Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pekanbaru and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Pekanbaru: $628 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

31

Cost of Living Index in Pekanbaru
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Pekanbaru Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
Learn more

Cebu Living Index

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Pekanbaru

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$628

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $628 in Pekanbaru versus $918 in Cebu.

Pekanbaru $628
Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $983 in Pekanbaru versus $1,409 in Cebu.

Pekanbaru $983
Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,339 in Pekanbaru versus $1,900 in Cebu.

Pekanbaru $1,339
Cebu $1,900

Living in Pekanbaru costs roughly 32% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pekanbaru 53% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.43 Rp 25.8K

$3.09 ₱194

-53.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.20 Rp 147.6K

$24.22 ₱1,525

-66.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.41 Rp 43.4K

$3.92 ₱247

-38.52%

Cappuccino

$1.30 Rp 23.3K

$2.51 ₱158

-48.21%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 Rp 10.4K

$1.59 ₱100

-63.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 Rp 5,954

$0.53 ₱33.43

-37.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 Rp 37.3K

$1.78 ₱112

16.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$2.17 ₱137

58.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 Rp 23.3K

$1.92 ₱121

-32.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 Rp 20.6K

$1.36 ₱85.4

-15.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 Rp 16.1K

$1.01 ₱63.5

-11.88%

Eggs

$1.68 Rp 30.3K

$2.03 ₱128

-17.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.30 Rp 131.3K

$9.86 ₱621

-25.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 42.7K

$4.39 ₱277

-46.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.49 Rp 116.9K

$7.60 ₱479

-14.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 48.5K

$3.30 ₱208

-18.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 Rp 30.6K

$1.39 ₱87.8

22.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 Rp 43.4K

$2.33 ₱147

3.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.8K

$1.50 ₱94.3

-15.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 Rp 22.3K

$2.36 ₱149

-47.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$1.90 ₱119

0.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$1.19 ₱74.9

-36.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 Rp 6,350

$0.63 ₱39.71

-44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.16 Rp 38.9K

$3.00 ₱189

-28.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.45 Rp 386.0K

$6.03 ₱379

255.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$1.23 ₱77.7

55.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 Rp 54.2K

$1.75 ₱110

72.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,230

$0.25 ₱15.86

16.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.44 Rp 152.0K

$12.64 ₱796

-33.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 Rp 16.6K

$0.77 ₱48.62

19.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 Rp 7,154

$0.23 ₱14.53

73.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 Rp 48.2K

$4.46 ₱281

-39.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$1.31 ₱82.8

-41.98%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$23.3K Rp 418.9M

$21.2K ₱1.3M

9.55%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.0K Rp 468.5M

$19.1K ₱1.2M

35.95%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$62.1 Rp 1.1M

$120 ₱7,569

-48.37%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$5.99 Rp 107.9K

$14.00 ₱882

-57.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.78 Rp 428.1K

$27.54 ₱1,734

-13.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.34 Rp 510.2K

$32.33 ₱2,035

-12.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.31 Rp 149.7K

$6.65 ₱419

24.96%

Cinema Ticket

$3.03 Rp 54.6K

$5.65 ₱356

-46.37%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$96.0 Rp 1.7M

$275 ₱17.3K

-65.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,773 Rp 139.9M

$7,918 ₱498.5K

-1.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.96 Rp 575.3K

$49.33 ₱3,106

-35.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.42 Rp 511.6K

$25.24 ₱1,589

12.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.8 Rp 985.5K

$77.0 ₱4,846

-28.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 Rp 1.5M

$57.2 ₱3,601

41.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 Rp 4.7M

$500 ₱31.5K

-47.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$145 Rp 2.6M

$309 ₱19.4K

-53.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$540 Rp 9.7M

$1,078 ₱67.9K

-49.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 Rp 6.4M

$615 ₱38.7K

-42.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,070 Rp 19.3M

$2,886 ₱181.7K

-62.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$807 Rp 14.5M

$1,917 ₱120.7K

-57.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$176 Rp 3.2M

$346 ₱21.8K

-49.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

7.2

31.39%

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

Last update for Pekanbaru: October 12, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Pekanbaru

$201 32%

Cebu

$206 22.4% 2.5% $5

Accommodation & Living

Pekanbaru

$145 23.1%

Cebu

$309 33.6% 113% $164

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pekanbaru

$92 14.6%

Cebu

$162 17.6% 76.1% $70

Clothing & Footwear

Pekanbaru

$88 14%

Cebu

$94 10.2% 6.5% $5.8

Eating Out

Pekanbaru

$55 8.8%

Cebu

$88 9.6% 60% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Pekanbaru

$34 5.5%

Cebu

$44 4.8% 26.8% $9.2

Getting Around

Pekanbaru

$13 2%

Cebu

$16 1.7% 24.4% $3.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $262 in Pekanbaru and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 97% 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: $8.00 in Pekanbaru vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $201 vs $206 per month, with Pekanbaru cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Pekanbaru

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

10:58 10:58 AM

11:58 11:58 AM

1 h ahead of Pekanbaru

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,020,308

964,169

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Pekanbaru Cebu 2,710 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Pekanbaru
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

Pekanbaru vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pekanbaru is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 97% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $262 in Pekanbaru versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $628 per month in Pekanbaru versus $918 in Cebu – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Pekanbaru runs roughly 50% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Pekanbaru gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Pekanbaru 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.

Safety-wise, Pekanbaru 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.

Expats usually find Pekanbaru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.