Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Bellary

For one person, living is cheaper in Bellary: $357 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Bellary
🇮🇳 India
$357
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Bellary

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 Bellary actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Cebu versus $357 in Bellary.

  • Cebu $918
  • Bellary $357

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,409 in Cebu versus $585 in Bellary.

  • Cebu $1,409
  • Bellary $585

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Cebu versus $814 in Bellary.

  • Cebu $1,900
  • Bellary $814

Living in Cebu is roughly 157% more expensive than in Bellary, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 32% lower, Bellary 74% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cebu
Bellary
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.09 ₱194
$0.60 ₹57.5
415.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.22 ₱1,525
$17.46 ₹1,658
38.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.92 ₱247
$1.59 ₹151
146.54%
Cappuccino
$2.51 ₱158
$2.33 ₹221
7.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 ₱100
$0.22 ₹20.90
622.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 ₱33.43
$0.11 ₹10.03
381.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.78 ₱112
$1.76 ₹167
1.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 ₱137
$2.09 ₹198
3.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cebu
Bellary
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.92 ₱121
$0.56 ₹53.4
242.86%
White Bread (500g)
$1.36 ₱85.4
$0.48 ₹46.05
183.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.01 ₱63.5
$0.59 ₹56.0
71.19%
Eggs
$2.03 ₱128
$0.82 ₹78.3
147.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.86 ₱621
$6.00 ₹570
64.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.39 ₱277
$3.82 ₹363
14.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.60 ₱479
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.30 ₱208
$2.06 ₹196
60.19%
Banana (1kg)
$1.39 ₱87.8
$0.54 ₹51.4
157.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.33 ₱147
$1.18 ₹112
97.46%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ₱94.3
$0.41 ₹39.31
265.85%
Potato (1kg)
$2.36 ₱149
$0.35 ₹32.97
574.29%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 ₱119
$0.38 ₹36.20
400.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 ₱74.9
$0.40 ₹37.71
197.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63 ₱39.71
$0.30 ₹28.03
110.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00 ₱189
$3.08 ₹293
-2.60%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.03 ₱379
$9.22 ₹876
-34.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 ₱77.7
$1.23 ₹117
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 ₱110
$2.85 ₹270
-38.60%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$6.33 ₹601
-
🚌 Getting Around
Cebu
Bellary
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 ₱15.86
$0.29 ₹27.55
-13.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.64 ₱796
$7.77 ₹738
62.68%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.77 ₱48.62
$1.08 ₹102
-28.70%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.23 ₱14.53
$0.18 ₹16.91
27.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.46 ₱281
$2.14 ₹203
108.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 ₱82.8
$1.06 ₹101
23.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ₱1.3M
$12.5K ₹1.2M
69.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.1K ₱1.2M
$18.9K ₹1.8M
1.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
Bellary
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$120 ₱7,569
$30.27 ₹2,874
297.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.00 ₱882
$3.06 ₹291
357.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.54 ₱1,734
$9.59 ₹910
187.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
Bellary
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.33 ₱2,035
$13.79 ₹1,309
134.45%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.65 ₱419
$6.53 ₹620
1.84%
Cinema Ticket
$5.65 ₱356
$2.64 ₹251
114.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cebu
Bellary
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$275 ₱17.3K
$104 ₹9,847
165.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,918 ₱498.5K
$1,432 ₹136.0K
453.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
Bellary
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.33 ₱3,106
$7.51 ₹713
556.86%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24 ₱1,589
$29.99 ₹2,847
-15.84%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.0 ₱4,846
$26.44 ₹2,511
191.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.2 ₱3,601
$40.46 ₹3,842
41.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cebu
Bellary
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$500 ₱31.5K
$122 ₹11.6K
310.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ₱19.4K
$74.4 ₹7,067
314.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,078 ₱67.9K
$265 ₹25.2K
306.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$615 ₱38.7K
$170 ₹16.2K
261.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,886 ₱181.7K
$981 ₹93.2K
194.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,917 ₱120.7K
$507 ₹48.2K
277.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cebu
Bellary
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$346 ₱21.8K
$470 ₹44.6K
-26.42%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.2
8.5
-15.29%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Bellary: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cebu
$309
Bellary
$74 75.9% $234
Groceries & Markets
Cebu
$206
Bellary
$111 46.2% $95
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cebu
$162
Bellary
$43 73.5% $119
Clothing & Footwear
Cebu
$94
Bellary
$47 50% $47
Eating Out
Cebu
$88
Bellary
$52 41.3% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Cebu
$44
Bellary
$19 56.3% $25
Getting Around
Cebu
$16
Bellary
$11 30.1% $4.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cebu and $122 in Bellary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bellary pays 36% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $17.00 in Bellary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $111 per month, with Bellary cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Cebu
🇮🇳 Bellary
🕒 Local time
15:46 3:46 PM
13:16 1:16 PM
2 h 30 min behind Cebu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
964,169
475,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 94.96 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 INR (1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cebu Bellary 5,120 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cebu
  • Bellary

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 Bellary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Cebu or Bellary?
Bellary wins on cost – living expenses run 157% lower than in Cebu. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bellary the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Cebu or in Bellary?
On paper, salaries run 36% lower in Bellary. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Cebu compared to Bellary?
Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Cebu versus $122 in Bellary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Cebu and in Bellary?
Childcare runs $275 in Cebu versus $104 in Bellary. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Cebu or in Bellary?
Supermarket bills run roughly 86% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $800/month in Cebu or in Bellary?
Either city works on $800 a month, though Bellary gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Cebu or Bellary?
Both work as nomad bases, but Bellary delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $357 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bellary hard to pass up.
How safe is Cebu compared to Bellary?
Safety-wise, Cebu and Bellary 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Bellary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 157% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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