Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Taraz and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Taraz: $625 a month against $943 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Taraz, Kazakhstan
Cebu, Philippines
Taraz
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$625
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$943
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $625 in Taraz versus $943 in Cebu.

  • Taraz $625
  • Cebu $943

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,000 in Taraz versus $1,437 in Cebu.

  • Taraz $1,000
  • Cebu $1,437

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,374 in Taraz versus $1,930 in Cebu.

  • Taraz $1,374
  • Cebu $1,930

Living in Taraz costs roughly 34% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taraz 54% lower, Cebu 30% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Taraz
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.87 ₸3,997
$3.88 ₱244
128.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.34 ₸10.1K
$23.22 ₱1,462
-3.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.51 ₸2,934
$3.90 ₱246
66.92%
Cappuccino
$1.58 ₸711
$2.56 ₱161
-38.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84 ₸380
$1.60 ₱101
-47.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43 ₸193
$0.51 ₱32.02
-15.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.13 ₸507
$1.76 ₱111
-35.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 ₸812
$2.15 ₱136
-16.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Taraz
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.14 ₸512
$1.99 ₱125
-42.71%
White Bread (500g)
$0.44 ₸196
$1.37 ₱86.3
-67.88%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.34 ₸604
$0.95 ₱59.8
41.05%
Eggs
$1.65 ₸743
$2.02 ₱127
-18.32%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.03 ₸4,519
$9.63 ₱606
4.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.29 ₸2,383
$4.35 ₱274
21.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.62 ₸3,881
$7.70 ₱485
11.95%
Apples (1kg)
$1.21 ₸546
$3.30 ₱207
-63.33%
Banana (1kg)
$2.12 ₸954
$1.27 ₱79.7
66.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 ₸1,148
$2.34 ₱147
8.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.35 ₸610
$1.51 ₱95.3
-10.60%
Potato (1kg)
$0.51 ₸228
$2.23 ₱141
-77.13%
Onion (1kg)
$0.41 ₸184
$1.93 ₱122
-78.76%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.91 ₸408
$1.18 ₱74.4
-22.88%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81 ₸365
$0.65 ₱40.92
24.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.48 ₸1,118
$2.89 ₱182
-14.19%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.37 ₸1,968
$6.35 ₱400
-31.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.03 ₸464
$1.27 ₱80.0
-18.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57 ₸706
$1.64 ₱103
-4.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Taraz
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.20 ₸89.0
$0.23 ₱14.42
-13.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$12.24 ₱770
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.84 ₸380
$0.82 ₱51.5
2.44%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.37 ₸167
$0.20 ₱12.56
85.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.92 ₸1,764
$4.32 ₱272
-9.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.68 ₸308
$1.38 ₱86.7
-50.72%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.1K ₸12.7M
$21.2K ₱1.3M
32.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.4K ₸12.3M
$19.3K ₱1.2M
42.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Taraz
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$46.45 ₸20.9K
$124 ₱7,814
-62.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.77 ₸3,949
$15.93 ₱1,003
-44.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.66 ₸3,901
$28.07 ₱1,767
-69.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Taraz
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.64 ₸16.5K
$33.41 ₱2,103
9.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.40 ₱403
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.31 ₸1,943
$5.85 ₱368
-26.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Taraz
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$57.2 ₸25.7K
$271 ₱17.0K
-78.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$8,060 ₱507.3K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Taraz
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$26.06 ₸11.7K
$48.31 ₱3,041
-46.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.42 ₸15.1K
$24.56 ₱1,546
36.07%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 ₸48.8K
$77.1 ₱4,855
40.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$51.9 ₸23.4K
$56.5 ₱3,557
-8.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Taraz
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$261 ₸117.5K
$495 ₱31.2K
-47.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$111 ₸50.2K
$322 ₱20.2K
-65.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$449 ₸202.4K
$990 ₱62.3K
-54.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$201 ₸90.6K
$628 ₱39.5K
-67.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$843 ₸379.8K
$4,459 ₱280.6K
-81.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$600 ₸270.3K
$3,030 ₱190.7K
-80.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Taraz
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$271 ₸122.2K
$343 ₱21.6K
-20.87%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
17.83
7.2
147.64%

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

Last update for Taraz: October 31, 2026

Last update for Cebu: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Taraz
$179
Cebu
$206 15.2% $27
Eating Out
Taraz
$124
Cebu
$95 23.3% $29
Accommodation & Living
Taraz
$111
Cebu
$322 189% $210
Clothing & Footwear
Taraz
$99
Cebu
$93 6% $5.9
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Taraz
$64
Cebu
$168 163% $104
Sport & Entertainment
Taraz
$45
Cebu
$45 0.4% $0.2
Getting Around
Taraz
$3.5 *
Cebu
$15 329% $11

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 $261 in Taraz and $495 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 26% 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: $22 in Taraz vs $23 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $206 per month, with Taraz cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇰🇿 Taraz
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
23:41 11:41 PM
02:41 2:41 AM
3 h ahead of Taraz
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
431,160
964,169
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 450 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.98 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 62.95 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.73 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Taraz Cebu 6,220 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Taraz
  • 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
Taraz vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Taraz cheaper than Cebu?
Taraz is about 34% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, utilities, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Taraz or Cebu?
On paper, salaries run 21% lower in Taraz. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Taraz and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $261 in Taraz versus $495 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Taraz and in Cebu?
Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Taraz and in Cebu?
All in, you’ll spend $625 per month in Taraz versus $943 in Cebu – Taraz is about 34% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Is $800 a realistic budget for living in Taraz or in Cebu?
At $625 in Taraz versus $943 in Cebu, a $800 budget is realistic in Taraz but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Taraz the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Taraz or in Cebu?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is safer, Taraz or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Taraz and Cebu are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Taraz wins on affordability, Cebu on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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