For one person, living is cheaper in Rasht: $476 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 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 Rasht and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $476 in Rasht versus $918 in Cebu.
Rasht $476
Cebu $918
Estimated couple costs with rent: $737 in Rasht versus $1,409 in Cebu.
Rasht $737
Cebu $1,409
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $998 in Rasht versus $1,900 in Cebu.
Rasht $998
Cebu $1,900
🌍
Living in Rasht costs roughly 48% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Rasht65% lower, Cebu32% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Rasht
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.72$3.72
$3.09₱195
20.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$16.25$16.25
$24.22₱1,525
-32.91%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.03$4.03
$3.92₱247
2.81%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.73$0.73
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.98$0.98
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.37$1.37
$2.51₱158
-45.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50$0.50
$1.59₱100
-68.55%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.01$1.01
$0.53₱33.45
90.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.78₱112
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.17₱137
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rasht
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.55$0.55
$1.92₱121
-71.35%
White Bread(500g)
$0.52$0.52
$1.36₱85.5
-61.76%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.89$1.89
$1.01₱63.6
87.13%
Eggs
$1.28$1.28
$2.03₱128
-36.95%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.43$4.43
$9.86₱621
-55.07%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.46$2.46
$4.39₱277
-43.96%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.43$9.43
$7.60₱479
24.08%
Apples(1kg)
$0.75$0.75
$3.30₱208
-77.27%
Banana(1kg)
$1.35$1.35
$1.39₱87.8
-2.88%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.72$0.72
$2.33₱147
-69.10%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.50$0.50
$1.50₱94.3
-66.67%
Potato(1kg)
$0.44$0.44
$2.36₱149
-81.36%
Onion(1kg)
$0.51$0.51
$1.90₱119
-73.16%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.37$0.37
$1.19₱74.9
-68.91%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.24$0.24
$0.63₱39.73
-61.90%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$0.83$0.83
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.26$0.26
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32$1.32
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.62$1.62
$3.00₱189
-46.00%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$6.03₱380
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.23₱77.7
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.75₱110
-
🚌 Getting Around
Rasht
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.17$0.17
$0.25₱15.87
-32.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$10.81$10.81
$12.64₱796
-14.48%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.51$0.51
$0.77₱48.64
-33.77%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.21$0.21
$0.23₱14.54
-8.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.47$1.47
$4.46₱281
-67.04%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.09$0.09
$1.31₱82.8
-93.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$49.9K$49.9K
$21.2K₱1.3M
134.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.2K$44.2K
$19.1K₱1.2M
131.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rasht
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$12.97$12.97
$120₱7,573
-89.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$1.62$1.62
$14.00₱882
-88.43%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$3.78$3.78
$27.54₱1,735
-86.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rasht
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$17.97$17.97
$32.33₱2,036
-44.42%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.83$11.83
$6.65₱419
77.89%
Cinema Ticket
$1.02$1.02
$5.65₱356
-81.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rasht
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$82.7$82.7
$275₱17.3K
-69.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,607$2,607
$7,918₱498.8K
-67.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rasht
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$16.23$16.23
$49.33₱3,107
-67.10%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.73$24.73
$25.24₱1,590
-2.02%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$112$112
$77.0₱4,848
44.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$74.8$74.8
$57.2₱3,603
30.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rasht
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$210$210
$500₱31.5K
-57.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$157$157
$309₱19.5K
-49.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$389$389
$1,078₱67.9K
-63.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$213$213
$615₱38.8K
-65.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,226$1,226
$2,886₱181.8K
-57.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$618$618
$1,917₱120.7K
-67.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rasht
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$210$210
$346₱21.8K
-39.43%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
19
7.2
163.89%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Rasht: October 13, 2026
Last update for Cebu: October 12, 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.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Rasht
$157 32.9%
Cebu
$309 33.6% ↑ 97%$152
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Rasht
$102 21.5%
Cebu
$94 10.2% ↓ 8.2%$8.3
🛒Groceries & Markets
Rasht
$101 21.3%
Cebu
$206 22.4% ↑ 104%$105
🍽Eating Out
Rasht
$64 13.5%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↑ 37.1%$24
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Rasht
$20 4.2%
Cebu
$44 4.8% ↑ 118%$24
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rasht
$18 3.9%
Cebu
$162 17.6% ↑ 781%$143
🚌Getting Around
Rasht
$13 2.7%
Cebu
$16 1.7% ↑ 19.2%$2.5
🏠Accommodation & Living
Rasht
$213 21.3%
Cebu
$615 32.4% ↑ 189%$402
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Rasht
$227 22.8%
Cebu
$209 11% ↓ 8.2%$19
🛒Groceries & Markets
Rasht
$249 24.9%
Cebu
$483 25.4% ↑ 94.1%$234
🍽Eating Out
Rasht
$210 21.1%
Cebu
$292 15.4% ↑ 38.8%$82
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Rasht
$52 5.2%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↑ 81.1%$42
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rasht
$20 2%
Cebu
$176 9.3% ↑ 779%$156
🚌Getting Around
Rasht
$26 2.7%
Cebu
$32 1.7% ↑ 19.6%$5.2
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $210 in Rasht and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Cebu pays 65% 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: $16.00 in Rasht vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $101 vs $206 per month, with Rasht cheaper across the board.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)
The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Rasht vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Rasht?
Rasht is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 93% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Rasht or Cebu?
On paper, salaries run 65% 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.
What is the rent difference between Rasht and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $210 in Rasht versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Rasht and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $476 per month in Rasht versus $918 in Cebu – a 93% 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 Rasht runs roughly 17% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $800 enough for either Rasht or Cebu?
Either city works on $800 a month, though Rasht gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Rasht or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Rasht 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.
Which city is safer, Rasht or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Rasht 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 Rasht gentler on the wallet – expenses run 93% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.