Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tumba and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $1,896 in Tumba, rent and utilities included – about $11,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Tumba, Sweden
Cebu, Philippines
Tumba
🇸🇪 Sweden
$1,896
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$934
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,896 in Tumba versus $934 in Cebu.

  • Tumba $1,896
  • Cebu $934

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,899 in Tumba versus $1,423 in Cebu.

  • Tumba $2,899
  • Cebu $1,423

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,901 in Tumba versus $1,913 in Cebu.

  • Tumba $3,901
  • Cebu $1,913

Living in Tumba is roughly 103% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tumba is 39% above, Cebu is 31% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tumba
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.20 SEK 141
$3.79 ₱242
274.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.9 SEK 645
$23.33 ₱1,491
178.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.95 SEK 98.8
$3.94 ₱252
152.54%
Cappuccino
$4.29 SEK 42.62
$2.54 ₱163
68.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65 SEK 26.32
$1.57 ₱100
68.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21 SEK 21.98
$0.47 ₱29.82
370.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.17 SEK 71.2
$1.77 ₱113
305.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.91 SEK 68.6
$2.22 ₱142
211.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tumba
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.79 SEK 17.74
$1.90 ₱121
-5.79%
White Bread (500g)
$3.05 SEK 30.32
$1.36 ₱87.1
124.26%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.75 SEK 37.26
$0.94 ₱59.8
298.94%
Eggs
$5.03 SEK 49.99
$1.99 ₱127
152.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.00 SEK 129
$9.70 ₱620
34.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.25 SEK 132
$4.32 ₱276
206.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.49 SEK 174
$7.51 ₱480
132.89%
Apples (1kg)
$3.25 SEK 32.26
$3.31 ₱211
-1.81%
Banana (1kg)
$2.68 SEK 26.65
$1.37 ₱87.5
95.62%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.06 SEK 20.45
$2.34 ₱149
-11.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.50 SEK 44.71
$1.49 ₱95.4
202.01%
Potato (1kg)
$1.45 SEK 14.40
$2.30 ₱147
-36.96%
Onion (1kg)
$1.80 SEK 17.92
$1.87 ₱120
-3.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.30 SEK 22.87
$1.10 ₱70.3
109.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.88 SEK 18.70
$0.63 ₱40.36
198.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.15 SEK 71.0
$2.86 ₱183
150.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.04 SEK 99.7
$6.08 ₱389
65.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.01 SEK 19.99
$1.27 ₱81.4
58.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 SEK 22.37
$1.72 ₱110
30.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Tumba
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.26 SEK 42.31
$0.22 ₱13.99
1836.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$103 SEK 1,022
$12.34 ₱788
733.79%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.79 SEK 57.5
$0.74 ₱47.53
682.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.48 SEK 14.67
$0.22 ₱14.08
572.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$57.1 SEK 567
$4.28 ₱273
1235.05%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.81 SEK 17.99
$1.31 ₱83.7
38.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.4K SEK 332.0K
$20.8K ₱1.3M
61.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.0K SEK 337.3K
$19.0K ₱1.2M
78.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tumba
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$176 SEK 1,746
$118 ₱7,565
48.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.42 SEK 213
$15.76 ₱1,007
35.91%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.20 SEK 479
$28.33 ₱1,810
70.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tumba
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.34 SEK 401
$32.94 ₱2,105
22.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.36 SEK 262
$6.49 ₱415
306.16%
Cinema Ticket
$16.89 SEK 168
$5.45 ₱348
209.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tumba
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$158 SEK 1,569
$276 ₱17.6K
-42.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,131 SEK 51.0K
$7,789 ₱497.7K
-34.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tumba
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$113 SEK 1,123
$48.18 ₱3,078
134.68%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.6 SEK 532
$24.47 ₱1,564
118.84%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.8 SEK 941
$75.3 ₱4,810
25.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$186 SEK 1,843
$58.0 ₱3,707
219.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tumba
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$792 SEK 7,866
$477 ₱30.5K
65.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$599 SEK 5,953
$322 ₱20.6K
86.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,375 SEK 13.7K
$963 ₱61.5K
42.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,011 SEK 10.0K
$626 ₱40.0K
61.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,992 SEK 39.6K
$4,551 ₱290.8K
-12.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,784 SEK 27.6K
$3,028 ₱193.5K
-8.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tumba
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$333 ₱21.3K
-
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 Tumba: October 26, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tumba
$599
Cebu
$322 46.3% $278
Groceries & Markets
Tumba
$379
Cebu
$204 46.2% $175
Eating Out
Tumba
$264
Cebu
$94 64.4% $170
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tumba
$245
Cebu
$163 33.8% $83
Clothing & Footwear
Tumba
$201
Cebu
$93 53.9% $108
Getting Around
Tumba
$133
Cebu
$15 88.7% $118
Sport & Entertainment
Tumba
$74
Cebu
$44 40.8% $30

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $792 in Tumba and $477 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65 in Tumba vs $23 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $379 vs $204 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇸🇪 Tumba
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
15:36 3:36 PM
22:36 10:36 PM
7 h ahead of Tumba
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
42,344
964,169
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to SEK – Swedish Krona Converter

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 9.93 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.05 SEK (100 SEK = 9.05 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 63.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.11 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tumba Cebu 9,920 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Tumba
  • 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
Tumba vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Tumba?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. The 103% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $2,844 in Tumba 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.
What is the rent difference between Tumba and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $792 in Tumba versus $477 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Tumba and in Cebu?
All in, you’ll spend $1,896 per month in Tumba versus $934 in Cebu – a 103% 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 88% less than in Tumba. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.
Is it better to live in Tumba 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, Tumba or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Tumba 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 51% less than in Tumba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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