Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dien Bien Phu and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Dien Bien Phu: $770 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

37

Cost of Living Index in Dien Bien Phu
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Dien Bien Phu Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index

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Dien Bien Phu

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$770

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dien Bien Phu and in Cebu

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $770 in Dien Bien Phu versus $918 in Cebu.

Dien Bien Phu $770
Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,231 in Dien Bien Phu versus $1,409 in Cebu.

Dien Bien Phu $1,231
Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,692 in Dien Bien Phu versus $1,900 in Cebu.

Dien Bien Phu $1,692
Cebu $1,900

Living in Dien Bien Phu costs roughly 16% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dien Bien Phu 43% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ₫52.6K

$3.09 ₱194

-34.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.34 ₫500.7K

$24.22 ₱1,525

-20.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.39 ₫113.6K

$3.92 ₱247

11.99%

Cappuccino

$1.64 ₫42.5K

$2.51 ₱158

-34.66%

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

$0.51 ₫13.1K

$1.59 ₱100

-67.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₫8,660

$0.53 ₱33.43

-37.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.88 ₫22.7K

$1.78 ₱112

-50.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ₫37.0K

$2.17 ₱137

-34.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 ₫38.5K

$1.92 ₱121

-22.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 ₫27.2K

$1.36 ₱85.4

-22.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₫24.3K

$1.01 ₱63.5

-6.93%

Eggs

$1.51 ₫39.0K

$2.03 ₱128

-25.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.24 ₫291.0K

$9.86 ₱621

14.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.73 ₫96.6K

$4.39 ₱277

-15.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.86 ₫255.2K

$7.60 ₱479

29.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 ₫79.3K

$3.30 ₱208

-7.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 ₫29.0K

$1.39 ₱87.8

-19.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 ₫34.5K

$2.33 ₱147

-42.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ₫32.9K

$1.50 ₱94.3

-15.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 ₫27.7K

$2.36 ₱149

-54.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ₫29.7K

$1.90 ₱119

-39.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ₫16.8K

$1.19 ₱74.9

-45.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₫13.1K

$0.63 ₱39.71

-20.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.36 ₫35.2K

$3.00 ₱189

-54.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.16 ₫314.8K

$6.03 ₱379

101.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₫22.9K

$1.23 ₱77.7

-28.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₫42.5K

$1.75 ₱110

-6.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 ₫8,151

$0.25 ₱15.86

24.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.45 ₫167.1K

$12.64 ₱796

-48.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 ₫18.8K

$0.77 ₱48.62

-5.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₫15.7K

$0.23 ₱14.53

165.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ₫62.0K

$4.46 ₱281

-46.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 ₫24.7K

$1.31 ₱82.8

-27.48%

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

$30.4K ₫786.3M

$21.2K ₱1.3M

42.97%

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

$30.4K ₫786.0M

$19.1K ₱1.2M

58.56%

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

$77.2 ₫2.0M

$120 ₱7,569

-35.80%

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

$5.79 ₫149.9K

$14.00 ₱882

-58.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.56 ₫221.6K

$27.54 ₱1,734

-68.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.91 ₫567.2K

$32.33 ₱2,035

-32.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.83 ₫202.6K

$6.65 ₱419

17.74%

Cinema Ticket

$3.06 ₫79.3K

$5.65 ₱356

-45.84%

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

$159 ₫4.1M

$275 ₱17.3K

-42.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K ₫320.6M

$7,918 ₱498.5K

56.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.80 ₫1.2M

$49.33 ₱3,106

-7.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.91 ₫670.9K

$25.24 ₱1,589

2.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 ₫2.2M

$77.0 ₱4,846

8.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.7 ₫2.1M

$57.2 ₱3,601

39.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$413 ₫10.7M

$500 ₱31.5K

-17.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$276 ₫7.2M

$309 ₱19.4K

-10.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ₫19.1M

$1,078 ₱67.9K

-31.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$607 ₫15.7M

$615 ₱38.7K

-1.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,783 ₫72.0M

$2,886 ₱181.7K

-3.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,324 ₫34.3M

$1,917 ₱120.7K

-30.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 ₱21.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.46

7.2

17.50%

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

Last update for Dien Bien Phu: October 11, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Dien Bien Phu

$276 35.9%

Cebu

$309 33.6% 11.8% $33

Groceries & Markets

Dien Bien Phu

$197 25.6%

Cebu

$206 22.4% 4.5% $8.8

Clothing & Footwear

Dien Bien Phu

$106 13.7%

Cebu

$94 10.2% 11% $12

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dien Bien Phu

$92 11.9%

Cebu

$162 17.6% 76.7% $70

Eating Out

Dien Bien Phu

$60 7.8%

Cebu

$88 9.6% 47.8% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Dien Bien Phu

$28 3.6%

Cebu

$44 4.8% 55.6% $16

Getting Around

Dien Bien Phu

$11 1.5%

Cebu

$16 1.7% 35.7% $4.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $413 in Dien Bien Phu and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Dien Bien Phu vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $206 per month, with Dien Bien Phu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Dien Bien Phu

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

09:01 9:01 AM

10:01 10:01 AM

1 h ahead of Dien Bien Phu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

80,366

964,169

💱 Currency

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 VND = 3.86 USD

100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇻🇳 Vietnamese Dong (₫)

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 25,889 VND (100,000 VND = 3.86 USD). 1 EUR = 29,105 VND (100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to VND in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Dien Bien Phu Cebu 2,550 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Dien Bien Phu
Cebu

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

Dien Bien Phu vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dien Bien Phu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,154 in Dien Bien Phu and $1,377 in Cebu 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $413 in Dien Bien Phu versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $770 per month in Dien Bien Phu versus $918 in Cebu – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dien Bien Phu runs roughly 96% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Dien Bien Phu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Dien Bien Phu 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, Dien Bien Phu and Cebu 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 Dien Bien Phu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.