For one person, living is cheaper in Quetta: $417 a month against $943 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 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 Quetta and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $417 in Quetta versus $943 in Cebu.
Quetta $417
Cebu $943
Estimated couple costs with rent: $622 in Quetta versus $1,437 in Cebu.
Quetta $622
Cebu $1,437
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $828 in Quetta versus $1,930 in Cebu.
Quetta $828
Cebu $1,930
🌍
Living in Quetta costs roughly 56% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Quetta69% lower, Cebu30% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Quetta
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.70PKR 1,022
$3.88₱246
-4.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.91PKR 3,014
$23.22₱1,471
-53.01%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.54PKR 1,255
$3.90₱247
16.41%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.76PKR 488
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.32PKR 1,469
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.64PKR 453
$2.56₱162
-35.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39PKR 108
$1.60₱101
-75.63%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.21PKR 58.0
$0.51₱32.23
-58.82%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.76₱112
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.15₱137
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Quetta
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.70PKR 195
$1.99₱126
-64.82%
White Bread(500g)
$0.55PKR 153
$1.37₱86.8
-59.85%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.30PKR 361
$0.95₱60.2
36.84%
Eggs
$1.19PKR 328
$2.02₱128
-41.09%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.92PKR 1,360
$9.63₱610
-48.91%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.91PKR 803
$4.35₱276
-33.10%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$4.95PKR 1,368
$7.70₱488
-35.71%
Apples(1kg)
$0.94PKR 261
$3.30₱209
-71.52%
Banana(1kg)
$0.53PKR 147
$1.27₱80.2
-58.27%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.74PKR 205
$2.34₱148
-68.38%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.51PKR 142
$1.51₱96.0
-66.23%
Potato(1kg)
$0.32PKR 88.9
$2.23₱141
-85.65%
Onion(1kg)
$0.56PKR 154
$1.93₱123
-70.98%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.40PKR 110
$1.18₱74.9
-66.10%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.42PKR 117
$0.65₱41.19
-35.38%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$1.79PKR 496
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.07PKR 297
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45PKR 677
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.05PKR 566
$2.89₱183
-29.07%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$6.35₱402
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.27₱80.6
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.64₱104
-
🚌 Getting Around
Quetta
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.14PKR 37.57
$0.23₱14.51
-39.13%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$9.68PKR 2,676
$12.24₱775
-20.92%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.03PKR 285
$0.82₱51.9
25.61%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.47PKR 129
$0.20₱12.64
135.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.49PKR 411
$4.32₱274
-65.51%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.14PKR 316
$1.38₱87.3
-17.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.5KPKR 5.4M
$21.2K₱1.3M
-8.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.8KPKR 6.3M
$19.3K₱1.2M
18.03%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Quetta
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102PKR 28.1K
$124₱7,865
-18.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.35PKR 2,309
$15.93₱1,009
-47.58%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.18PKR 4,473
$28.07₱1,779
-42.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Quetta
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$5.80PKR 1,604
$33.41₱2,117
-82.64%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.06PKR 1,952
$6.40₱405
10.31%
Cinema Ticket
$3.22PKR 890
$5.85₱371
-44.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Quetta
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$34.66PKR 9,579
$271₱17.1K
-87.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,042PKR 288.1K
$8,060₱510.7K
-87.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Quetta
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$8.33PKR 2,303
$48.31₱3,061
-82.76%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.76PKR 6,016
$24.56₱1,556
-11.40%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$69.4PKR 19.2K
$77.1₱4,887
-10.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$33.78PKR 9,336
$56.5₱3,580
-40.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Quetta
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$72.1PKR 19.9K
$495₱31.4K
-85.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$51.1PKR 14.1K
$322₱20.4K
-84.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$160PKR 44.1K
$990₱62.7K
-83.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$99.3PKR 27.5K
$628₱39.8K
-84.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$375PKR 103.7K
$4,459₱282.5K
-91.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$217PKR 60.1K
$3,030₱192.0K
-92.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Quetta
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$267PKR 73.7K
$343₱21.7K
-22.23%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13
7.2
80.56%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Quetta: November 3, 2026
Last update for Cebu: November 2, 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.
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Quetta
$126 30.3%
Cebu
$168 17.8% ↑ 33.2%$42
🛒Groceries & Markets
Quetta
$89 21.3%
Cebu
$206 21.8% ↑ 131%$117
🍽Eating Out
Quetta
$65 15.7%
Cebu
$95 10.1% ↑ 45.5%$30
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Quetta
$60 14.4%
Cebu
$93 9.9% ↑ 55%$33
🏠Accommodation & Living
Quetta
$51 12.2%
Cebu
$322 34.1% ↑ 530%$271
🚌Getting Around
Quetta
$14 3.3%
Cebu
$15 1.6% ↑ 10.2%$1.4
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Quetta
$12 2.9%
Cebu
$45 4.8% ↑ 269%$33
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Quetta
$135 16.3%
Cebu
$184 9.5% ↑ 36.8%$50
🛒Groceries & Markets
Quetta
$215 25.9%
Cebu
$482 25% ↑ 124%$267
🍽Eating Out
Quetta
$187 22.6%
Cebu
$302 15.7% ↑ 61.8%$115
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Quetta
$133 16.1%
Cebu
$207 10.7% ↑ 55%$73
🏠Accommodation & Living
Quetta
$99 12%
Cebu
$628 32.6% ↑ 532%$529
🚌Getting Around
Quetta
$27 3.3%
Cebu
$30 1.6% ↑ 10.7%$2.9
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Quetta
$32 3.8%
Cebu
$97 5% ↑ 206%$65
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $72 in Quetta and $495 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Cebu pays 29% 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: $11 in Quetta vs $23 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $89 vs $206 per month, with Quetta 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
Quetta vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Quetta cheaper than Cebu?
Quetta is about 56% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Quetta or Cebu?
On paper, salaries run 22% lower in Quetta. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Quetta and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $72 in Quetta versus $495 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Quetta and in Cebu?
All in, you’ll spend $417 per month in Quetta versus $943 in Cebu – Quetta is about 56% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Quetta runs roughly 21% less than in Cebu. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Is it better to live in Quetta or in Cebu?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Quetta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.