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: $1,773 in Solna versus $873 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,691 in Solna versus $1,326 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,610 in Solna versus $1,778 in Cebu.

Living in Solna is roughly 103% more expensive than Cebu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Solna is 32% above, Cebu is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.78 SEK 138

$4.33 ₱267

241.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.1 SEK 523

$24.14 ₱1,489

132.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 SEK 97.2

$4.36 ₱269

138.99%

Cappuccino

$5.02 SEK 46.87

$2.57 ₱159

95.33%

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

$3.19 SEK 29.81

$0.84 ₱52.1

279.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 SEK 14.10

$0.43 ₱26.36

251.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.63 SEK 71.2

$1.53 ₱94.5

398.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 SEK 75.8

$2.11 ₱130

285.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 SEK 14.53

$2.21 ₱137

-29.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 SEK 24.91

$1.50 ₱92.6

78.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.78 SEK 35.24

$1.11 ₱68.7

240.54%

Eggs

$3.92 SEK 36.60

$2.33 ₱144

68.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.56 SEK 89.2

$13.03 ₱803

-26.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.28 SEK 115

$5.35 ₱330

129.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.88 SEK 139

$7.50 ₱462

98.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 SEK 15.45

$3.57 ₱220

-53.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 SEK 20.13

$1.45 ₱89.4

48.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 SEK 24.28

$3.39 ₱209

-23.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 SEK 29.74

$2.18 ₱134

46.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 SEK 14.43

$2.59 ₱160

-40.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 SEK 19.02

$2.48 ₱153

-17.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 SEK 21.90

$0.92 ₱56.6

155.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 SEK 10.38

$0.79 ₱48.95

40.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.55 SEK 70.4

$3.11 ₱192

142.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.78 SEK 138

$6.52 ₱402

126.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 SEK 13.07

$1.21 ₱74.4

15.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 SEK 8.48

$2.32 ₱143

-60.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.54 SEK 42.40

$0.28 ₱17.41

1521.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 SEK 936

$15.00 ₱925

569.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 SEK 35.23

$0.84 ₱51.6

350.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 SEK 14.74

$0.25 ₱15.45

532.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.5 SEK 798

$2.69 ₱166

3079.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 SEK 18.26

$1.09 ₱67.1

79.82%

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

$27.2K SEK 253.7K

$30.1K ₱1.9M

-9.68%

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

$30.1K SEK 281.2K

$27.0K ₱1.7M

11.62%

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

$109 SEK 1,014

$95.4 ₱5,880

14.01%

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

$28.80 SEK 269

$33.83 ₱2,086

-14.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.35 SEK 386

$29.78 ₱1,836

38.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.03 SEK 439

$32.91 ₱2,029

42.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.68 SEK 240

$8.43 ₱520

204.63%

Cinema Ticket

$15.01 SEK 140

$5.84 ₱360

157.02%

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

$157 SEK 1,467

$233 ₱14.3K

-32.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,218 SEK 39.4K

$3,894 ₱240.1K

8.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.5 SEK 873

$53.5 ₱3,297

74.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.46 SEK 396

$22.75 ₱1,403

86.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 SEK 874

$76.7 ₱4,729

22.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.5 SEK 490

$54.5 ₱3,359

-3.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 SEK 7,841

$515 ₱31.8K

63.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$657 SEK 6,130

$209 ₱12.9K

215.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,416 SEK 13.2K

$805 ₱49.6K

76.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 SEK 10.2K

$397 ₱24.5K

174.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,167 SEK 66.9K

$2,955 ₱182.2K

142.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,298 SEK 49.4K

$1,923 ₱118.6K

175.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,958 SEK 36.9K

$364 ₱22.5K

986.42%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cebu: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $840 in Solna and $515 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Solna pays 986% 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: $56.0 in Solna vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $325 vs $240 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 103% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Solna pays 986% more on average, 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: $840 in Solna versus $515 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,773 per month in Solna versus $873 in Cebu – a 103% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 569% 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 $1,773 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 103% less than in Solna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.