Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tamale and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Tamale: $144 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $9,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index

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Tamale

🇬🇭 Ghana

$144

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $144 in Tamale versus $934 in Cebu.

Tamale $144
Cebu $934

Estimated couple costs with rent: $217 in Tamale versus $1,415 in Cebu.

Tamale $217
Cebu $1,415

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $289 in Tamale versus $1,896 in Cebu.

Tamale $289
Cebu $1,896

Living in Tamale costs roughly 85% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tamale 89% lower, Cebu 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.35 GHS 39.39

$3.03 ₱190

10.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,473

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.23 GHS 120

$4.09 ₱256

150.12%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

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

$0.88 GHS 10.34

$1.54 ₱96.9

-42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 GHS 4.83

$0.49 ₱30.98

-16.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.89 GHS 10.42

$1.79 ₱112

-50.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 GHS 15.53

$2.26 ₱142

-41.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.04 GHS 35.77

$1.95 ₱122

55.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 GHS 20.17

$1.43 ₱89.7

20.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.85 GHS 45.29

$1.02 ₱63.8

277.45%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱615

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱289

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱483

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱207

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱90.9

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.4

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.15

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱398

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 GHS 14.71

$1.31 ₱81.9

-4.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱108

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 GHS 9.69

$0.25 ₱15.78

228.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱793

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.32

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.11

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱271

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.5

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

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

$121 ₱7,563

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

$14.45 ₱907

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,774

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,050

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱401

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱342

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

$273 ₱17.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,668 GHS 101.9K

$8,156 ₱511.5K

6.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,109

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,560

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,804

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,717

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱182.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

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

Last update for Tamale: October 4, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tamale

–

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Groceries & Markets

Tamale

–

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tamale

–

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Clothing & Footwear

Tamale

–

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Eating Out

Tamale

–

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Tamale

–

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Getting Around

Tamale

–

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Good to know

🇬🇭 Tamale

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

09:04 9:04 AM

17:04 5:04 PM

8 h ahead of Tamale

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

950,124

964,169

💱 Currency

Ghanaian Cedi GHS ₵

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 GHS = 8.51 USD

100 GHS = 7.59 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to GHS – Ghanaian Cedi Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇭 Ghanaian Cedi (₵)

Ghanaian Cedi exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 11.75 GHS (100 GHS = 8.51 USD). 1 EUR = 13.18 GHS (100 GHS = 7.59 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.35 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

USD to GHS in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Tamale Cebu 13,520 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Tamale
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

Tamale vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tamale is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and transport. The 547% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $217 in Tamale and $1,401 in Cebu to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 204% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $144 per month in Tamale versus $934 in Cebu – a 547% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Tamale gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Tamale 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, Tamale 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 Tamale gentler on the wallet – expenses run 547% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.