For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $3,235 in Sion, rent and utilities included – about $27,800 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 Sion and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,235 in Sion versus $918 in Cebu.
Sion $3,235
Cebu $918
Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,857 in Sion versus $1,409 in Cebu.
Sion $4,857
Cebu $1,409
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,479 in Sion versus $1,900 in Cebu.
Sion $6,479
Cebu $1,900
🌍
Living in Sion is roughly 252% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Sion is 140% above, Cebu is 32% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Sion
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$28.97CHF 23.86
$3.09₱194
837.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$89.6CHF 73.8
$24.22₱1,525
269.82%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$19.15CHF 15.77
$3.92₱247
388.52%
Cappuccino
$4.60CHF 3.79
$2.51₱158
83.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.09CHF 4.19
$1.59₱100
220.13%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.28CHF 3.52
$0.53₱33.43
707.55%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$7.36CHF 6.06
$1.78₱112
313.48%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.29CHF 6.00
$2.17₱137
235.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sion
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.94CHF 1.60
$1.92₱121
1.04%
White Bread(500g)
$3.54CHF 2.92
$1.36₱85.4
160.29%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.19CHF 3.45
$1.01₱63.5
314.85%
Eggs
$7.13CHF 5.87
$2.03₱128
251.23%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$26.01CHF 21.42
$9.86₱621
163.79%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$22.69CHF 18.69
$4.39₱277
416.86%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$40.09CHF 33.02
$7.60₱479
427.50%
Apples(1kg)
$3.15CHF 2.59
$3.30₱208
-4.55%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70CHF 1.40
$1.39₱87.8
22.30%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.53CHF 2.09
$2.33₱147
8.58%
Tomato(1kg)
$6.20CHF 5.11
$1.50₱94.3
313.33%
Potato(1kg)
$1.85CHF 1.53
$2.36₱149
-21.61%
Onion(1kg)
$2.16CHF 1.78
$1.90₱119
13.68%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.43CHF 2.00
$1.19₱74.9
104.20%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.17CHF 0.97
$0.63₱39.71
85.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$10.85CHF 8.94
$3.00₱189
261.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.25CHF 11.74
$6.03₱379
136.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76CHF 1.45
$1.23₱77.7
43.09%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91CHF 1.57
$1.75₱110
9.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Sion
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$5.24CHF 4.32
$0.25₱15.86
1996.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$179CHF 148
$12.64₱796
1319.54%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.94CHF 4.89
$0.77₱48.62
671.43%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$5.29CHF 4.36
$0.23₱14.53
2200.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$48.12CHF 39.63
$4.46₱281
978.92%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.21CHF 1.82
$1.31₱82.8
68.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2KCHF 28.2K
$21.2K₱1.3M
61.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.6KCHF 31.0K
$19.1K₱1.2M
96.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sion
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$308CHF 254
$120₱7,569
156.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.86CHF 20.48
$14.00₱882
77.57%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.64CHF 40.89
$27.54₱1,734
80.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sion
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$135CHF 111
$32.33₱2,035
316.95%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$54.5CHF 44.88
$6.65₱419
719.40%
Cinema Ticket
$20.28CHF 16.70
$5.65₱356
258.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sion
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$953CHF 785
$275₱17.3K
246.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$37.7KCHF 31.1K
$7,918₱498.5K
376.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sion
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$109CHF 89.7
$49.33₱3,106
120.72%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.21CHF 39.71
$25.24₱1,589
91.01%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$161CHF 133
$77.0₱4,846
109.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$165CHF 136
$57.2₱3,601
188.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sion
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,221CHF 1,005
$500₱31.5K
144.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,240CHF 1,021
$309₱19.4K
301.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,323CHF 1,913
$1,078₱67.9K
115.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,072CHF 1,707
$615₱38.7K
236.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,339CHF 6,045
$2,886₱181.7K
154.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$5,532CHF 4,556
$1,917₱120.7K
188.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sion
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$5,826CHF 4,798
$346₱21.8K
1584.08%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
2.15
7.2
-70.14%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Sion: October 11, 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
Sion
$1.2K 38.3%
Cebu
$309 33.6% ↓ 75.1%$931
🛒Groceries & Markets
Sion
$554 17.1%
Cebu
$206 22.4% ↓ 62.8%$348
🍽Eating Out
Sion
$433 13.4%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 79.6%$345
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sion
$383 11.8%
Cebu
$162 17.6% ↓ 57.7%$221
🚌Getting Around
Sion
$233 7.2%
Cebu
$16 1.7% ↓ 93.3%$217
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Sion
$217 6.7%
Cebu
$94 10.2% ↓ 56.8%$123
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Sion
$175 5.4%
Cebu
$44 4.8% ↓ 75.1%$132
🏠Accommodation & Living
Sion
$2.1K 32%
Cebu
$615 32.4% ↓ 70.3%$1.5K
🛒Groceries & Markets
Sion
$1.3K 20.3%
Cebu
$483 25.4% ↓ 63.3%$833
🍽Eating Out
Sion
$1.3K 20.4%
Cebu
$292 15.4% ↓ 77.9%$1K
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sion
$408 6.3%
Cebu
$176 9.3% ↓ 56.9%$232
🚌Getting Around
Sion
$476 7.4%
Cebu
$32 1.7% ↓ 93.4%$444
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Sion
$483 7.5%
Cebu
$209 11% ↓ 56.8%$274
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Sion
$405 6.3%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↓ 76.8%$311
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,221 in Sion and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Sion pays 1584% 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: $90.0 in Sion vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $554 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
Sion vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Sion?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. The 252% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Sion or Cebu?
Average pay runs 1584% higher in Sion, 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 Sion and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,221 in Sion 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 Sion and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $3,235 per month in Sion versus $918 in Cebu – a 252% 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 1320% less than in Sion. 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 Sion or in Cebu?
At $918 in Cebu versus $3,235 in Sion, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Sion. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Sion or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Sion, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Sion or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Sion 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 252% less than in Sion. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.