Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Ha Long

For one person, living is cheaper in Ha Long: $759 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
37

Cost of Living Index in Ha Long
Learn more

Ha Long Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Ha Long

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$759

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Ha Long

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $759 in Ha Long.

Cebu $934
Ha Long $759

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $1,223 in Ha Long.

Cebu $1,415
Ha Long $1,223

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $1,686 in Ha Long.

Cebu $1,896
Ha Long $1,686

Living in Cebu is roughly 23% more expensive than in Ha Long, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 30% lower, Ha Long 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱190

$1.83 ₫47.5K

65.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,473

$18.93 ₫490.8K

24.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱256

$4.36 ₫113.1K

-6.19%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

$1.81 ₫46.9K

39.23%

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

$1.54 ₱96.9

$0.57 ₫14.7K

170.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.98

$0.30 ₫7,775

63.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱112

$0.79 ₫20.6K

126.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

$1.31 ₫33.9K

72.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

$1.68 ₫43.6K

16.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.7

$1.04 ₫26.9K

37.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱63.8

$1.11 ₫28.7K

-8.11%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

$1.66 ₫43.2K

24.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱615

$10.56 ₫273.7K

-7.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱289

$4.12 ₫106.9K

11.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱483

$8.74 ₫226.8K

-11.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱207

$2.74 ₫71.2K

20.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱90.9

$1.15 ₫29.8K

26.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$1.13 ₫29.4K

108.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.4

$1.26 ₫32.6K

22.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$1.06 ₫27.5K

122.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

$1.14 ₫29.6K

74.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.1

$0.64 ₫16.5K

79.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.15

$0.50 ₫13.0K

34.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

$1.52 ₫39.4K

97.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱398

$11.62 ₫301.3K

-45.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱81.9

$0.92 ₫23.8K

42.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱108

$1.62 ₫42.0K

6.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.78

$0.31 ₫8,162

-19.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱793

$6.09 ₫157.9K

107.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.32

$0.68 ₫17.7K

8.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.11

$0.58 ₫15.0K

-63.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱271

$2.14 ₫55.4K

102.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.5

$0.89 ₫23.1K

49.44%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$34.5K ₫894.6M

-36.90%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$31.8K ₫825.9M

-39.09%

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

$121 ₱7,563

$77.6 ₫2.0M

55.47%

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

$14.45 ₱907

$5.83 ₫151.2K

147.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,774

$7.24 ₫187.8K

290.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,050

$19.71 ₫511.1K

65.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱401

$8.29 ₫215.1K

-22.92%

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱342

$2.91 ₫75.4K

87.63%

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

$273 ₱17.1K

$165 ₫4.3M

66.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱511.5K

$14.1K ₫366.6M

-42.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,109

$51.9 ₫1.3M

-4.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,560

$22.66 ₫587.7K

9.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,804

$76.0 ₫2.0M

0.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,717

$71.4 ₫1.9M

-16.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.7K

$421 ₫10.9M

20.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

$278 ₫7.2M

11.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.0K

$774 ₫20.1M

35.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.8K

$674 ₫17.5M

-8.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱182.9K

$3,212 ₫83.3M

-9.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.1K

$1,170 ₫30.3M

59.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.4K

$228 ₫5.9M

49.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

8.46

-14.89%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Ha Long: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Ha Long

$278 36.7% 10.2% $32

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Ha Long

$193 25.5% 8.1% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Ha Long

$91 12% 44.5% $73

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Ha Long

$100 13.2% 5.5% $5.2

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Ha Long

$59 7.9% 32.7% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Ha Long

$26 3.4% 41.4% $18

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Ha Long

$11 1.4% 29.2% $4.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Cebu and $421 in Ha Long. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 50% 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: $23.00 in Cebu vs $19.00 in Ha Long for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $193 per month, with Ha Long cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇻🇳 Ha Long

🕒 Local time

10:33 10:33 AM

09:33 9:33 AM

1 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

270,054

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 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 13, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.29 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 25,934 VND (100,000 VND = 3.86 USD). 1 EUR = 29,064 VND (100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cebu Ha Long 2,150 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Ha Long

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 Ha Long: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ha Long is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 50% higher in Cebu, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $506 in Cebu versus $421 in Ha Long. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $934 per month in Cebu versus $759 in Ha Long – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ha Long runs roughly 108% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Ha Long gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Ha Long 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 Ha Long 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 Ha Long gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.