For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $3,443 in Oslo, rent and utilities included – about $30,100 less a year. Rent and utilities 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 Oslo and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,443 in Oslo versus $934 in Cebu.
Oslo $3,443
Cebu $934
Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,981 in Oslo versus $1,415 in Cebu.
Oslo $4,981
Cebu $1,415
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,519 in Oslo versus $1,896 in Cebu.
Oslo $6,519
Cebu $1,896
🌍
Living in Oslo is roughly 269% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Oslo is 157% above, Cebu is 30% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Oslo
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.80NOK 199
$3.03₱190
586.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$125NOK 1,194
$23.48₱1,473
432.45%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$15.81NOK 151
$4.09₱256
286.55%
Cappuccino
$6.03NOK 57.6
$2.52₱158
139.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41NOK 42.10
$1.54₱96.9
186.36%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.28NOK 31.33
$0.49₱30.98
569.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$11.75NOK 112
$1.79₱112
556.42%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$12.73NOK 122
$2.26₱142
463.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Oslo
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.46NOK 23.53
$1.95₱122
26.15%
White Bread(500g)
$4.20NOK 40.08
$1.43₱89.7
193.71%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.62NOK 44.16
$1.02₱63.8
352.94%
Eggs
$5.99NOK 57.2
$2.06₱129
190.78%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.83NOK 142
$9.81₱615
51.17%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$15.56NOK 149
$4.61₱289
237.53%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$31.16NOK 298
$7.70₱483
304.68%
Apples(1kg)
$3.36NOK 32.05
$3.31₱207
1.51%
Banana(1kg)
$2.58NOK 24.62
$1.45₱90.9
77.93%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.52NOK 33.63
$2.36₱148
49.15%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.74NOK 54.9
$1.54₱96.4
272.73%
Potato(1kg)
$2.67NOK 25.46
$2.36₱148
13.14%
Onion(1kg)
$2.84NOK 27.08
$1.99₱125
42.71%
Lettuce(1 head)
$3.15NOK 30.05
$1.15₱72.1
173.91%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.48NOK 23.66
$0.67₱42.15
270.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$19.09NOK 182
$3.00₱188
536.33%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.58NOK 158
$6.35₱398
161.10%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.35NOK 32.01
$1.31₱81.9
155.73%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.33NOK 41.31
$1.73₱108
150.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Oslo
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.84NOK 46.25
$0.25₱15.78
1836.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$82.6NOK 789
$12.65₱793
552.81%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$11.70NOK 112
$0.74₱46.32
1481.08%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.85NOK 17.68
$0.21₱13.11
780.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$69.0NOK 659
$4.33₱271
1492.61%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.33NOK 22.23
$1.33₱83.5
75.19%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$47.4KNOK 453.0K
$21.8K₱1.4M
117.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.5KNOK 415.8K
$19.4K₱1.2M
124.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oslo
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$415NOK 3,967
$121₱7,563
244.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.37NOK 319
$14.45₱907
130.93%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$55.1NOK 526
$28.29₱1,774
94.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Oslo
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$58.7NOK 561
$32.68₱2,050
79.71%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.61NOK 273
$6.39₱401
347.73%
Cinema Ticket
$19.45NOK 186
$5.46₱342
256.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Oslo
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$233NOK 2,229
$273₱17.1K
-14.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.4KNOK 147.2K
$8,156₱511.5K
88.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Oslo
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101NOK 962
$49.57₱3,109
103.23%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.6NOK 560
$24.87₱1,560
135.79%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$134NOK 1,276
$76.6₱4,804
74.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$153NOK 1,462
$59.3₱3,717
158.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Oslo
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,021NOK 19.3K
$506₱31.7K
299.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,576NOK 15.0K
$309₱19.4K
409.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$3,054NOK 29.2K
$1,052₱66.0K
190.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,346NOK 22.4K
$619₱38.8K
278.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$11.8KNOK 112.2K
$2,915₱182.9K
303.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,804NOK 65.0K
$1,867₱117.1K
264.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Oslo
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,578NOK 43.7K
$341₱21.4K
1242.14%
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 Oslo: October 4, 2026
Last update for Cebu: October 5, 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
Oslo
$1.6K 46.1%
Cebu
$309 33.5% ↓ 80.4%$1.3K
🛒Groceries & Markets
Oslo
$514 15.1%
Cebu
$210 22.7% ↓ 59.1%$304
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oslo
$504 14.8%
Cebu
$163 17.7% ↓ 67.6%$341
🍽Eating Out
Oslo
$401 11.7%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 78%$313
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Oslo
$201 5.9%
Cebu
$95 10.2% ↓ 52.9%$106
🚌Getting Around
Oslo
$123 3.6%
Cebu
$15 1.7% ↓ 87.4%$107
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Oslo
$98 2.9%
Cebu
$44 4.7% ↓ 55.3%$54
🏠Accommodation & Living
Oslo
$2.3K 36.6%
Cebu
$619 32.4% ↓ 73.6%$1.7K
🛒Groceries & Markets
Oslo
$1.2K 18.5%
Cebu
$493 25.8% ↓ 58.6%$696
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oslo
$537 8.4%
Cebu
$178 9.3% ↓ 66.9%$359
🍽Eating Out
Oslo
$1.4K 22.1%
Cebu
$288 15.1% ↓ 79.6%$1.1K
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Oslo
$446 7%
Cebu
$210 11% ↓ 52.9%$236
🚌Getting Around
Oslo
$256 4%
Cebu
$31 1.6% ↓ 87.7%$224
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Oslo
$224 3.5%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↓ 58.2%$130
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,021 in Oslo and $506 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Oslo pays 1242% 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: $125 in Oslo vs $23.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $514 vs $210 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
Oslo vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Oslo?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 269% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Oslo or Cebu?
Average pay runs 1242% higher in Oslo, 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 Oslo and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,021 in Oslo 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 Oslo and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $3,443 per month in Oslo versus $934 in Cebu – a 269% 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 553% less than in Oslo. 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 Oslo or in Cebu?
At $934 in Cebu versus $3,443 in Oslo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Oslo. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Oslo or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Oslo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Oslo or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Oslo 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 269% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.