.17
$2.36₱149
-44.49%
Onion(1kg)
$2.27€2.02
$1.90₱119
19.47%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.35€1.21
$1.19₱74.9
13.45%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72€0.64
$0.63₱39.71
14.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$13.66€12.15
$3.00₱189
355.33%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.58€7.64
$6.03₱379
42.29%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.14€1.90
$1.23₱77.7
73.98%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.48€3.99
$1.75₱110
156.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Nancy
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.66€1.47
$0.25₱15.86
564.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$53.1€47.19
$12.64₱796
319.70%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.25€2.90
$0.77₱48.62
322.08%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.11€1.87
$0.23₱14.53
817.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$26.33€23.42
$4.46₱281
490.36%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.18€1.94
$1.31₱82.8
66.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K€30.7K
$21.2K₱1.3M
62.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.3K€30.5K
$19.1K₱1.2M
79.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nancy
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$269€239
$120₱7,569
123.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.86€11.44
$14.00₱882
-8.14%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.81€24.74
$27.54₱1,734
0.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nancy
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$28.22€25.10
$32.33₱2,035
-12.71%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.19€16.18
$6.65₱419
173.53%
Cinema Ticket
$13.47€11.98
$5.65₱356
138.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nancy
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$562€500
$275₱17.3K
104.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K€14.0K
$7,918₱498.5K
98.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nancy
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.5€81.4
$49.33₱3,106
85.53%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.55€36.07
$25.24₱1,589
60.66%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$106€94.0
$77.0₱4,846
37.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$140€124
$57.2₱3,601
144.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nancy
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$689€613
$500₱31.5K
38.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$449€400
$309₱19.4K
45.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,240€1,103
$1,078₱67.9K
15.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$948€844
$615₱38.7K
54.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,582€2,297
$2,886₱181.7K
-10.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,273€2,022
$1,917₱120.7K
18.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nancy
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,283€2,031
$346₱21.8K
560.06%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.76
7.2
-47.78%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Nancy: October 12, 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
Nancy
$449 26.5%
Cebu
$309 33.6% ↓ 31.3%$140
🛒Groceries & Markets
Nancy
$352 20.7%
Cebu
$206 22.4% ↓ 41.5%$146
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nancy
$310 18.2%
Cebu
$162 17.6% ↓ 47.8%$148
🍽Eating Out
Nancy
$290 17.1%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 69.5%$202
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Nancy
$170 10%
Cebu
$94 10.2% ↓ 44.7%$76
🚌Getting Around
Nancy
$73 4.3%
Cebu
$16 1.7% ↓ 78.8%$58
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Nancy
$55 3.3%
Cebu
$44 4.8% ↓ 20.9%$12
🏠Accommodation & Living
Nancy
$948 25.9%
Cebu
$615 32.4% ↓ 35.1%$333
🛒Groceries & Markets
Nancy
$834 22.8%
Cebu
$483 25.4% ↓ 42.1%$351
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nancy
$322 8.8%
Cebu
$176 9.3% ↓ 45.5%$147
🍽Eating Out
Nancy
$902 24.6%
Cebu
$292 15.4% ↓ 67.6%$610
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Nancy
$378 10.3%
Cebu
$209 11% ↓ 44.7%$169
🚌Getting Around
Nancy
$150 4.1%
Cebu
$32 1.7% ↓ 78.9%$119
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Nancy
$129 3.5%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↓ 26.9%$35
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $689 in Nancy and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Nancy pays 560% 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: $66.0 in Nancy vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 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
Nancy vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Nancy?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 85% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Nancy or Cebu?
Average pay runs 560% higher in Nancy, 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 Nancy and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $689 in Nancy 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 Nancy and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $1,699 per month in Nancy versus $918 in Cebu – a 85% 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 320% less than in Nancy. 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 Nancy or in Cebu?
At $918 in Cebu versus $1,699 in Nancy, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Nancy. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Nancy or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Nancy, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Nancy or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Nancy 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 85% less than in Nancy. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.