For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,031 in Yanbu, rent and utilities included – about $1,400 less a year. The total is higher in Yanbu 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 Yanbu and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Yanbu versus $918 in Cebu.
Yanbu $1,031
Cebu $918
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,633 in Yanbu versus $1,409 in Cebu.
Yanbu $1,633
Cebu $1,409
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,236 in Yanbu versus $1,900 in Cebu.
Yanbu $2,236
Cebu $1,900
🌍
Living in Yanbu is roughly 12% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Yanbu24% lower, Cebu32% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Yanbu
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.26SAR 23.48
$3.09₱194
102.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.63SAR 141
$24.22₱1,525
55.37%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.63SAR 24.87
$3.92₱247
69.13%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.57SAR 5.87
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62SAR 6.10
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.89SAR 14.61
$2.51₱158
54.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.86SAR 3.24
$1.59₱100
-45.91%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.20SAR 0.76
$0.53₱33.43
-62.26%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.78₱112
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.17₱137
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Yanbu
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.74SAR 6.53
$1.92₱121
-9.37%
White Bread(500g)
$0.92SAR 3.47
$1.36₱85.4
-32.35%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.16SAR 8.12
$1.01₱63.5
113.86%
Eggs
$2.41SAR 9.04
$2.03₱128
18.72%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.51SAR 24.44
$9.86₱621
-33.98%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.27SAR 31.02
$4.39₱277
88.38%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.89SAR 48.36
$7.60₱479
69.61%
Apples(1kg)
$2.05SAR 7.68
$3.30₱208
-37.88%
Banana(1kg)
$1.74SAR 6.54
$1.39₱87.8
25.18%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.50SAR 5.62
$2.33₱147
-35.62%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.69SAR 6.33
$1.50₱94.3
12.67%
Potato(1kg)
$1.12SAR 4.21
$2.36₱149
-52.54%
Onion(1kg)
$1.05SAR 3.94
$1.90₱119
-44.74%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.09SAR 4.09
$1.19₱74.9
-8.40%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54SAR 2.03
$0.63₱39.71
-14.29%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$1.31SAR 4.92
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36SAR 5.10
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18SAR 8.20
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.53SAR 24.51
$3.00₱189
117.67%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$6.03₱379
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.23₱77.7
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.75₱110
-
🚌 Getting Around
Yanbu
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.05SAR 3.93
$0.25₱15.86
320.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$36.72SAR 138
$12.64₱796
190.51%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.13SAR 11.76
$0.77₱48.62
306.49%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.83SAR 3.12
$0.23₱14.53
260.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.99SAR 52.5
$4.46₱281
213.68%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.58SAR 2.18
$1.31₱82.8
-55.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$46.8KSAR 175.5K
$21.2K₱1.3M
120.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.6KSAR 80.9K
$19.1K₱1.2M
12.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yanbu
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$90.7SAR 340
$120₱7,569
-24.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.55SAR 84.6
$14.00₱882
61.07%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.7SAR 258
$27.54₱1,734
149.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Yanbu
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$98.7SAR 370
$32.33₱2,035
205.23%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.18SAR 98.2
$6.65₱419
293.68%
Cinema Ticket
$11.97SAR 44.91
$5.65₱356
111.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Yanbu
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$268SAR 1,007
$275₱17.3K
-2.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,785SAR 14.2K
$7,918₱498.5K
-52.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Yanbu
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$74.5SAR 279
$49.33₱3,106
50.96%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.8SAR 213
$25.24₱1,589
124.96%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.0SAR 368
$77.0₱4,846
27.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$93.7SAR 352
$57.2₱3,601
63.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Yanbu
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$308SAR 1,156
$500₱31.5K
-38.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$216SAR 810
$309₱19.4K
-30.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$602SAR 2,261
$1,078₱67.9K
-44.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$424SAR 1,592
$615₱38.7K
-31.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,369SAR 8,890
$2,886₱181.7K
-17.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,269SAR 4,763
$1,917₱120.7K
-33.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Yanbu
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,510SAR 13.2K
$346₱21.8K
914.53%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.39
7.2
-25.14%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Yanbu: 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
Yanbu
$216 21%
Cebu
$309 33.6% ↑ 43%$93
🛒Groceries & Markets
Yanbu
$196 19%
Cebu
$206 22.4% ↑ 5.1%$10
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yanbu
$182 17.7%
Cebu
$162 17.6% ↓ 11.1%$20
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Yanbu
$145 14.1%
Cebu
$94 10.2% ↓ 35.4%$51
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Yanbu
$123 11.9%
Cebu
$44 4.8% ↓ 64.4%$79
🍽Eating Out
Yanbu
$121 11.7%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 27%$33
🚌Getting Around
Yanbu
$48 4.7%
Cebu
$16 1.7% ↓ 67.7%$33
🏠Accommodation & Living
Yanbu
$424 19%
Cebu
$615 32.4% ↑ 45%$191
🛒Groceries & Markets
Yanbu
$480 21.5%
Cebu
$483 25.4% ↑ 0.5%$2.5
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yanbu
$205 9.2%
Cebu
$176 9.3% ↓ 14.1%$29
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Yanbu
$323 14.5%
Cebu
$209 11% ↓ 35.4%$114
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Yanbu
$271 12.1%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↓ 65.4%$178
🍽Eating Out
Yanbu
$434 19.4%
Cebu
$292 15.4% ↓ 32.7%$142
🚌Getting Around
Yanbu
$99 4.4%
Cebu
$32 1.7% ↓ 67.9%$67
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $308 in Yanbu and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Yanbu pays 915% 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: $38.00 in Yanbu vs $24.00 in Cebu. Groceries flip the comparison at $196 vs $206, with Yanbu 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
Yanbu vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Yanbu?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, leisure, and eating out. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Yanbu or Cebu?
Average pay runs 915% higher in Yanbu, 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 Yanbu and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $308 in Yanbu versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Yanbu and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Yanbu versus $918 in Cebu – a 12% 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 191% less than in Yanbu. 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 Yanbu or in Cebu?
At $918 in Cebu versus $1,031 in Yanbu, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Yanbu. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Yanbu or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Yanbu, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Yanbu or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Yanbu 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 Yanbu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.