Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Stip and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Stip: $806 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cebu outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

39

Cost of Living Index in Stip
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Stip Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index

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Stip

🇲🇰 North Macedonia

$806

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Stip and in Cebu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Stip and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $806 in Stip versus $918 in Cebu.

Stip $806
Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,205 in Stip versus $1,409 in Cebu.

Stip $1,205
Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,605 in Stip versus $1,900 in Cebu.

Stip $1,605
Cebu $1,900

Living in Stip costs roughly 12% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Stip 40% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 MKD 400

$3.09 ₱194

137.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.62 MKD 1,288

$24.22 ₱1,525

-2.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 MKD 344

$3.92 ₱247

60.71%

Cappuccino

$1.80 MKD 98.1

$2.51 ₱158

-28.29%

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

$1.48 MKD 80.6

$1.59 ₱100

-6.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 MKD 58.2

$0.53 ₱33.43

101.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 MKD 96.8

$1.78 ₱112

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 MKD 152

$2.17 ₱137

28.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 MKD 67.2

$1.92 ₱121

-35.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 MKD 40.86

$1.36 ₱85.4

-44.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 MKD 58.1

$1.01 ₱63.5

5.94%

Eggs

$2.42 MKD 132

$2.03 ₱128

19.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 MKD 443

$9.86 ₱621

-17.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.25 MKD 395

$4.39 ₱277

65.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.46 MKD 407

$7.60 ₱479

-1.84%

Apples (1kg)

$0.87 MKD 47.22

$3.30 ₱208

-73.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MKD 78.7

$1.39 ₱87.8

3.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 MKD 72.0

$2.33 ₱147

-43.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 MKD 90.8

$1.50 ₱94.3

10.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 MKD 47.63

$2.36 ₱149

-63.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 MKD 42.51

$1.90 ₱119

-58.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 MKD 29.07

$1.19 ₱74.9

-55.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 MKD 21.66

$0.63 ₱39.71

-36.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 MKD 178

$3.00 ₱189

8.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.26 MKD 396

$6.03 ₱379

20.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MKD 58.4

$1.23 ₱77.7

-13.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 MKD 77.4

$1.75 ₱110

-18.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 MKD 34.29

$0.25 ₱15.86

152.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.20 MKD 1,266

$12.64 ₱796

83.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 MKD 60.9

$0.77 ₱48.62

45.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 MKD 33.63

$0.23 ₱14.53

169.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 MKD 306

$4.46 ₱281

25.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MKD 82.7

$1.31 ₱82.8

16.03%

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

$36.0K MKD 2.0M

$21.2K ₱1.3M

69.29%

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

$27.9K MKD 1.5M

$19.1K ₱1.2M

45.72%

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

$157 MKD 8,562

$120 ₱7,569

30.55%

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

$9.01 MKD 492

$14.00 ₱882

-35.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.56 MKD 903

$27.54 ₱1,734

-39.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.61 MKD 1,506

$32.33 ₱2,035

-14.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.17 MKD 937

$6.65 ₱419

158.20%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MKD 338

$5.65 ₱356

9.56%

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

$350 MKD 19.1K

$275 ₱17.3K

27.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,765 MKD 314.5K

$7,918 ₱498.5K

-27.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.68 MKD 1,946

$49.33 ₱3,106

-27.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.62 MKD 1,670

$25.24 ₱1,589

21.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MKD 5,487

$77.0 ₱4,846

30.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 MKD 6,196

$57.2 ₱3,601

98.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 MKD 11.0K

$500 ₱31.5K

-59.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$126 MKD 6,876

$309 ₱19.4K

-59.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$327 MKD 17.9K

$1,078 ₱67.9K

-69.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$197 MKD 10.7K

$615 ₱38.7K

-68.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,214 MKD 66.2K

$2,886 ₱181.7K

-57.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$958 MKD 52.3K

$1,917 ₱120.7K

-50.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$462 MKD 25.2K

$346 ₱21.8K

33.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

7.2

-41.25%

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

Last update for Stip: October 11, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Stip

$183 22.7%

Cebu

$162 17.6% 11.4% $21

Groceries & Markets

Stip

$177 22%

Cebu

$206 22.4% 16.3% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Stip

$126 15.7%

Cebu

$94 10.2% 25.6% $32

Accommodation & Living

Stip

$126 15.7%

Cebu

$309 33.6% 145% $183

Eating Out

Stip

$124 15.4%

Cebu

$88 9.6% 28.7% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Stip

$40 5%

Cebu

$44 4.8% 9.1% $3.6

Getting Around

Stip

$30 3.7%

Cebu

$16 1.7% 47.9% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $201 in Stip and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stip pays 34% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $24.00 in Stip vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $177 vs $206 per month, with Stip cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇰 Stip

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

04:21 4:21 AM

10:21 10:21 AM

6 h ahead of Stip

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

65,000

964,169

💱 Currency

North Macedonian Denar MKD ден

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 MKD = 1.83 USD

100 MKD = 1.63 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to MKD – North Macedonian Denar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇰 North Macedonian Denar (ден)

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 54.55 MKD (100 MKD = 1.83 USD). 1 EUR = 61.33 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to MKD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Stip Cebu 10,200 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Stip
Cebu

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

Stip vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stip is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and utilities. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 34% higher in Stip, 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: $201 in Stip versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $806 per month in Stip versus $918 in Cebu – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Stip runs roughly 84% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Stip gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Stip 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.

Safety-wise, Stip 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 Stip gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.