For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $915 a month against $2,122 in Taby, rent and utilities included – about $14,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Taby and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,122 in Taby versus $915 in Cebu.
Taby $2,122
Cebu $915
Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,043 in Taby versus $1,418 in Cebu.
Taby $3,043
Cebu $1,418
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,964 in Taby versus $1,921 in Cebu.
Taby $3,964
Cebu $1,921
🌍
Living in Taby is roughly 132% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Taby is 57% above, Cebu is 33% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Taby
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.66SEK 135
$3.05₱192
347.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.8SEK 652
$24.00₱1,511
174.33%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.09SEK 100.0
$3.99₱251
152.88%
Cappuccino
$4.28SEK 42.41
$2.50₱157
71.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.58SEK 35.48
$1.54₱97.1
132.47%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34SEK 23.19
$0.50₱31.37
368.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.95SEK 68.9
$1.78₱112
290.45%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$8.79SEK 87.1
$2.17₱136
305.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Taby
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.70SEK 16.83
$2.00₱126
-15.00%
White Bread(500g)
$3.02SEK 29.90
$1.37₱86.2
120.44%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.91SEK 38.75
$1.03₱64.9
279.61%
Eggs
$5.20SEK 51.5
$2.03₱128
156.16%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.81SEK 127
$10.20₱642
25.59%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.82SEK 127
$4.45₱280
188.09%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.59SEK 174
$7.67₱483
129.34%
Apples(1kg)
$3.13SEK 31.05
$3.31₱208
-5.44%
Banana(1kg)
$2.62SEK 25.97
$1.46₱91.8
79.45%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.97SEK 19.52
$2.32₱146
-15.09%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.50SEK 44.60
$1.49₱94.0
202.01%
Potato(1kg)
$1.70SEK 16.88
$2.34₱147
-27.35%
Onion(1kg)
$1.80SEK 17.80
$1.94₱122
-7.22%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.33SEK 23.13
$1.16₱73.0
100.86%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.90SEK 18.87
$0.68₱42.89
179.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.00SEK 69.4
$2.99₱188
134.11%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.21SEK 121
$6.24₱393
95.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.90SEK 18.84
$1.23₱77.3
54.47%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21SEK 21.90
$1.73₱109
27.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Taby
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.17SEK 41.32
$0.23₱14.36
1713.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$101SEK 1,002
$12.34₱777
719.53%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.87SEK 58.1
$0.79₱49.96
643.04%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.55SEK 15.38
$0.22₱13.86
604.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$57.4SEK 569
$4.54₱286
1164.32%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.84SEK 18.22
$1.32₱82.9
39.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.3KSEK 330.3K
$21.0K₱1.3M
58.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.7KSEK 324.2K
$19.4K₱1.2M
68.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Taby
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$177SEK 1,758
$119₱7,464
49.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.61SEK 274
$14.22₱896
94.16%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.66SEK 403
$27.47₱1,730
48.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Taby
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$32.31₱2,034
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.50₱409
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.11SEK 170
$5.40₱340
216.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Taby
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$156SEK 1,543
$276₱17.4K
-43.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.3KSEK 161.4K
$7,866₱495.3K
107.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Taby
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$98.0SEK 971
$49.37₱3,108
98.50%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.0SEK 526
$24.58₱1,548
115.79%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$94.4SEK 935
$76.6₱4,825
23.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$183SEK 1,813
$58.9₱3,706
210.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Taby
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,023SEK 10.1K
$503₱31.7K
103.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$870SEK 8,625
$305₱19.2K
185.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,411SEK 14.0K
$1,075₱67.7K
31.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,189SEK 11.8K
$632₱39.8K
88.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,994SEK 59.4K
$2,870₱180.7K
108.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,951SEK 68.9K
$1,877₱118.2K
270.27%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Taby
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,306SEK 32.8K
$336₱21.1K
884.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
2.8
7.2
-61.11%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Taby: October 19, 2026
Last update for Cebu: October 19, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Taby
$870 41%
Cebu
$305 33.3% ↓ 65%$566
🛒Groceries & Markets
Taby
$380 17.9%
Cebu
$210 22.9% ↓ 44.8%$170
🍽Eating Out
Taby
$267 12.6%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 67.1%$179
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Taby
$246 11.6%
Cebu
$160 17.5% ↓ 34.8%$86
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Taby
$193 9.1%
Cebu
$94 10.3% ↓ 51.1%$99
🚌Getting Around
Taby
$131 6.2%
Cebu
$15 1.7% ↓ 88.5%$116
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Taby
$34 * 1.6%
Cebu
$43 4.7% ↑ 26%$8.9
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Taby
$1.2K 30%
Cebu
$632 32.9% ↓ 46.9%$557
🛒Groceries & Markets
Taby
$879 22.2%
Cebu
$491 25.6% ↓ 44.1%$388
🍽Eating Out
Taby
$855 21.6%
Cebu
$290 15.1% ↓ 66.1%$565
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Taby
$273 6.9%
Cebu
$174 9.1% ↓ 36.2%$99
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Taby
$428 10.8%
Cebu
$209 10.9% ↓ 51.1%$219
🚌Getting Around
Taby
$271 6.8%
Cebu
$31 1.6% ↓ 88.7%$240
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Taby
$68 * 1.7%
Cebu
$93 4.8% ↑ 35.5%$24
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,023 in Taby and $503 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Taby pays 884% 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: $66.0 in Taby vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $380 vs $210 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.
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
Taby vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Taby?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 132% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Taby or Cebu?
Average pay runs 884% higher in Taby, 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 Taby and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,023 in Taby versus $503 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Taby and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $2,122 per month in Taby versus $915 in Cebu – a 132% 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 720% less than in Taby. 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 Taby or in Cebu?
At $915 in Cebu versus $2,122 in Taby, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Taby. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Taby or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Taby, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Taby or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Taby 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 132% less than in Taby. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.