For one person, living is cheaper in Sfax: $620 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 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 Sfax and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $620 in Sfax versus $934 in Cebu.
Sfax $620
Cebu $934
Estimated couple costs with rent: $975 in Sfax versus $1,415 in Cebu.
Sfax $975
Cebu $1,415
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,329 in Sfax versus $1,896 in Cebu.
Sfax $1,329
Cebu $1,896
🌍
Living in Sfax costs roughly 34% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Sfax54% lower, Cebu30% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Sfax
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.43TND 10.24
$3.03₱191
13.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.82TND 59.1
$23.48₱1,476
-15.59%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.03TND 15.02
$4.09₱257
22.98%
Cappuccino
$0.71TND 2.10
$2.52₱158
-71.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.58TND 1.73
$1.54₱97.2
-62.34%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27TND 0.81
$0.49₱31.06
-44.90%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.56TND 4.66
$1.79₱113
-12.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02TND 6.03
$2.26₱142
-10.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sfax
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.50TND 1.49
$1.95₱122
-74.36%
White Bread(500g)
$0.24TND 0.72
$1.43₱89.9
-83.22%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.38TND 4.12
$1.02₱64.0
35.29%
Eggs
$1.56TND 4.64
$2.06₱129
-24.27%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.32TND 36.76
$9.81₱617
25.59%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.76TND 17.18
$4.61₱290
24.95%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.97TND 41.70
$7.70₱484
81.43%
Apples(1kg)
$1.77TND 5.29
$3.31₱208
-46.53%
Banana(1kg)
$3.08TND 9.18
$1.45₱91.2
112.41%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.04TND 3.11
$2.36₱148
-55.93%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.68TND 2.04
$1.54₱96.6
-55.84%
Potato(1kg)
$0.81TND 2.42
$2.36₱148
-65.68%
Onion(1kg)
$0.77TND 2.29
$1.99₱125
-61.31%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.58TND 1.72
$1.15₱72.3
-49.57%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.35TND 1.03
$0.67₱42.26
-47.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.87TND 11.53
$3.00₱189
29.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.51TND 19.41
$6.35₱399
2.52%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19TND 3.56
$1.31₱82.1
-9.16%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.04TND 3.10
$1.73₱109
-39.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Sfax
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.18TND 0.55
$0.25₱15.82
-28.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$9.98TND 29.77
$12.65₱796
-21.11%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.33TND 1.00
$0.74₱46.44
-55.41%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.34TND 1.03
$0.21₱13.15
61.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.56TND 22.56
$4.33₱272
74.60%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.83TND 2.47
$1.33₱83.7
-37.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.5KTND 109.0K
$21.8K₱1.4M
67.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.9KTND 104.2K
$19.4K₱1.2M
79.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sfax
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$44.47TND 133
$121₱7,583
-63.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.43TND 28.14
$14.45₱909
-34.74%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.85TND 44.31
$28.29₱1,779
-47.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sfax
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$27.37TND 81.7
$32.68₱2,055
-16.25%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.32TND 21.85
$6.39₱402
14.55%
Cinema Ticket
$4.46TND 13.30
$5.46₱343
-18.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sfax
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$98.6TND 294
$273₱17.2K
-63.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,470TND 7,370
$8,156₱512.9K
-69.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sfax
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.94TND 128
$49.57₱3,117
-13.38%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.43TND 109
$24.87₱1,564
46.48%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$114TND 340
$76.6₱4,817
48.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$66.2TND 198
$59.3₱3,727
11.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sfax
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$194TND 579
$506₱31.8K
-61.65%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$135TND 404
$309₱19.5K
-56.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$340TND 1,013
$1,052₱66.1K
-67.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$217TND 649
$619₱38.9K
-64.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,020TND 3,043
$2,915₱183.4K
-65.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$745TND 2,224
$1,867₱117.4K
-60.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sfax
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$327TND 976
$341₱21.5K
-4.10%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.6
7.2
88.89%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Sfax: October 4, 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.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Sfax
$193 30.7%
Cebu
$210 22.7% ↑ 8.9%$17
🏠Accommodation & Living
Sfax
$135 21.5%
Cebu
$309 33.5% ↑ 128%$174
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Sfax
$117 18.6%
Cebu
$95 10.2% ↓ 18.9%$22
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sfax
$69 10.9%
Cebu
$163 17.7% ↑ 138%$95
🍽Eating Out
Sfax
$66 10.5%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↑ 33.3%$22
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Sfax
$36 5.8%
Cebu
$44 4.7% ↑ 20.2%$7.3
🚌Getting Around
Sfax
$13 2%
Cebu
$15 1.7% ↑ 20.9%$2.7
🛒Groceries & Markets
Sfax
$458 34%
Cebu
$493 25.8% ↑ 7.7%$35
🏠Accommodation & Living
Sfax
$217 16.1%
Cebu
$619 32.4% ↑ 185%$402
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Sfax
$259 19.3%
Cebu
$210 11% ↓ 18.9%$49
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sfax
$78 5.8%
Cebu
$178 9.3% ↑ 127%$100
🍽Eating Out
Sfax
$229 17%
Cebu
$288 15.1% ↑ 26.2%$60
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Sfax
$80 5.9%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↑ 17.2%$14
🚌Getting Around
Sfax
$26 1.9%
Cebu
$31 1.6% ↑ 21.2%$5.5
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $194 in Sfax and $506 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Cebu pays 4% 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: $20.00 in Sfax vs $23.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $210 per month, with Sfax 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
Sfax vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Sfax?
Sfax is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Sfax or Cebu?
On paper, salaries run 4% 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 Sfax and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $194 in Sfax 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 Sfax and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $620 per month in Sfax versus $934 in Cebu – a 51% 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 Sfax runs roughly 27% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,200 enough for either Sfax or Cebu?
Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Sfax gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Sfax or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Sfax 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, Sfax or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Sfax 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 Sfax gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.