Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vulcanesti and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Vulcanesti: $766 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Vulcanesti
🇲🇩 Moldova
$766
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $766 in Vulcanesti versus $918 in Cebu.

  • Vulcanesti $766
  • Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,130 in Vulcanesti versus $1,409 in Cebu.

  • Vulcanesti $1,130
  • Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,494 in Vulcanesti versus $1,900 in Cebu.

  • Vulcanesti $1,494
  • Cebu $1,900

Living in Vulcanesti costs roughly 17% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Vulcanesti 43% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Vulcanesti
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.61 MDL 117
$3.09 ₱194
113.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.79 MDL 529
$24.22 ₱1,525
23.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.38 MDL 184
$3.92 ₱247
164.80%
Cappuccino
$1.14 MDL 20.21
$2.51 ₱158
-54.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81 MDL 14.46
$1.59 ₱100
-49.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 MDL 6.61
$0.53 ₱33.43
-30.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.10 MDL 19.61
$1.78 ₱112
-38.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 MDL 25.27
$2.17 ₱137
-34.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Vulcanesti
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.93 MDL 16.59
$1.92 ₱121
-51.56%
White Bread (500g)
$0.46 MDL 8.19
$1.36 ₱85.4
-66.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.65 MDL 29.22
$1.01 ₱63.5
63.37%
Eggs
$2.24 MDL 39.72
$2.03 ₱128
10.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.68 MDL 119
$9.86 ₱621
-32.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.70 MDL 83.5
$4.39 ₱277
7.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.24 MDL 146
$7.60 ₱479
8.42%
Apples (1kg)
$1.24 MDL 22.09
$3.30 ₱208
-62.42%
Banana (1kg)
$1.71 MDL 30.34
$1.39 ₱87.8
23.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.75 MDL 31.01
$2.33 ₱147
-24.89%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.84 MDL 32.63
$1.50 ₱94.3
22.67%
Potato (1kg)
$0.64 MDL 11.42
$2.36 ₱149
-72.88%
Onion (1kg)
$0.33 MDL 5.79
$1.90 ₱119
-82.63%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.13 MDL 37.75
$1.19 ₱74.9
78.99%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.41 MDL 7.22
$0.63 ₱39.71
-34.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.39 MDL 60.2
$3.00 ₱189
13.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$2.42 MDL 42.91
$6.03 ₱379
-59.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 MDL 15.65
$1.23 ₱77.7
-28.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.25 MDL 22.20
$1.75 ₱110
-28.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Vulcanesti
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.33 MDL 5.83
$0.25 ₱15.86
32.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$12.64 ₱796
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.11 MDL 19.66
$0.77 ₱48.62
44.16%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.19 MDL 3.34
$0.23 ₱14.53
-17.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.29 MDL 58.4
$4.46 ₱281
-26.23%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.24 MDL 21.95
$1.31 ₱82.8
-5.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.2K MDL 412.2K
$21.2K ₱1.3M
9.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.7K MDL 366.8K
$19.1K ₱1.2M
7.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vulcanesti
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$104 MDL 1,855
$120 ₱7,569
-13.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.15 MDL 91.6
$14.00 ₱882
-63.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$5.53 MDL 98.3
$27.54 ₱1,734
-79.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Vulcanesti
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$16.80 MDL 298
$32.33 ₱2,035
-48.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.65 ₱419
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.70 MDL 137
$5.65 ₱356
36.28%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Vulcanesti
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$113 MDL 2,003
$275 ₱17.3K
-59.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,159 MDL 91.6K
$7,918 ₱498.5K
-34.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Vulcanesti
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$30.51 MDL 542
$49.33 ₱3,106
-38.15%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.59 MDL 455
$25.24 ₱1,589
1.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.3 MDL 1,461
$77.0 ₱4,846
6.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$138 MDL 2,443
$57.2 ₱3,601
140.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Vulcanesti
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$277 MDL 4,913
$500 ₱31.5K
-44.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$222 MDL 3,946
$309 ₱19.4K
-28.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,078 ₱67.9K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$285 MDL 5,053
$615 ₱38.7K
-53.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$868 MDL 15.4K
$2,886 ₱181.7K
-69.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$852 MDL 15.1K
$1,917 ₱120.7K
-55.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Vulcanesti
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$705 MDL 12.5K
$346 ₱21.8K
103.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.5
7.2
4.17%

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

Last update for Vulcanesti: October 12, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Vulcanesti
$222
Cebu
$309 39% $87
Groceries & Markets
Vulcanesti
$158
Cebu
$206 30.2% $48
Clothing & Footwear
Vulcanesti
$124
Cebu
$94 24.3% $30
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vulcanesti
$115
Cebu
$162 40.5% $47
Eating Out
Vulcanesti
$111
Cebu
$88 20.4% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Vulcanesti
$32
Cebu
$44 35.5% $11
Getting Around
Vulcanesti
$3.4 *
Cebu
$16 363% $12

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 $277 in Vulcanesti and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vulcanesti pays 104% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $30.00 in Vulcanesti vs $24.00 in Cebu. Groceries flip the comparison at $158 vs $206, with Vulcanesti cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇲🇩 Vulcanesti
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
08:47 8:47 AM
13:47 1:47 PM
5 h ahead of Vulcanesti
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
22,000
964,169
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to MDL – Moldovan Leu Converter

Moldovan Leu exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 17.76 MDL (100 MDL = 5.63 USD). 1 EUR = 19.97 MDL (100 MDL = 5.01 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 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
  • Vulcanesti Cebu 9,610 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Vulcanesti
  • 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
Vulcanesti vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Vulcanesti?
Vulcanesti is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and utilities. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Vulcanesti or Cebu?
Average pay runs 104% higher in Vulcanesti, 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 Vulcanesti and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $277 in Vulcanesti 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 Vulcanesti and in Cebu?
Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Vulcanesti and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $766 per month in Vulcanesti versus $918 in Cebu – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,200 enough for either Vulcanesti or Cebu?
Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Vulcanesti gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Vulcanesti or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Vulcanesti is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cebu, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Vulcanesti or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Vulcanesti 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 Vulcanesti gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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