Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Szeged and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,227 in Szeged, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Szeged
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,227
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,227 in Szeged versus $918 in Cebu.

  • Szeged $1,227
  • Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,912 in Szeged versus $1,409 in Cebu.

  • Szeged $1,912
  • Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,596 in Szeged versus $1,900 in Cebu.

  • Szeged $2,596
  • Cebu $1,900

Living in Szeged is roughly 34% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Szeged 9% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Szeged
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.98 Ft 2,902
$3.09 ₱194
190.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.4 Ft 18.5K
$24.22 ₱1,525
136.99%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.34 Ft 3,018
$3.92 ₱247
138.27%
Cappuccino
$2.41 Ft 777
$2.51 ₱158
-3.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.56 Ft 504
$1.59 ₱100
-1.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33 Ft 429
$0.53 ₱33.43
150.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.33 Ft 754
$1.78 ₱112
30.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22 Ft 717
$2.17 ₱137
2.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Szeged
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.22 Ft 393
$1.92 ₱121
-36.46%
White Bread (500g)
$1.37 Ft 441
$1.36 ₱85.4
0.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.42 Ft 781
$1.01 ₱63.5
139.60%
Eggs
$3.56 Ft 1,150
$2.03 ₱128
75.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.46 Ft 3,378
$9.86 ₱621
6.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.41 Ft 2,070
$4.39 ₱277
46.01%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.40 Ft 5,298
$7.60 ₱479
115.79%
Apples (1kg)
$2.28 Ft 737
$3.30 ₱208
-30.91%
Banana (1kg)
$2.21 Ft 716
$1.39 ₱87.8
58.99%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.05 Ft 662
$2.33 ₱147
-12.02%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.35 Ft 1,082
$1.50 ₱94.3
123.33%
Potato (1kg)
$0.98 Ft 317
$2.36 ₱149
-58.47%
Onion (1kg)
$1.04 Ft 336
$1.90 ₱119
-45.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.66 Ft 537
$1.19 ₱74.9
39.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 Ft 167
$0.63 ₱39.71
-17.46%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.04 Ft 2,599
$3.00 ₱189
168.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.45 Ft 1,760
$6.03 ₱379
-9.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 Ft 407
$1.23 ₱77.7
2.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 Ft 643
$1.75 ₱110
13.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Szeged
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.63 Ft 527
$0.25 ₱15.86
552.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.42 Ft 9,505
$12.64 ₱796
132.75%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 Ft 975
$0.77 ₱48.62
292.21%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.65 Ft 533
$0.23 ₱14.53
617.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.15 Ft 5,864
$4.46 ₱281
306.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.90 Ft 615
$1.31 ₱82.8
45.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.5K Ft 9.5M
$21.2K ₱1.3M
38.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.9K Ft 12.2M
$19.1K ₱1.2M
97.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Szeged
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$127 Ft 40.9K
$120 ₱7,569
5.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.61 Ft 6,981
$14.00 ₱882
54.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.17 Ft 6,515
$27.54 ₱1,734
-26.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Szeged
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.93 Ft 15.2K
$32.33 ₱2,035
45.16%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.12 Ft 9,409
$6.65 ₱419
337.89%
Cinema Ticket
$8.59 Ft 2,775
$5.65 ₱356
52.04%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Szeged
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$248 Ft 80.2K
$275 ₱17.3K
-9.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,658 Ft 2.2M
$7,918 ₱498.5K
-15.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Szeged
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$114 Ft 36.9K
$49.33 ₱3,106
131.28%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.26 Ft 10.4K
$25.24 ₱1,589
27.81%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.2 Ft 30.4K
$77.0 ₱4,846
22.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$114 Ft 36.7K
$57.2 ₱3,601
98.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Szeged
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$523 Ft 168.9K
$500 ₱31.5K
4.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$380 Ft 122.9K
$309 ₱19.4K
23.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$761 Ft 245.8K
$1,078 ₱67.9K
-29.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$603 Ft 194.7K
$615 ₱38.7K
-2.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,103 Ft 1.0M
$2,886 ₱181.7K
7.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,320 Ft 749.4K
$1,917 ₱120.7K
21.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Szeged
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,234 Ft 398.7K
$346 ₱21.8K
256.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.67
7.2
-7.36%

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

Last update for Szeged: October 10, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Szeged
$380
Cebu
$309 18.8% $71
Groceries & Markets
Szeged
$251
Cebu
$206 18% $45
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Szeged
$169
Cebu
$162 4% $6.8
Clothing & Footwear
Szeged
$159
Cebu
$94 41.1% $65
Eating Out
Szeged
$156
Cebu
$88 43.6% $68
Sport & Entertainment
Szeged
$64
Cebu
$44 32% $20
Getting Around
Szeged
$47
Cebu
$16 67% $32

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $523 in Szeged and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Szeged pays 257% 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 Szeged vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $206 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇭🇺 Szeged
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
19:37 7:37 PM
01:37 1:37 AM
6 h ahead of Szeged
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
157,930
964,169
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Szeged Cebu 10,220 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Szeged
  • 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
Szeged vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Szeged?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Szeged or Cebu?
Average pay runs 257% higher in Szeged, 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 Szeged and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $523 in Szeged 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 Szeged and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $1,227 per month in Szeged versus $918 in Cebu – a 34% 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 133% less than in Szeged. 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 Szeged or in Cebu?
At $918 in Cebu versus $1,227 in Szeged, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Szeged. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Szeged or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Szeged, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Szeged or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Szeged 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 34% less than in Szeged. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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