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: $1,792 in Solna versus $873 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,718 in Solna versus $1,339 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,643 in Solna versus $1,805 in Cebu.

Living in Solna is roughly 105% more expensive than in Cebu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Solna is 34% above, Cebu is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.86 SEK 143

$4.39 ₱270

238.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.6 SEK 545

$24.30 ₱1,496

132.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.66 SEK 103

$4.53 ₱279

135.32%

Cappuccino

$4.94 SEK 47.63

$2.52 ₱155

96.03%

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

$3.18 SEK 30.61

$0.80 ₱49.42

297.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 SEK 14.92

$0.42 ₱25.97

269.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.43 SEK 71.6

$1.59 ₱97.7

367.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.84 SEK 75.5

$2.19 ₱135

257.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 SEK 14.75

$2.26 ₱139

-32.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 SEK 25.84

$1.51 ₱93.0

77.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 SEK 36.34

$1.16 ₱71.6

225.00%

Eggs

$3.84 SEK 37.02

$2.36 ₱145

62.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.51 SEK 91.7

$12.87 ₱792

-26.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.50 SEK 120

$5.38 ₱331

132.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.81 SEK 143

$7.82 ₱481

89.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 SEK 16.41

$3.53 ₱217

-51.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 SEK 20.80

$1.51 ₱92.9

43.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 SEK 25.23

$3.29 ₱203

-20.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.13 SEK 30.16

$2.20 ₱136

42.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 SEK 15.55

$2.64 ₱162

-39.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 SEK 19.52

$2.46 ₱152

-17.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 SEK 22.21

$1.00 ₱61.4

131.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 SEK 10.42

$0.78 ₱48.06

38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.53 SEK 72.6

$3.10 ₱191

142.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.16 SEK 117

$6.43 ₱396

89.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 SEK 14.07

$1.16 ₱71.7

25.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 SEK 9.20

$2.24 ₱138

-57.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.51 SEK 43.47

$0.26 ₱15.80

1634.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 SEK 979

$15.36 ₱946

561.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 SEK 34.96

$0.81 ₱49.81

348.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 SEK 15.16

$0.23 ₱14.06

582.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.1 SEK 820

$2.64 ₱163

3124.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 SEK 18.38

$1.10 ₱67.7

73.64%

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

$27.3K SEK 263.1K

$30.5K ₱1.9M

-10.39%

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

$30.5K SEK 294.1K

$27.7K ₱1.7M

10.06%

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

$110 SEK 1,062

$95.9 ₱5,904

14.90%

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

$28.28 SEK 273

$34.05 ₱2,096

-16.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.42 SEK 399

$29.86 ₱1,839

38.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.03 SEK 453

$33.32 ₱2,051

41.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.77 SEK 248

$8.45 ₱520

204.97%

Cinema Ticket

$15.27 SEK 147

$5.79 ₱357

163.73%

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

$161 SEK 1,552

$235 ₱14.5K

-31.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,103 SEK 39.5K

$3,913 ₱240.9K

4.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.9 SEK 905

$53.1 ₱3,272

76.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 SEK 412

$22.65 ₱1,395

88.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 SEK 885

$76.1 ₱4,685

20.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.9 SEK 509

$55.0 ₱3,383

-3.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 SEK 8,139

$508 ₱31.3K

66.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$657 SEK 6,331

$210 ₱12.9K

213.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,421 SEK 13.7K

$800 ₱49.3K

77.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 SEK 10.5K

$389 ₱24.0K

179.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,909 SEK 66.6K

$3,013 ₱185.5K

129.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,895 SEK 27.9K

$1,950 ₱120.1K

48.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,730 SEK 35.9K

$340 ₱20.9K

997.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

-40.00%

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

Last update for Solna: July 13, 2026

Last update for Cebu: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $845 in Solna and $508 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Solna pays 998% 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: $57.0 in Solna vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $241 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, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 105% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 998% 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: $845 in Solna versus $508 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,792 per month in Solna versus $873 in Cebu – a 105% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 562% less than in Solna. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $873 in Cebu versus $1,792 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 105% less than in Solna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.