For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $915 a month against $1,160 in Tukums, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most 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 Tukums and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,160 in Tukums versus $915 in Cebu.
Tukums $1,160
Cebu $915
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,643 in Tukums versus $1,418 in Cebu.
Tukums $1,643
Cebu $1,418
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,125 in Tukums versus $1,921 in Cebu.
Tukums $2,125
Cebu $1,921
🌍
Living in Tukums is roughly 27% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Tukums14% lower, Cebu33% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Tukums
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.43€4.83
$3.05₱192
78.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.70€20.19
$24.00₱1,511
-5.42%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.08€8.08
$3.99₱251
127.57%
Cappuccino
$3.74€3.33
$2.50₱157
49.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65€1.47
$1.54₱97.1
7.14%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.14€1.01
$0.50₱31.37
128.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.67€5.04
$1.78₱112
218.54%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.09€4.53
$2.17₱136
134.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tukums
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.04€0.92
$2.00₱126
-48.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.45€1.29
$1.37₱86.2
5.84%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.51€2.23
$1.03₱64.9
143.69%
Eggs
$1.96€1.75
$2.03₱128
-3.45%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.14€8.13
$10.20₱642
-10.39%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.52€5.80
$4.45₱280
46.52%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.77€12.25
$7.67₱483
79.53%
Apples(1kg)
$2.08€1.85
$3.31₱208
-37.16%
Banana(1kg)
$1.75€1.55
$1.46₱91.8
19.86%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.44€2.17
$2.32₱146
5.17%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.25€2.89
$1.49₱94.0
118.12%
Potato(1kg)
$0.58€0.52
$2.34₱147
-75.21%
Onion(1kg)
$0.87€0.78
$1.94₱122
-55.15%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.76€1.57
$1.16₱73.0
51.72%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58€0.51
$0.68₱42.89
-14.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.74€6.00
$2.99₱188
125.42%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.72€6.87
$6.24₱393
23.72%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.17€1.04
$1.23₱77.3
-4.88%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03€1.80
$1.73₱109
17.34%
🚌 Getting Around
Tukums
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.09€0.97
$0.23₱14.36
373.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$12.34₱777
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.42€3.04
$0.79₱49.96
332.91%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02€0.91
$0.22₱13.86
363.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.41€15.49
$4.54₱286
283.48%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.86€1.65
$1.32₱82.9
40.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K€23.8K
$21.0K₱1.3M
27.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.3K€27.8K
$19.4K₱1.2M
61.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tukums
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$283€252
$119₱7,464
138.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.72€14.87
$14.22₱896
17.58%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.04€17.83
$27.47₱1,730
-27.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tukums
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$35.42€31.50
$32.31₱2,034
9.63%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.50₱409
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.37€10.12
$5.40₱340
110.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tukums
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$692€615
$276₱17.4K
150.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$18.1K€16.1K
$7,866₱495.3K
130.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tukums
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.0€61.4
$49.37₱3,108
39.82%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.83€44.32
$24.58₱1,548
102.73%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$78.3€69.7
$76.6₱4,825
2.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$140€124
$58.9₱3,706
137.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tukums
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$224€200
$503₱31.7K
-55.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$219€195
$305₱19.2K
-28.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$329€292
$1,075₱67.7K
-69.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$336€299
$632₱39.8K
-46.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$2,870₱180.7K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,877₱118.2K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tukums
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$549€488
$336₱21.1K
63.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.77
7.2
-33.75%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Tukums: 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.
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tukums
$320 27.6%
Cebu
$160 17.5% ↓ 49.9%$160
🛒Groceries & Markets
Tukums
$234 20.2%
Cebu
$210 22.9% ↓ 10.3%$24
🏠Accommodation & Living
Tukums
$219 18.9%
Cebu
$305 33.3% ↑ 39.2%$86
🍽Eating Out
Tukums
$165 14.2%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 46.9%$78
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Tukums
$152 13.1%
Cebu
$94 10.3% ↓ 37.8%$57
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Tukums
$58 5%
Cebu
$43 4.7% ↓ 25.9%$15
🚌Getting Around
Tukums
$13 * 1.1%
Cebu
$15 1.7% ↑ 17.6%$2.3
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tukums
$337 15.8%
Cebu
$174 9.1% ↓ 48.2%$162
🛒Groceries & Markets
Tukums
$543 25.6%
Cebu
$491 25.6% ↓ 9.5%$52
🏠Accommodation & Living
Tukums
$336 15.8%
Cebu
$632 32.9% ↑ 88.3%$296
🍽Eating Out
Tukums
$429 20.2%
Cebu
$290 15.1% ↓ 32.4%$139
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Tukums
$337 15.8%
Cebu
$209 10.9% ↓ 37.8%$127
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Tukums
$116 * 5.5%
Cebu
$93 4.8% ↓ 20.3%$24
🚌Getting Around
Tukums
$28 * 1.3%
Cebu
$31 1.6% ↑ 10.1%$2.8
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 $224 in Tukums and $503 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Tukums pays 63% 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: $23.00 in Tukums vs $24.00 in Cebu. Groceries flip the comparison at $234 vs $210, with Cebu cheaper for home cooking.
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
Tukums vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Tukums?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Tukums or Cebu?
Average pay runs 63% higher in Tukums, 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 Tukums and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $224 in Tukums versus $503 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Tukums and in Cebu?
Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Tukums. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Tukums and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $1,160 per month in Tukums versus $915 in Cebu – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,000 enough for either Tukums or Cebu?
Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Cebu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Tukums or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tukums, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Tukums or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Tukums 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 27% less than in Tukums. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.