Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Ayutthaya

For one person, living is cheaper in Ayutthaya: $760 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cebu outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Ayutthaya
🇹🇭 Thailand
$760
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Ayutthaya

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cebu and in Ayutthaya actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $918 per month in Cebu vs $760 in Ayutthaya, rent included.

  • Cebu $918
  • Ayutthaya $760

A couple spends around $1,409 per month in Cebu vs $1,387 in Ayutthaya, rent included.

  • Cebu $1,409
  • Ayutthaya $1,387

A family of three spends $1,900 per month in Cebu vs $2,014 in Ayutthaya, rent included.

  • Cebu $1,900
  • Ayutthaya $2,014

Cebu costs about 21% more than Ayutthaya, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Cebu and Ayutthaya are more affordable than the global median – Cebu 32% lower, Ayutthaya 44% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Ayutthaya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.09 ₱195
$1.75 ฿58.4
76.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.22 ₱1,525
$22.42 ฿749
8.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.92 ₱247
$6.40 ฿214
-38.75%
Cappuccino
$2.51 ₱158
$1.91 ฿63.8
31.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 ₱100
$0.69 ฿23.16
130.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 ₱33.45
$0.31 ฿10.36
70.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.78 ₱112
$2.13 ฿71.4
-16.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 ₱137
$2.90 ฿96.8
-25.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Ayutthaya
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.92 ₱121
$1.45 ฿48.58
32.41%
White Bread (500g)
$1.36 ₱85.5
$1.33 ฿44.35
2.26%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.01 ₱63.6
$1.22 ฿40.73
-17.21%
Eggs
$2.03 ₱128
$1.83 ฿61.2
10.93%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.86 ₱621
$12.06 ฿403
-18.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.39 ₱277
$2.49 ฿83.3
76.31%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.60 ₱479
$10.32 ฿345
-26.36%
Apples (1kg)
$3.30 ₱208
$2.43 ฿81.2
35.80%
Banana (1kg)
$1.39 ₱87.8
$1.02 ฿34.05
36.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.33 ₱147
$2.26 ฿75.5
3.10%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ₱94.3
$1.35 ฿45.13
11.11%
Potato (1kg)
$2.36 ₱149
$1.73 ฿57.8
36.42%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 ₱119
$1.05 ฿35.05
80.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 ₱74.9
$0.75 ฿25.15
58.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63 ₱39.73
$0.41 ฿13.79
53.66%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00 ₱189
$3.46 ฿116
-13.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.03 ₱380
$14.02 ฿469
-56.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 ₱77.7
$1.60 ฿53.4
-23.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 ₱110
$1.78 ฿59.6
-1.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Ayutthaya
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 ₱15.87
$0.93 ฿31.00
-73.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.64 ₱796
$11.94 ฿399
5.86%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.77 ₱48.64
$1.47 ฿49.20
-47.62%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.23 ₱14.54
$1.57 ฿52.6
-85.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.46 ₱281
$4.97 ฿166
-10.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 ₱82.8
$1.10 ฿36.73
19.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ₱1.3M
$16.3K ฿544.3K
30.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.1K ₱1.2M
$26.7K ฿891.3K
-28.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Ayutthaya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$120 ₱7,573
$83.7 ฿2,798
43.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.00 ₱882
$9.07 ฿303
54.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.54 ₱1,735
$14.08 ฿471
95.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Ayutthaya
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.33 ₱2,036
$66.3 ฿2,215
-51.21%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.65 ₱419
$14.01 ฿468
-52.53%
Cinema Ticket
$5.65 ₱356
$4.45 ฿149
26.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Ayutthaya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$275 ₱17.3K
$197 ฿6,575
39.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,918 ₱498.8K
$10.9K ฿365.2K
-27.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Ayutthaya
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.33 ₱3,107
$58.5 ฿1,956
-15.72%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24 ₱1,590
$42.47 ฿1,419
-40.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.0 ₱4,848
$71.0 ฿2,372
8.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.2 ₱3,603
$58.9 ฿1,967
-2.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Ayutthaya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$500 ₱31.5K
$443 ฿14.8K
12.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ₱19.5K
$164 ฿5,496
87.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,078 ₱67.9K
$1,367 ฿45.7K
-21.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$615 ₱38.8K
$723 ฿24.2K
-14.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,886 ₱181.8K
$1,908 ฿63.8K
51.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,917 ₱120.7K
$1,555 ฿52.0K
23.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Ayutthaya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$346 ₱21.8K
$951 ฿31.8K
-63.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.2
3
140.00%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Ayutthaya: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$309
Ayutthaya
$164 46.7% $144
Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$206
Ayutthaya
$209 1.3% $2.6
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$162
Ayutthaya
$107 33.9% $55
Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94
Ayutthaya
$104 10.6% $10
Eating Out
Cebu
$88
Ayutthaya
$77 13.3% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44
Ayutthaya
$75 72.3% $32
Getting Around
Cebu
$16
Ayutthaya
$25 60.4% $9.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $500 in Cebu versus $443 in Ayutthaya. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 175% higher in Ayutthaya, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Cebu versus $22.00 in Ayutthaya. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in Cebu vs $209 in Ayutthaya – so Cebu wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Cebu
🇹🇭 Ayutthaya
🕒 Local time
03:24 3:24 AM
02:24 2:24 AM
1 h behind Cebu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
964,169
50,830
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.99 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.82 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cebu Ayutthaya 2,570 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Cebu
  • Ayutthaya

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
Cebu vs Ayutthaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ayutthaya cheaper than Cebu?
Yes – Cebu is pricier by about 21%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,377 per month in Cebu and $1,141 in Ayutthaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ayutthaya, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $275 per month in Cebu and $197 in Ayutthaya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Cebu and in Ayutthaya?
Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Cebu – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is $1,000 enough for either Cebu or Ayutthaya?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $918 in Cebu and $760 in Ayutthaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Cebu or Ayutthaya more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Ayutthaya – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Cebu or Ayutthaya?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Ayutthaya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cebu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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