Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Polomolok and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Polomolok: $610 a month against $943 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

29

Cost of Living Index in Polomolok
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Polomolok Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index

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Polomolok

🇵🇭 Philippines

$610

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$943

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $610 in Polomolok versus $943 in Cebu.

Polomolok $610
Cebu $943

Estimated couple costs with rent: $966 in Polomolok versus $1,437 in Cebu.

Polomolok $966
Cebu $1,437

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,323 in Polomolok versus $1,930 in Cebu.

Polomolok $1,323
Cebu $1,930

Living in Polomolok costs roughly 35% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Polomolok 55% lower, Cebu 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.59 ₱101

$3.88 ₱247

-59.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.28 ₱1,035

$23.22 ₱1,476

-29.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$1.99 ₱127

$3.90 ₱248

-48.97%

Cappuccino

$2.18 ₱138

$2.56 ₱163

-14.84%

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

$0.38 ₱24.07

$1.60 ₱102

-76.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱40.30

$0.51 ₱32.35

23.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 ₱76.1

$1.76 ₱112

-31.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ₱133

$2.15 ₱137

-2.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ₱105

$1.99 ₱126

-17.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 ₱57.1

$1.37 ₱87.1

-34.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.66 ₱41.96

$0.95 ₱60.4

-30.53%

Eggs

$1.89 ₱120

$2.02 ₱128

-6.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.38 ₱406

$9.63 ₱612

-33.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.73 ₱174

$4.35 ₱277

-37.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.38 ₱342

$7.70 ₱490

-30.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.53 ₱161

$3.30 ₱210

-23.33%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 ₱36.56

$1.27 ₱80.5

-54.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.40 ₱152

$2.34 ₱149

2.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.80 ₱50.7

$1.51 ₱96.3

-47.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 ₱73.2

$2.23 ₱142

-48.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 ₱183

$1.93 ₱123

49.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 ₱48.90

$1.18 ₱75.2

-34.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₱41.95

$0.65 ₱41.33

1.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.38 ₱151

$2.89 ₱184

-17.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.88 ₱438

$6.35 ₱404

8.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 ₱62.0

$1.27 ₱80.8

-22.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ₱93.4

$1.64 ₱104

-10.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.90

$0.23 ₱14.56

-4.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.38 ₱787

$12.24 ₱778

1.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱47.89

$0.82 ₱52.0

-8.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.93

$0.20 ₱12.69

10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ₱120

$4.32 ₱275

-56.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 ₱54.6

$1.38 ₱87.6

-37.68%

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

$15.9K ₱1.0M

$21.2K ₱1.3M

-24.89%

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

$17.3K ₱1.1M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

-10.11%

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

$50.5 ₱3,210

$124 ₱7,893

-59.33%

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

$19.13 ₱1,216

$15.93 ₱1,013

20.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.41 ₱1,616

$28.07 ₱1,785

-9.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.60 ₱2,009

$33.41 ₱2,124

-5.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.16 ₱328

$6.40 ₱407

-19.38%

Cinema Ticket

$3.82 ₱243

$5.85 ₱372

-34.70%

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

$104 ₱6,598

$271 ₱17.2K

-61.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,338 ₱85.1K

$8,060 ₱512.4K

-83.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.43 ₱2,062

$48.31 ₱3,072

-32.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.23 ₱1,223

$24.56 ₱1,562

-21.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.6 ₱4,043

$77.1 ₱4,904

-17.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.6 ₱3,850

$56.5 ₱3,593

7.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$246 ₱15.6K

$495 ₱31.5K

-50.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$166 ₱10.6K

$322 ₱20.5K

-48.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$493 ₱31.3K

$990 ₱63.0K

-50.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 ₱22.7K

$628 ₱39.9K

-43.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,680 ₱170.4K

$4,459 ₱283.5K

-39.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,117 ₱71.0K

$3,030 ₱192.6K

-63.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$235 ₱14.9K

$343 ₱21.8K

-31.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

-16.67%

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

Last update for Polomolok: October 31, 2026

Last update for Cebu: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Polomolok

$166 27.2%

Cebu

$322 34.1% 93.9% $156

Groceries & Markets

Polomolok

$156 25.6%

Cebu

$206 21.8% 31.8% $50

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Polomolok

$95 15.6%

Cebu

$168 17.8% 76.9% $73

Clothing & Footwear

Polomolok

$79 13%

Cebu

$93 9.9% 17.5% $14

Eating Out

Polomolok

$59 9.7%

Cebu

$95 10.1% 61% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Polomolok

$39 6.4%

Cebu

$45 4.8% 15% $5.9

Getting Around

Polomolok

$15 2.5%

Cebu

$15 1.6% 0.9% $0.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $246 in Polomolok and $495 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 46% 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: $16 in Polomolok vs $23 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $156 vs $206 per month, with Polomolok cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Polomolok

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

02:28 2:28 AM

Same time as Polomolok

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

172,605

964,169

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.4 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Polomolok Cebu 470 km

From you

Polomolok
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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

Polomolok vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Polomolok is about 35% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 31% lower in Polomolok. 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: $246 in Polomolok versus $495 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $610 per month in Polomolok versus $943 in Cebu – Polomolok is about 35% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $610 in Polomolok versus $943 in Cebu, a $800 budget is realistic in Polomolok but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Polomolok the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

It comes down to priorities – Polomolok wins on affordability, Cebu on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.