Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Dharan

For one person, living is cheaper in Dharan: $56.9 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $10,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
Learn more

Cebu Living Index
17

Cost of Living Index in Dharan
Learn more

Dharan Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Dharan

🇳🇵 Nepal

$56.9

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Dharan

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $56.9 in Dharan.

Cebu $934
Dharan $56.9

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $89.7 in Dharan.

Cebu $1,415
Dharan $89.7

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $122 in Dharan.

Cebu $1,896
Dharan $122

Living in Cebu is roughly 1541% more expensive than in Dharan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 30% lower, Dharan 96% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱191

$1.99 NPR 309

52.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,476

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱257

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

$1.64 NPR 254

53.66%

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

$1.54 ₱97.2

$0.40 NPR 62.1

285.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.06

$0.13 NPR 20.65

276.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱113

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.9

$0.43 NPR 67.0

232.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.0

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱617

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱290

$2.58 NPR 399

78.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱484

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱208

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱91.2

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.6

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.3

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.26

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱189

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱399

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱82.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱109

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.82

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱796

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.44

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱272

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.7

$1.14 NPR 177

16.67%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

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

$121 ₱7,583

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

$14.45 ₱909

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,779

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,055

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱402

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱343

$1.90 NPR 294

187.37%

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

$273 ₱17.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱512.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,117

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,564

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,817

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,727

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱183.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

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

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Dharan: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Dharan

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Dharan

$17 * 29.3% 91.8% $193

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Dharan

- * 0% 100%

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Dharan

- * 0% 100%

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Dharan

$38 * 64.3% 57.2% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Dharan

$3.8 * 6.5% 91.3% $40

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Dharan

- * 0% 100%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇳🇵 Dharan

🕒 Local time

13:03 1:03 PM

10:48 10:48 AM

2 h 15 min behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

173,096

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Nepalese Rupee NPR रु

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

1,000 NPR = 6.46 USD

1,000 NPR = 5.76 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NPR, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.54 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

Nepalese Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 155 NPR (1,000 NPR = 6.46 USD). 1 EUR = 174 NPR (1,000 NPR = 5.76 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cebu Dharan 4,250 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Dharan

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 Dharan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dharan is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 1541% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,401 in Cebu and $85.4 in Dharan to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1121% higher in Cebu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $934 per month in Cebu versus $56.9 in Dharan – a 1541% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Dharan gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Dharan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cebu, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Dharan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dharan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1541% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.