For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $1,611 in Rijeka, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Other living expenses 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 Rijeka and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,611 in Rijeka versus $934 in Cebu.
Rijeka $1,611
Cebu $934
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,416 in Rijeka versus $1,415 in Cebu.
Rijeka $2,416
Cebu $1,415
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,222 in Rijeka versus $1,896 in Cebu.
Rijeka $3,222
Cebu $1,896
🌍
Living in Rijeka is roughly 72% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Rijeka is 20% above, Cebu is 30% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Rijeka
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.30€11.87
$3.03₱190
338.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.3€65.4
$23.48₱1,473
212.05%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.92€8.86
$4.09₱256
142.54%
Cappuccino
$2.25€2.01
$2.52₱158
-10.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.11€2.77
$1.54₱96.9
101.95%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89€1.69
$0.49₱30.98
285.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.79€3.38
$1.79₱112
111.73%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.42€3.94
$2.26₱142
95.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rijeka
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.24€1.11
$1.95₱122
-36.41%
White Bread(500g)
$1.61€1.44
$1.43₱89.7
12.59%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.35€2.99
$1.02₱63.8
228.43%
Eggs
$3.79€3.38
$2.06₱129
83.98%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.85€14.14
$9.81₱615
61.57%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.06€8.97
$4.61₱289
118.22%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.49€12.93
$7.70₱483
88.18%
Apples(1kg)
$1.72€1.53
$3.31₱207
-48.04%
Banana(1kg)
$1.75€1.56
$1.45₱90.9
20.69%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.83€1.64
$2.36₱148
-22.46%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.56€2.28
$1.54₱96.4
66.23%
Potato(1kg)
$1.32€1.18
$2.36₱148
-44.07%
Onion(1kg)
$1.31€1.17
$1.99₱125
-34.17%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.37€1.22
$1.15₱72.1
19.13%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.36€1.22
$0.67₱42.15
102.99%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.72€5.10
$3.00₱188
90.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.97€7.11
$6.35₱398
25.51%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61€1.44
$1.31₱81.9
22.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12€1.89
$1.73₱108
22.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Rijeka
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.27€2.03
$0.25₱15.78
808.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$54.7€48.80
$12.65₱793
332.33%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.49€4.90
$0.74₱46.32
641.89%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.50€1.34
$0.21₱13.11
614.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$28.38€25.32
$4.33₱271
555.43%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.93€1.72
$1.33₱83.5
45.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.9K€23.1K
$21.8K₱1.4M
18.79%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.6K€22.0K
$19.4K₱1.2M
26.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rijeka
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$187€167
$121₱7,563
55.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.40€21.78
$14.45₱907
68.86%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.54€35.28
$28.29₱1,774
39.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rijeka
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.4€47.69
$32.68₱2,050
63.53%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.12€9.93
$6.39₱401
74.02%
Cinema Ticket
$6.69€5.97
$5.46₱342
22.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rijeka
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$550€491
$273₱17.1K
101.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.7K€11.3K
$8,156₱511.5K
55.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rijeka
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101€89.8
$49.57₱3,109
102.97%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.30€37.75
$24.87₱1,560
70.08%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$102€90.8
$76.6₱4,804
32.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110€97.8
$59.3₱3,717
84.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rijeka
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$699€624
$506₱31.7K
38.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$546€487
$309₱19.4K
76.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,213€1,083
$1,052₱66.0K
15.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$860€767
$619₱38.8K
38.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,081€3,642
$2,915₱182.9K
39.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,925€3,503
$1,867₱117.1K
110.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rijeka
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,509€1,347
$341₱21.4K
342.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.73
7.2
-48.19%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Rijeka: October 5, 2026
Last update for Cebu: October 5, 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
Rijeka
$546 34%
Cebu
$309 33.5% ↓ 43.3%$237
🛒Groceries & Markets
Rijeka
$294 18.3%
Cebu
$210 22.7% ↓ 28.5%$84
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rijeka
$251 15.6%
Cebu
$163 17.7% ↓ 34.9%$88
🍽Eating Out
Rijeka
$211 13.1%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 58.1%$123
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Rijeka
$159 9.9%
Cebu
$95 10.2% ↓ 40.6%$65
🚌Getting Around
Rijeka
$77 4.8%
Cebu
$15 1.7% ↓ 79.9%$61
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Rijeka
$67 4.2%
Cebu
$44 4.7% ↓ 34.8%$23
🏠Accommodation & Living
Rijeka
$860 26.4%
Cebu
$619 32.4% ↓ 28%$241
🛒Groceries & Markets
Rijeka
$682 20.9%
Cebu
$493 25.8% ↓ 27.8%$190
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rijeka
$275 8.4%
Cebu
$178 9.3% ↓ 35.4%$98
🍽Eating Out
Rijeka
$787 24.1%
Cebu
$288 15.1% ↓ 63.4%$499
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Rijeka
$354 10.9%
Cebu
$210 11% ↓ 40.6%$144
🚌Getting Around
Rijeka
$158 4.9%
Cebu
$31 1.6% ↓ 80.1%$127
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Rijeka
$145 4.4%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↓ 35.4%$51
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $699 in Rijeka and $506 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Rijeka pays 343% 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: $73.0 in Rijeka vs $23.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $210 per month, with Cebu 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
Rijeka vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Rijeka?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Rijeka or Cebu?
Average pay runs 343% higher in Rijeka, 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 Rijeka and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $699 in Rijeka 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 Rijeka and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $1,611 per month in Rijeka versus $934 in Cebu – a 72% 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 332% less than in Rijeka. 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 Rijeka or in Cebu?
At $934 in Cebu versus $1,611 in Rijeka, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Rijeka. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Rijeka or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Rijeka, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Rijeka or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Rijeka 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 72% less than in Rijeka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.