Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Can Tho

For one person, living is cheaper in Can Tho: $720 a month against $915 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Can Tho
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Can Tho Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$915

/mo nomad

Can Tho

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$720

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Can Tho

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

A single person spends $915 per month in Cebu vs $720 in Can Tho, rent included.

Cebu $915
Can Tho $720

A couple spends around $1,418 per month in Cebu vs $1,214 in Can Tho, rent included.

Cebu $1,418
Can Tho $1,214

A family of three spends $1,921 per month in Cebu vs $1,708 in Can Tho, rent included.

Cebu $1,921
Can Tho $1,708

Cebu costs about 27% more than Can Tho, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Cebu and Can Tho are more affordable than the global median – Cebu 33% lower, Can Tho 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.05 ₱192

$1.39 ₫35.9K

119.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.00 ₱1,511

$23.12 ₫598.6K

3.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.99 ₱251

$3.92 ₫101.4K

1.79%

Cappuccino

$2.50 ₱157

$1.52 ₫39.3K

64.47%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₱97.1

$0.52 ₫13.3K

196.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱31.37

$0.32 ₫8,363

56.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱112

$1.04 ₫26.9K

71.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱136

$1.14 ₫29.4K

90.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ₱126

$1.39 ₫35.9K

43.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 ₱86.2

$1.11 ₫28.7K

23.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱64.9

$0.78 ₫20.3K

32.05%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$1.40 ₫36.3K

45.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 ₱642

$11.95 ₫309.5K

-14.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.45 ₱280

$3.68 ₫95.3K

20.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.67 ₱483

$10.30 ₫266.6K

-25.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱208

$2.94 ₫76.1K

12.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ₱91.8

$1.29 ₫33.4K

13.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ₱146

$1.34 ₫34.6K

73.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ₱94.0

$0.81 ₫20.9K

83.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 ₱147

$0.80 ₫20.8K

192.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 ₱122

$1.01 ₫26.2K

92.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ₱73.0

$0.75 ₫19.4K

54.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₱42.89

$0.53 ₫13.6K

28.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱188

$1.25 ₫32.4K

139.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.24 ₱393

$7.51 ₫194.5K

-16.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.3

$0.95 ₫24.7K

29.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱109

$1.48 ₫38.4K

16.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₱14.36

$0.34 ₫8,922

-32.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.34 ₱777

$6.32 ₫163.7K

95.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱49.96

$0.48 ₫12.4K

64.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.86

$0.56 ₫14.6K

-60.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 ₱286

$3.06 ₫79.2K

48.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ₱82.9

$0.91 ₫23.7K

45.05%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.0K ₱1.3M

$30.7K ₫795.8M

-31.66%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$29.2K ₫754.7M

-33.44%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$119 ₱7,464

$48.05 ₫1.2M

146.72%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$14.22 ₱896

$3.77 ₫97.6K

277.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.47 ₱1,730

$9.77 ₫252.8K

181.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.31 ₱2,034

$23.50 ₫608.3K

37.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.50 ₱409

$7.92 ₫205.1K

-17.93%

Cinema Ticket

$5.40 ₱340

$3.23 ₫83.6K

67.18%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$276 ₱17.4K

$193 ₫5.0M

43.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,866 ₱495.3K

$6,831 ₫176.8M

15.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.37 ₱3,108

$19.58 ₫506.9K

152.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.58 ₱1,548

$19.02 ₫492.3K

29.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,825

$90.3 ₫2.3M

-15.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.9 ₱3,706

$95.7 ₫2.5M

-38.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 ₱31.7K

$417 ₫10.8M

20.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ₱19.2K

$278 ₫7.2M

9.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 ₱67.7K

$826 ₫21.4M

30.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₱39.8K

$676 ₫17.5M

-6.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,870 ₱180.7K

$2,217 ₫57.4M

29.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,877 ₱118.2K

$1,101 ₫28.5M

70.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$336 ₱21.1K

$162 ₫4.2M

107.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

8.64

-16.67%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 19, 2026

Last update for Can Tho: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$305 33.3%

Can Tho

$278 38.6% 8.8% $27

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.9%

Can Tho

$187 26% 10.7% $22

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$160 17.5%

Can Tho

$62 8.6% 61.6% $99

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$94 10.3%

Can Tho

$101 14% 7.2% $6.8

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Can Tho

$52 7.2% 40.9% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$43 4.7%

Can Tho

$30 4.2% 30.5% $13

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Can Tho

$11 1.5% 27.4% $4.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $503 in Cebu versus $417 in Can Tho. 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 108% higher in Cebu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Cebu versus $23.00 in Can Tho. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 vs $187 – making Can Tho the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇻🇳 Can Tho

🕒 Local time

23:11 11:11 PM

22:11 10:11 PM

1 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

1,258,900

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100,000 VND = 3.86 USD

100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

VND, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 25,889 VND (100,000 VND = 3.86 USD). 1 EUR = 29,105 VND (100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cebu Can Tho 1,980 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Can Tho

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 Can Tho: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cebu is pricier by about 27%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,372 per month in Cebu and $1,080 in Can Tho. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Can Tho, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Cebu, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Cebu and $23.00 in Can Tho. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $915 in Cebu and $720 in Can Tho, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Can Tho – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Can Tho. 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.