For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,024 in Usak, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. The total is higher in Usak despite lower rent and utilities.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Usak and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,024 in Usak versus $918 in Cebu.
Usak $1,024
Cebu $918
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,628 in Usak versus $1,409 in Cebu.
Usak $1,628
Cebu $1,409
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,233 in Usak versus $1,900 in Cebu.
Usak $2,233
Cebu $1,900
🌍
Living in Usak is roughly 12% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Usak24% lower, Cebu32% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Usak
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.08₺499
$3.09₱194
226.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.09₺2,133
$24.22₱1,525
77.91%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.31₺461
$3.92₱247
137.50%
Cappuccino
$4.13₺204
$2.51₱158
64.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92₺95.2
$1.59₱100
20.75%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37₺18.11
$0.53₱33.43
-30.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.07₺152
$1.78₱112
72.47%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.86₺241
$2.17₱137
123.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Usak
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.03₺50.8
$1.92₱121
-46.35%
White Bread(500g)
$1.01₺49.88
$1.36₱85.4
-25.74%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.93₺95.7
$1.01₱63.5
91.09%
Eggs
$2.57₺127
$2.03₱128
26.60%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.18₺455
$9.86₱621
-6.90%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.01₺248
$4.39₱277
14.12%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.00₺990
$7.60₱479
163.16%
Apples(1kg)
$1.69₺83.8
$3.30₱208
-48.79%
Banana(1kg)
$1.89₺93.7
$1.39₱87.8
35.97%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.96₺47.46
$2.33₱147
-58.80%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.41₺69.7
$1.50₱94.3
-6.00%
Potato(1kg)
$0.65₺32.12
$2.36₱149
-72.46%
Onion(1kg)
$0.61₺29.97
$1.90₱119
-67.89%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.91₺45.16
$1.19₱74.9
-23.53%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.71₺35.05
$0.63₱39.71
12.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.28₺113
$3.00₱189
-24.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.34₺512
$6.03₱379
71.48%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.20₺109
$1.23₱77.7
78.86%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97₺147
$1.75₱110
69.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Usak
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.73₺35.95
$0.25₱15.86
192.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$12.64₱796
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.04₺51.4
$0.77₱48.62
35.06%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.75₺36.94
$0.23₱14.53
226.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.96₺394
$4.46₱281
78.48%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.40₺69.5
$1.31₱82.8
6.87%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.5K₺2.1M
$21.2K₱1.3M
99.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.0K₺1.9M
$19.1K₱1.2M
103.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Usak
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$73.7₺3,647
$120₱7,569
-38.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.02₺595
$14.00₱882
-14.14%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.24₺755
$27.54₱1,734
-44.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Usak
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.8₺2,665
$32.33₱2,035
66.50%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.65₱419
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.04₺348
$5.65₱356
24.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Usak
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$686₺33.9K
$275₱17.3K
149.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$18.4K₺910.2K
$7,918₱498.5K
132.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Usak
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.38₺2,296
$49.33₱3,106
-5.98%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.80₺1,624
$25.24₱1,589
29.95%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$93.2₺4,614
$77.0₱4,846
21.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.2₺3,822
$57.2₱3,601
34.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Usak
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$429₺21.2K
$500₱31.5K
-14.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$308₺15.3K
$309₱19.4K
-0.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$762₺37.7K
$1,078₱67.9K
-29.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$575₺28.5K
$615₱38.7K
-6.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,435₺71.0K
$2,886₱181.7K
-50.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,021₺50.5K
$1,917₱120.7K
-46.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Usak
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$889₺44.0K
$346₱21.8K
156.97%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
40
7.2
455.56%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Usak: October 12, 2026
Last update for Cebu: October 12, 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
Usak
$308 30.1%
Cebu
$309 33.6% ↑ 0.2%$0.6
🛒Groceries & Markets
Usak
$235 22.9%
Cebu
$206 22.4% ↓ 12.2%$29
🍽Eating Out
Usak
$192 18.8%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 54.1%$104
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Usak
$112 11%
Cebu
$94 10.2% ↓ 16.4%$18
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Usak
$101 9.9%
Cebu
$162 17.6% ↑ 60.3%$61
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Usak
$68 6.6%
Cebu
$44 4.8% ↓ 35.8%$24
🚌Getting Around
Usak
$7.7 * 0.8%
Cebu
$16 1.7% ↑ 103%$7.9
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Usak
$575 25.8%
Cebu
$615 32.4% ↑ 7%$40
🛒Groceries & Markets
Usak
$542 24.3%
Cebu
$483 25.4% ↓ 11%$59
🍽Eating Out
Usak
$600 26.9%
Cebu
$292 15.4% ↓ 51.4%$308
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Usak
$250 11.2%
Cebu
$209 11% ↓ 16.4%$41
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Usak
$113 5.1%
Cebu
$176 9.3% ↑ 55.7%$63
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Usak
$136 * 6.1%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↓ 30.9%$42
🚌Getting Around
Usak
$17 * 0.8%
Cebu
$32 1.7% ↑ 88.3%$15
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 $429 in Usak and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Usak pays 157% 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: $43.00 in Usak vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $206 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
Usak vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Usak?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Usak or Cebu?
Average pay runs 157% higher in Usak, 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 Usak and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $429 in Usak versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Usak and in Cebu?
Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Usak. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Usak and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $1,024 per month in Usak versus $918 in Cebu – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Usak or in Cebu?
At $918 in Cebu versus $1,024 in Usak, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Usak. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Usak or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Usak, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Usak or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Usak 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 12% less than in Usak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.