For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,801 in Savona, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half 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 Savona and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,801 in Savona versus $918 in Cebu.
Savona $1,801
Cebu $918
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,614 in Savona versus $1,409 in Cebu.
Savona $2,614
Cebu $1,409
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,428 in Savona versus $1,900 in Cebu.
Savona $3,428
Cebu $1,900
🌍
Living in Savona is roughly 96% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Savona is 33% above, Cebu is 32% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Savona
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.34€19.87
$3.09₱194
622.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.9€68.4
$24.22₱1,525
217.30%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.37€10.11
$3.92₱247
190.05%
Cappuccino
$1.64€1.46
$2.51₱158
-34.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86€2.55
$1.59₱100
79.87%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.15€1.02
$0.53₱33.43
116.98%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.49€4.89
$1.78₱112
208.43%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.03€5.37
$2.17₱137
177.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Savona
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43€1.27
$1.92₱121
-25.52%
White Bread(500g)
$2.25€2.00
$1.36₱85.4
65.44%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.25€2.00
$1.01₱63.5
122.77%
Eggs
$3.09€2.75
$2.03₱128
52.22%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.30€13.61
$9.86₱621
55.17%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$13.01€11.57
$4.39₱277
196.36%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.80€13.16
$7.60₱479
94.74%
Apples(1kg)
$2.80€2.49
$3.30₱208
-15.15%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64€1.46
$1.39₱87.8
17.99%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.00€2.67
$2.33₱147
28.76%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.52€4.91
$1.50₱94.3
268.00%
Potato(1kg)
$1.95€1.74
$2.36₱149
-17.37%
Onion(1kg)
$1.77€1.57
$1.90₱119
-6.84%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.64€1.46
$1.19₱74.9
37.82%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60€0.54
$0.63₱39.71
-4.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.64€5.90
$3.00₱189
121.33%
Wine(Bottle)
$4.52€4.02
$6.03₱379
-25.04%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.39€3.02
$1.23₱77.7
175.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.38€3.01
$1.75₱110
93.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Savona
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.63€1.45
$0.25₱15.86
552.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$33.74€30.01
$12.64₱796
166.93%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$7.03€6.25
$0.77₱48.62
812.99%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.40€1.25
$0.23₱14.53
508.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$30.04€26.72
$4.46₱281
573.54%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.98€1.76
$1.31₱82.8
51.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K€32.1K
$21.2K₱1.3M
69.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.3K€31.4K
$19.1K₱1.2M
84.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Savona
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$192€171
$120₱7,569
59.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.99€9.78
$14.00₱882
-21.50%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.47€22.65
$27.54₱1,734
-7.52%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Savona
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.9€48.82
$32.33₱2,035
69.78%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.00€17.79
$6.65₱419
200.75%
Cinema Ticket
$9.66€8.59
$5.65₱356
70.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Savona
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$220€196
$275₱17.3K
-20.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,754€2,450
$7,918₱498.5K
-65.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Savona
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.9€80.0
$49.33₱3,106
82.28%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.46€40.44
$25.24₱1,589
80.11%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$88.5€78.7
$77.0₱4,846
14.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.3€85.6
$57.2₱3,601
68.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Savona
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$614€546
$500₱31.5K
22.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$679€604
$309₱19.4K
119.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,385€1,232
$1,078₱67.9K
28.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$837€745
$615₱38.7K
36.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,765€2,459
$2,886₱181.7K
-4.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,895€1,686
$1,917₱120.7K
-1.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Savona
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,730€1,539
$346₱21.8K
399.99%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.65
7.2
-49.31%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Savona: October 10, 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
Savona
$679 37.7%
Cebu
$309 33.6% ↓ 54.5%$370
🛒Groceries & Markets
Savona
$333 18.5%
Cebu
$206 22.4% ↓ 38.2%$127
🍽Eating Out
Savona
$288 16%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 69.4%$200
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Savona
$228 12.7%
Cebu
$162 17.6% ↓ 29.1%$67
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Savona
$144 8%
Cebu
$94 10.2% ↓ 34.8%$50
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Savona
$74 4.1%
Cebu
$44 4.8% ↓ 41.2%$31
🚌Getting Around
Savona
$54 3%
Cebu
$16 1.7% ↓ 71.3%$39
🏠Accommodation & Living
Savona
$837 24.4%
Cebu
$615 32.4% ↓ 26.5%$222
🛒Groceries & Markets
Savona
$777 22.7%
Cebu
$483 25.4% ↓ 37.8%$294
🍽Eating Out
Savona
$975 28.4%
Cebu
$292 15.4% ↓ 70%$683
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Savona
$239 7%
Cebu
$176 9.3% ↓ 26.5%$63
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Savona
$320 9.3%
Cebu
$209 11% ↓ 34.8%$111
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Savona
$168 4.9%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↓ 44.2%$75
🚌Getting Around
Savona
$112 3.3%
Cebu
$32 1.7% ↓ 71.7%$80
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $614 in Savona and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Savona pays 400% 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: $77.0 in Savona vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $206 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
Savona vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Savona?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 96% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Savona or Cebu?
Average pay runs 400% higher in Savona, 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 Savona and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $614 in Savona 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 Savona and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $1,801 per month in Savona versus $918 in Cebu – a 96% 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 167% less than in Savona. 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 Savona or in Cebu?
At $918 in Cebu versus $1,801 in Savona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Savona. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Savona or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Savona, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Savona or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Savona 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 96% less than in Savona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.