Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Poole and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $2,654 in Poole, rent and utilities included – about $20,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Poole
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,654
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$934
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,654 in Poole versus $934 in Cebu.

  • Poole $2,654
  • Cebu $934

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,904 in Poole versus $1,415 in Cebu.

  • Poole $3,904
  • Cebu $1,415

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,154 in Poole versus $1,896 in Cebu.

  • Poole $5,154
  • Cebu $1,896

Living in Poole is roughly 184% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Poole is 98% above, Cebu is 30% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Poole
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.17 £17.51
$3.03 ₱190
664.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$98.9 £74.7
$23.48 ₱1,473
321.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.51 £7.94
$4.09 ₱256
156.97%
Cappuccino
$4.70 £3.55
$2.52 ₱158
86.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 £2.42
$1.54 ₱96.9
108.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 £1.53
$0.49 ₱30.98
314.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.44 £4.87
$1.79 ₱112
259.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.04 £5.32
$2.26 ₱142
211.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Poole
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 £1.24
$1.95 ₱122
-15.90%
White Bread (500g)
$1.49 £1.12
$1.43 ₱89.7
4.20%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.21 £1.67
$1.02 ₱63.8
116.67%
Eggs
$4.27 £3.23
$2.06 ₱129
107.28%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.40 £4.84
$9.81 ₱615
-34.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.54 £7.97
$4.61 ₱289
128.63%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.72 £9.61
$7.70 ₱483
65.19%
Apples (1kg)
$2.32 £1.75
$3.31 ₱207
-29.91%
Banana (1kg)
$1.71 £1.29
$1.45 ₱90.9
17.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 £1.48
$2.36 ₱148
-16.95%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.19 £1.66
$1.54 ₱96.4
42.21%
Potato (1kg)
$2.00 £1.51
$2.36 ₱148
-15.25%
Onion (1kg)
$1.43 £1.08
$1.99 ₱125
-28.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.86 £1.41
$1.15 ₱72.1
61.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.95 £1.48
$0.67 ₱42.15
191.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.28 £17.59
$3.00 ₱188
676.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.62 £7.27
$6.35 ₱398
51.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.98 £2.25
$1.31 ₱81.9
127.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 £1.84
$1.73 ₱108
41.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Poole
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.00 £3.02
$0.25 ₱15.78
1500.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$75.6 £57.1
$12.65 ₱793
497.71%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.40 £2.57
$0.74 ₱46.32
359.46%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.32 £1.76
$0.21 ₱13.11
1004.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$21.83 £16.50
$4.33 ₱271
404.16%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.02 £1.52
$1.33 ₱83.5
51.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.6K £28.4K
$21.8K ₱1.4M
72.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.9K £30.9K
$19.4K ₱1.2M
110.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Poole
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$356 £269
$121 ₱7,563
195.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.48 £14.72
$14.45 ₱907
34.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.65 £32.98
$28.29 ₱1,774
54.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Poole
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$81.0 £61.2
$32.68 ₱2,050
147.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.39 ₱401
-
Cinema Ticket
$20.89 £15.78
$5.46 ₱342
282.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Poole
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,603 £1,212
$273 ₱17.1K
486.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$33.1K £25.0K
$8,156 ₱511.5K
305.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Poole
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.2 £65.9
$49.57 ₱3,109
75.97%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.27 £30.43
$24.87 ₱1,560
61.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.9 £74.8
$76.6 ₱4,804
29.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.4 £63.8
$59.3 ₱3,717
42.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Poole
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,180 £892
$506 ₱31.7K
133.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,206 £911
$309 ₱19.4K
289.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,266 £1,712
$1,052 ₱66.0K
115.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,137 £1,615
$619 ₱38.8K
245.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,915 ₱182.9K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,071 £1,565
$1,867 ₱117.1K
10.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Poole
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,244 £2,452
$341 ₱21.4K
851.24%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.96
7.2
-31.11%

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

Last update for Poole: October 4, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Poole
$1.2K
Cebu
$309 74.3% $896
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Poole
$419
Cebu
$163 61.1% $256
Eating Out
Poole
$340
Cebu
$88 74% $252
Groceries & Markets
Poole
$287
Cebu
$210 26.6% $76
Clothing & Footwear
Poole
$140
Cebu
$95 32.3% $45
Sport & Entertainment
Poole
$123
Cebu
$44 64.5% $79
Getting Around
Poole
$107
Cebu
$15 85.5% $91

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,180 in Poole and $506 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Poole pays 851% 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: $99.0 in Poole vs $23.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 vs $210 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Poole
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
12:45 12:45 PM
19:45 7:45 PM
7 h ahead of Poole
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
154,718
964,169
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.756 GBP (1 GBP = 1.32 USD). 1 EUR = 0.847 GBP (1 GBP = 1.18 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.28 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Poole Cebu 11,470 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Poole
  • 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
Poole vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Poole?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and clothing. The 184% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Poole or Cebu?
Average pay runs 851% higher in Poole, 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 Poole and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,180 in Poole 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 Poole and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $2,654 per month in Poole versus $934 in Cebu – a 184% 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 498% less than in Poole. 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 Poole or in Cebu?
At $934 in Cebu versus $2,654 in Poole, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Poole. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Poole or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Poole, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Poole or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Poole 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 184% less than in Poole. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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