Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Utena and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $915 a month against $1,317 in Utena, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Utena
🇱🇹 Lithuania
$1,317
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$915
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,317 in Utena versus $915 in Cebu.

  • Utena $1,317
  • Cebu $915

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,028 in Utena versus $1,418 in Cebu.

  • Utena $2,028
  • Cebu $1,418

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,739 in Utena versus $1,921 in Cebu.

  • Utena $2,739
  • Cebu $1,921

Living in Utena is roughly 44% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Utena 3% lower, Cebu 33% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Utena
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.22 €10.87
$3.05 ₱192
300.66%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.7 €45.13
$24.00 ₱1,511
111.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.77 €6.02
$3.99 ₱251
69.67%
Cappuccino
$3.15 €2.80
$2.50 ₱157
26.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65 €2.36
$1.54 ₱97.1
72.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 €1.64
$0.50 ₱31.37
270.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.50 €4.89
$1.78 ₱112
208.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.04 €4.48
$2.17 ₱136
132.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Utena
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.22 €1.08
$2.00 ₱126
-39.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.51 €1.34
$1.37 ₱86.2
10.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.74 €1.55
$1.03 ₱64.9
68.93%
Eggs
$2.82 €2.51
$2.03 ₱128
38.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.08 €8.96
$10.20 ₱642
-1.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.60 €4.98
$4.45 ₱280
25.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.72 €8.65
$7.67 ₱483
26.73%
Apples (1kg)
$1.61 €1.43
$3.31 ₱208
-51.36%
Banana (1kg)
$1.39 €1.24
$1.46 ₱91.8
-4.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.70 €1.51
$2.32 ₱146
-26.72%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.95 €2.63
$1.49 ₱94.0
97.99%
Potato (1kg)
$0.74 €0.66
$2.34 ₱147
-68.38%
Onion (1kg)
$0.98 €0.87
$1.94 ₱122
-49.48%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.31
$1.16 ₱73.0
26.72%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 €0.70
$0.68 ₱42.89
14.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.74 €5.11
$2.99 ₱188
91.97%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.22 €7.32
$6.24 ₱393
31.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 €1.42
$1.23 ₱77.3
29.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.55
$1.73 ₱109
0.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Utena
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.13 €1.01
$0.23 ₱14.36
391.30%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$32.66 €29.05
$12.34 ₱777
164.67%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 €2.79
$0.79 ₱49.96
297.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.81 €0.72
$0.22 ₱13.86
268.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.14 €11.69
$4.54 ₱286
189.43%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.81 €1.61
$1.32 ₱82.9
37.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K €24.2K
$21.0K ₱1.3M
29.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$19.4K ₱1.2M
44.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Utena
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$208 €185
$119 ₱7,464
75.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.18 €11.73
$14.22 ₱896
-7.31%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.32 €10.07
$27.47 ₱1,730
-58.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Utena
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.99 €35.57
$32.31 ₱2,034
23.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.23 €19.78
$6.50 ₱409
242.00%
Cinema Ticket
$8.89 €7.91
$5.40 ₱340
64.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Utena
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$471 €419
$276 ₱17.4K
70.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,278 €8,253
$7,866 ₱495.3K
17.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Utena
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$136 €121
$49.37 ₱3,108
176.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$63.9 €56.9
$24.58 ₱1,548
160.13%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.3 €70.5
$76.6 ₱4,825
3.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$179 €160
$58.9 ₱3,706
204.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Utena
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$532 €474
$503 ₱31.7K
5.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$347 €308
$305 ₱19.2K
13.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$813 €723
$1,075 ₱67.7K
-24.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$630 €560
$632 ₱39.8K
-0.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,058 €2,720
$2,870 ₱180.7K
6.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,829 €1,627
$1,877 ₱118.2K
-2.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Utena
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,222 €1,087
$336 ₱21.1K
263.67%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.97
7.2
-44.86%

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

Last update for Utena: October 20, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Utena
$347
Cebu
$305 12.2% $42
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Utena
$232
Cebu
$160 31% $72
Groceries & Markets
Utena
$218
Cebu
$210 4% $8.6
Eating Out
Utena
$211
Cebu
$88 58.5% $124
Clothing & Footwear
Utena
$207
Cebu
$94 54.4% $112
Sport & Entertainment
Utena
$58
Cebu
$43 25.4% $15
Getting Around
Utena
$44
Cebu
$15 65.9% $29

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $532 in Utena and $503 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Utena pays 264% 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: $51.0 in Utena vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $210 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇱🇹 Utena
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
22:09 10:09 PM
03:09 3:09 AM
5 h ahead of Utena
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
28,997
964,169
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Utena Cebu 9,580 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Utena
  • 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
Utena vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Utena?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Utena or Cebu?
Average pay runs 264% higher in Utena, 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 Utena and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $532 in Utena versus $503 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Utena and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $1,317 per month in Utena versus $915 in Cebu – a 44% 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 165% less than in Utena. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Utena or in Cebu?
At $915 in Cebu versus $1,317 in Utena, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Utena. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Utena or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Utena, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Utena or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Utena 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 44% less than in Utena. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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