Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phoenix and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Phoenix: $823 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cebu outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

49

Cost of Living Index in Phoenix
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Phoenix Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
Learn more

Cebu Living Index

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Phoenix

🇲🇺 Mauritius

$823

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $823 in Phoenix versus $918 in Cebu.

Phoenix $823
Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,303 in Phoenix versus $1,409 in Cebu.

Phoenix $1,303
Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,783 in Phoenix versus $1,900 in Cebu.

Phoenix $1,783
Cebu $1,900

Living in Phoenix costs roughly 10% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phoenix 39% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.12 MUR 99.7

$3.09 ₱194

-31.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.62 MUR 1,489

$24.22 ₱1,525

30.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 MUR 344

$3.92 ₱247

86.48%

Cappuccino

$5.18 MUR 244

$2.51 ₱158

106.37%

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

$0.60 MUR 28.29

$1.59 ₱100

-62.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 MUR 25.79

$0.53 ₱33.43

3.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 MUR 96.4

$1.78 ₱112

15.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 MUR 249

$2.17 ₱137

143.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 MUR 68.0

$1.92 ₱121

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.40 MUR 19.01

$1.36 ₱85.4

-70.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MUR 101

$1.01 ₱63.5

113.86%

Eggs

$4.91 MUR 231

$2.03 ₱128

141.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₱621

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.21 MUR 387

$4.39 ₱277

87.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.45 MUR 304

$7.60 ₱479

-15.13%

Apples (1kg)

$7.50 MUR 353

$3.30 ₱208

127.27%

Banana (1kg)

$3.88 MUR 183

$1.39 ₱87.8

179.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.58 MUR 215

$2.33 ₱147

96.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 MUR 70.0

$1.50 ₱94.3

-0.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 MUR 40.12

$2.36 ₱149

-63.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 MUR 40.69

$1.90 ₱119

-54.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 MUR 34.03

$1.19 ₱74.9

-39.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 MUR 35.76

$0.63 ₱39.71

20.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MUR 489

$6.03 ₱379

72.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 MUR 95.9

$1.23 ₱77.7

65.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 MUR 50.7

$0.25 ₱15.86

332.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.33 MUR 486

$12.64 ₱796

-18.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.62

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 MUR 68.7

$0.23 ₱14.53

534.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 MUR 62.5

$1.31 ₱82.8

1.53%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

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

$120 ₱7,569

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

$14.01 MUR 659

$14.00 ₱882

0.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.77 MUR 1,166

$27.54 ₱1,734

-10.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.58 MUR 1,204

$32.33 ₱2,035

-20.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

Cinema Ticket

$5.21 MUR 245

$5.65 ₱356

-7.79%

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

$275 ₱17.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 MUR 2,511

$49.33 ₱3,106

8.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 MUR 2,481

$25.24 ₱1,589

108.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₱4,846

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 ₱3,601

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 MUR 24.8K

$500 ₱31.5K

5.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$311 MUR 14.6K

$309 ₱19.4K

0.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$831 MUR 39.1K

$1,078 ₱67.9K

-22.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 MUR 25.2K

$615 ₱38.7K

-12.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$959 MUR 45.1K

$346 ₱21.8K

177.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

-30.56%

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

Last update for Phoenix: October 10, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phoenix

$311 37.8%

Cebu

$309 33.6% 0.7% $2.3

Groceries & Markets

Phoenix

$241 * 29.3%

Cebu

$206 22.4% 14.6% $35

Eating Out

Phoenix

$126 15.4%

Cebu

$88 9.6% 30.2% $38

Clothing & Footwear

Phoenix

$48 * 5.8%

Cebu

$94 10.2% 96.9% $46

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phoenix

$39 * 4.7%

Cebu

$162 17.6% 317% $123

Sport & Entertainment

Phoenix

$36 4.4%

Cebu

$44 4.8% 21.1% $7.6

Getting Around

Phoenix

$22 * 2.7%

Cebu

$16 1.7% 29% $6.4

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 $526 in Phoenix and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phoenix pays 177% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phoenix vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $206 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇺 Phoenix

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

17:04 5:04 PM

21:04 9:04 PM

4 h ahead of Phoenix

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

115,289

964,169

💱 Currency

Mauritian Rupee MUR ₨

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 MUR = 2.12 USD

100 MUR = 1.89 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to MUR – Mauritian Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇺 Mauritian Rupee (₨)

Mauritian Rupee exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 47.08 MUR (100 MUR = 2.12 USD). 1 EUR = 52.93 MUR (100 MUR = 1.89 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).

USD to MUR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phoenix Cebu 8,020 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Phoenix
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

Phoenix vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phoenix is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, utilities, and leisure. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 177% higher in Phoenix, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $526 in Phoenix versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Cebu pay roughly 17% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $823 per month in Phoenix versus $918 in Cebu – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $823 in Phoenix versus $918 in Cebu, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Phoenix but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Phoenix the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phoenix 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, Phoenix 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 Phoenix gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.