Cost of Living Comparison Between Solna and Cebu Cost of Living Comparison Between Solna and Cebu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,828 in Solna versus $936 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,821 in Solna versus $1,427 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,815 in Solna versus $1,918 in Cebu.

Living in Solna is roughly 95% more expensive than in Cebu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Solna is 33% above, Cebu is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.58 SEK 140

$3.09 ₱193

371.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 SEK 669

$23.80 ₱1,488

191.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 SEK 114

$4.10 ₱257

189.27%

Cappuccino

$5.21 SEK 50.2

$2.60 ₱163

100.38%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SEK 22.96

$1.55 ₱96.9

53.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 SEK 14.88

$0.54 ₱33.46

185.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.67 SEK 73.8

$1.73 ₱108

343.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.76 SEK 74.7

$2.19 ₱137

254.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 SEK 14.58

$1.92 ₱120

-21.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 SEK 25.75

$1.39 ₱87.1

92.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 SEK 36.27

$0.97 ₱60.8

288.66%

Eggs

$4.25 SEK 40.94

$2.00 ₱125

112.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 SEK 89.1

$9.93 ₱621

-6.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.43 SEK 129

$4.38 ₱274

206.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.66 SEK 228

$7.41 ₱463

219.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 SEK 32.48

$3.46 ₱217

-2.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 SEK 20.06

$1.47 ₱91.7

41.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 SEK 25.58

$2.41 ₱151

10.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.09 SEK 29.77

$1.54 ₱96.5

100.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 SEK 15.37

$2.36 ₱148

-32.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 SEK 18.85

$1.91 ₱119

2.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.32 SEK 22.31

$1.24 ₱77.3

87.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 SEK 10.41

$0.66 ₱41.42

63.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.02 SEK 77.2

$3.00 ₱188

167.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.41 SEK 120

$6.08 ₱380

104.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 SEK 13.39

$1.31 ₱81.8

6.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SEK 21.60

$1.73 ₱108

29.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.29 SEK 41.31

$0.25 ₱15.65

1616.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 SEK 989

$12.73 ₱796

706.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 SEK 35.03

$0.75 ₱46.78

385.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.96 SEK 28.49

$0.23 ₱14.41

1186.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.5 SEK 823

$4.60 ₱288

1758.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 SEK 18.47

$1.34 ₱83.7

43.28%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.3K SEK 330.1K

$21.8K ₱1.4M

57.40%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$33.6K SEK 323.7K

$19.4K ₱1.2M

73.01%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$112 SEK 1,075

$121 ₱7,564

-7.74%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$23.29 SEK 224

$14.86 ₱929

56.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.47 SEK 409

$27.84 ₱1,741

52.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.37 SEK 379

$32.06 ₱2,005

22.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.64 SEK 257

$6.43 ₱402

314.31%

Cinema Ticket

$15.18 SEK 146

$5.64 ₱352

169.15%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$159 SEK 1,529

$273 ₱17.1K

-41.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,239 SEK 50.5K

$8,017 ₱501.3K

-34.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 SEK 1,069

$48.77 ₱3,050

127.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.10 SEK 405

$25.49 ₱1,594

65.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.3 SEK 879

$78.1 ₱4,884

16.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 SEK 1,385

$57.8 ₱3,616

148.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$835 SEK 8,039

$500 ₱31.3K

66.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 SEK 5,897

$300 ₱18.7K

104.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,428 SEK 13.7K

$1,089 ₱68.1K

31.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,070 SEK 10.3K

$632 ₱39.5K

69.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,162 SEK 69.0K

$2,888 ₱180.6K

147.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,005 SEK 28.9K

$1,877 ₱117.3K

60.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,932 SEK 37.9K

$346 ₱21.7K

1034.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.53

7.2

-50.97%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Solna: September 1, 2026

Last update for Cebu: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $835 in Solna and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Solna pays 1035% 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: $69.0 in Solna vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $362 vs $208 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

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

Solna vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 95% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 1035% higher in Solna, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $835 in Solna versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,828 per month in Solna versus $936 in Cebu – a 95% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 707% less than in Solna. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $936 in Cebu versus $1,828 in Solna, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Solna. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Solna, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Solna 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.

Expats usually find Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 95% less than in Solna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.