Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Syros and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,536 in Syros, rent and utilities included – about $7,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Syros
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,536
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Syros 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 Syros and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,536 in Syros versus $918 in Cebu.

  • Syros $1,536
  • Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,307 in Syros versus $1,409 in Cebu.

  • Syros $2,307
  • Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,078 in Syros versus $1,900 in Cebu.

  • Syros $3,078
  • Cebu $1,900

Living in Syros is roughly 67% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Syros is 14% above, Cebu is 32% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Syros
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.95 €11.52
$3.09 ₱194
319.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.2 €49.11
$24.22 ₱1,525
127.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.90 €8.81
$3.92 ₱247
152.55%
Cappuccino
$3.37 €3.00
$2.51 ₱158
34.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35 €2.09
$1.59 ₱100
47.80%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68 €0.61
$0.53 ₱33.43
28.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.43 €4.83
$1.78 ₱112
205.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.25 €4.67
$2.17 ₱137
141.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Syros
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.78 €1.58
$1.92 ₱121
-7.29%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 €1.28
$1.36 ₱85.4
5.88%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.59 €2.30
$1.01 ₱63.5
156.44%
Eggs
$4.33 €3.86
$2.03 ₱128
113.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.73 €13.99
$9.86 ₱621
59.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.57 €9.40
$4.39 ₱277
140.77%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.91 €13.27
$7.60 ₱479
96.18%
Apples (1kg)
$2.16 €1.92
$3.30 ₱208
-34.55%
Banana (1kg)
$2.15 €1.91
$1.39 ₱87.8
54.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.40 €1.25
$2.33 ₱147
-39.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.77 €1.58
$1.50 ₱94.3
18.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.21 €1.08
$2.36 ₱149
-48.73%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 €1.04
$1.90 ₱119
-38.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.95 €0.84
$1.19 ₱74.9
-20.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.64
$0.63 ₱39.71
14.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.95 €4.40
$3.00 ₱189
65.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.61 €6.77
$6.03 ₱379
26.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.32 €2.07
$1.23 ₱77.7
88.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83 €2.52
$1.75 ₱110
61.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Syros
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.31 €1.17
$0.25 ₱15.86
424.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$51.2 €45.51
$12.64 ₱796
304.75%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.53 €4.03
$0.77 ₱48.62
488.31%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.10 €0.98
$0.23 ₱14.53
378.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.42 €4.82
$4.46 ₱281
21.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.01
$1.31 ₱82.8
71.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5K €24.5K
$21.2K ₱1.3M
29.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.6K €21.8K
$19.1K ₱1.2M
28.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Syros
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$197 €175
$120 ₱7,569
63.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.57 €22.74
$14.00 ₱882
82.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.91 €24.82
$27.54 ₱1,734
1.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Syros
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.8 €47.84
$32.33 ₱2,035
66.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.02 €22.26
$6.65 ₱419
276.24%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14 €8.13
$5.65 ₱356
61.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Syros
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$391 €348
$275 ₱17.3K
42.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,990 €3,549
$7,918 ₱498.5K
-49.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Syros
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.6 €79.7
$49.33 ₱3,106
81.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.36 €24.33
$25.24 ₱1,589
8.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.9 €74.7
$77.0 ₱4,846
9.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.9 €74.7
$57.2 ₱3,601
46.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Syros
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$572 €509
$500 ₱31.5K
14.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$502 €446
$309 ₱19.4K
62.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,000 €889
$1,078 ₱67.9K
-7.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$804 €715
$615 ₱38.7K
30.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,658 €1,475
$2,886 ₱181.7K
-42.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,537 €1,367
$1,917 ₱120.7K
-19.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Syros
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$943 €839
$346 ₱21.8K
172.67%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.44
7.2
-38.33%

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

Last update for Syros: October 12, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Syros
$502
Cebu
$309 38.5% $193
Groceries & Markets
Syros
$294
Cebu
$206 29.9% $88
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Syros
$250
Cebu
$162 35.3% $88
Eating Out
Syros
$224
Cebu
$88 60.5% $135
Clothing & Footwear
Syros
$128
Cebu
$94 26.7% $34
Sport & Entertainment
Syros
$72
Cebu
$44 39.5% $28
Getting Around
Syros
$66
Cebu
$16 76.6% $51

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $572 in Syros and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Syros pays 173% 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: $55.0 in Syros vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $206 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Syros
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
19:13 7:13 PM
00:13 12:13 AM
5 h ahead of Syros
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,138
964,169
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.79 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Syros Cebu 10,090 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Syros
  • 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
Syros vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Syros?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 67% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Syros or Cebu?
Average pay runs 173% higher in Syros, 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 Syros and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $572 in Syros 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 Syros and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $1,536 per month in Syros versus $918 in Cebu – a 67% 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 305% less than in Syros. 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 Syros or in Cebu?
At $918 in Cebu versus $1,536 in Syros, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Syros. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Syros or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Syros, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Syros or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Syros 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 67% less than in Syros. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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