For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $918 a month against $1,687 in Zadar, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Zadar and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,687 in Zadar versus $918 in Cebu.
Zadar $1,687
Cebu $918
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,572 in Zadar versus $1,409 in Cebu.
Zadar $2,572
Cebu $1,409
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,457 in Zadar versus $1,900 in Cebu.
Zadar $3,457
Cebu $1,900
🌍
Living in Zadar is roughly 84% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Zadar is 25% above, Cebu is 32% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Zadar
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.55€12.94
$3.09₱195
370.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.3€69.7
$24.22₱1,525
223.41%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.67€6.83
$3.92₱247
95.66%
Cappuccino
$2.40€2.13
$2.51₱158
-4.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.96€2.63
$1.59₱100
86.16%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19€1.95
$0.53₱33.45
313.21%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.29€2.92
$1.78₱112
84.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.54€4.04
$2.17₱137
109.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zadar
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.17€1.04
$1.92₱121
-39.06%
White Bread(500g)
$1.63€1.45
$1.36₱85.5
19.85%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.14€2.79
$1.01₱63.6
210.89%
Eggs
$3.77€3.35
$2.03₱128
85.71%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.80€9.60
$9.86₱621
9.53%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.47€8.43
$4.39₱277
115.72%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.03€10.70
$7.60₱479
58.29%
Apples(1kg)
$1.98€1.76
$3.30₱208
-40.00%
Banana(1kg)
$1.52€1.35
$1.39₱87.8
9.35%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.16€1.92
$2.33₱147
-7.30%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.60€2.31
$1.50₱94.3
73.33%
Potato(1kg)
$2.21€1.97
$2.36₱149
-6.36%
Onion(1kg)
$1.32€1.18
$1.90₱119
-30.53%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.32€1.17
$1.19₱74.9
10.92%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25€1.12
$0.63₱39.73
98.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.59€4.98
$3.00₱189
86.33%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.83€6.97
$6.03₱380
29.85%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.35€1.20
$1.23₱77.7
9.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41€1.25
$1.75₱110
-19.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Zadar
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.75€1.56
$0.25₱15.87
600.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$43.69€38.86
$12.64₱796
245.65%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.42€3.04
$0.77₱48.64
344.16%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.22€1.97
$0.23₱14.54
865.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$22.05€19.61
$4.46₱281
394.39%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.78€1.58
$1.31₱82.8
35.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3K€23.4K
$21.2K₱1.3M
23.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.1K€22.3K
$19.1K₱1.2M
31.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zadar
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$182€162
$120₱7,573
51.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.01€19.57
$14.00₱882
57.21%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.17€35.73
$27.54₱1,735
45.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zadar
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$56.1€49.91
$32.33₱2,036
73.58%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.02€15.14
$6.65₱419
155.94%
Cinema Ticket
$10.58€9.41
$5.65₱356
87.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zadar
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$240€214
$275₱17.3K
-12.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,907€6,143
$7,918₱498.8K
-12.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zadar
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.4€78.6
$49.33₱3,107
79.18%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.68€31.73
$25.24₱1,590
41.36%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$104€92.6
$77.0₱4,848
35.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.5€68.9
$57.2₱3,603
35.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zadar
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$904€804
$500₱31.5K
80.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$681€606
$309₱19.5K
120.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,460€1,298
$1,078₱67.9K
35.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,135€1,009
$615₱38.8K
84.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,481€3,985
$2,886₱181.8K
55.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,044€3,596
$1,917₱120.7K
110.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zadar
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,360€1,210
$346₱21.8K
293.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.54
7.2
-50.83%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Zadar: October 11, 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
Zadar
$681 40.4%
Cebu
$309 33.6% ↓ 54.7%$373
🛒Groceries & Markets
Zadar
$267 15.8%
Cebu
$206 22.4% ↓ 22.9%$61
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zadar
$244 14.5%
Cebu
$162 17.6% ↓ 33.8%$83
🍽Eating Out
Zadar
$214 12.7%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↓ 58.8%$126
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Zadar
$138 8.2%
Cebu
$94 10.2% ↓ 31.7%$44
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Zadar
$77 4.6%
Cebu
$44 4.8% ↓ 43.5%$34
🚌Getting Around
Zadar
$65 3.9%
Cebu
$16 1.7% ↓ 76.1%$50
🏠Accommodation & Living
Zadar
$1.1K 32.8%
Cebu
$615 32.4% ↓ 45.8%$520
🛒Groceries & Markets
Zadar
$619 17.9%
Cebu
$483 25.4% ↓ 22.1%$137
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zadar
$266 7.7%
Cebu
$176 9.3% ↓ 34%$91
🍽Eating Out
Zadar
$825 23.9%
Cebu
$292 15.4% ↓ 64.6%$533
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Zadar
$306 8.9%
Cebu
$209 11% ↓ 31.7%$97
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Zadar
$172 5%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↓ 45.3%$78
🚌Getting Around
Zadar
$134 3.9%
Cebu
$32 1.7% ↓ 76.4%$102
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $904 in Zadar and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Zadar pays 293% 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: $78.0 in Zadar vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 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
Zadar vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Zadar?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 84% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Zadar or Cebu?
Average pay runs 293% higher in Zadar, 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 Zadar and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $904 in Zadar 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 Zadar and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $1,687 per month in Zadar versus $918 in Cebu – a 84% 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 246% less than in Zadar. 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 Zadar or in Cebu?
At $918 in Cebu versus $1,687 in Zadar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Zadar. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Zadar or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Zadar, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Zadar or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Zadar 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 84% less than in Zadar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.