Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pathum Thani and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Pathum Thani: $785 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Pathum Thani
🇹🇭 Thailand
$785
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pathum Thani 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 Pathum Thani and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $785 in Pathum Thani versus $918 in Cebu.

  • Pathum Thani $785
  • Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,329 in Pathum Thani versus $1,409 in Cebu.

  • Pathum Thani $1,329
  • Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,873 in Pathum Thani versus $1,900 in Cebu.

  • Pathum Thani $1,873
  • Cebu $1,900

Living in Pathum Thani costs roughly 15% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pathum Thani 42% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pathum Thani
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.79 ฿59.9
$3.09 ₱195
-42.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.25 ฿744
$24.22 ₱1,525
-8.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.90 ฿197
$3.92 ₱247
50.51%
Cappuccino
$1.73 ฿58.0
$2.51 ₱158
-31.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.42 ฿14.03
$1.59 ₱100
-73.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.18 ฿6.05
$0.53 ₱33.45
-66.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.73 ฿57.7
$1.78 ₱112
-2.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 ฿71.3
$2.17 ₱137
-1.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pathum Thani
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.07
$1.92 ₱121
-23.44%
White Bread (500g)
$1.32 ฿44.22
$1.36 ₱85.5
-2.94%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.23 ฿41.03
$1.01 ₱63.6
21.78%
Eggs
$1.80 ฿60.2
$2.03 ₱128
-11.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.52 ฿418
$9.86 ₱621
26.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.43 ฿81.1
$4.39 ₱277
-44.65%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.06 ฿403
$7.60 ₱479
58.68%
Apples (1kg)
$3.60 ฿120
$3.30 ₱208
9.09%
Banana (1kg)
$0.96 ฿31.93
$1.39 ₱87.8
-30.94%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.49 ฿83.3
$2.33 ₱147
6.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.58 ฿52.8
$1.50 ₱94.3
5.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.97 ฿66.0
$2.36 ₱149
-16.53%
Onion (1kg)
$1.04 ฿34.74
$1.90 ₱119
-45.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.77 ฿25.70
$1.19 ₱74.9
-35.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.44 ฿14.85
$0.63 ₱39.73
-30.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.53 ฿151
$3.00 ₱189
51.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.87 ฿464
$6.03 ₱380
130.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.51 ฿50.3
$1.23 ₱77.7
22.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66 ฿55.6
$1.75 ₱110
-5.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Pathum Thani
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 ฿20.07
$0.25 ₱15.87
140.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$12.64 ₱796
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.06 ฿35.28
$0.77 ₱48.64
37.66%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.53 ฿51.1
$0.23 ₱14.54
565.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.76 ฿293
$4.46 ₱281
96.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.16 ฿38.69
$1.31 ₱82.8
-11.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.5K ฿585.7K
$21.2K ₱1.3M
-17.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.9K ฿797.8K
$19.1K ₱1.2M
24.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pathum Thani
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.3 ฿2,751
$120 ₱7,573
-31.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.23 ฿309
$14.00 ₱882
-34.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.22 ฿341
$27.54 ₱1,735
-62.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pathum Thani
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.61 ฿990
$32.33 ₱2,036
-8.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.65 ₱419
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.63 ฿222
$5.65 ₱356
17.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pathum Thani
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$196 ฿6,543
$275 ₱17.3K
-28.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.7K ฿357.5K
$7,918 ₱498.8K
35.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pathum Thani
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$5.91 ฿198
$49.33 ₱3,107
-88.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.81 ฿1,197
$25.24 ₱1,590
41.88%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$71.5 ฿2,388
$77.0 ₱4,848
-7.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$52.8 ฿1,765
$57.2 ₱3,603
-7.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pathum Thani
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$453 ฿15.1K
$500 ₱31.5K
-9.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$263 ฿8,805
$309 ₱19.5K
-14.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,476 ฿49.3K
$1,078 ₱67.9K
36.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$738 ฿24.6K
$615 ₱38.8K
19.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,477 ฿149.6K
$2,886 ₱181.8K
55.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,199 ฿73.5K
$1,917 ₱120.7K
14.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pathum Thani
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$396 ฿13.2K
$346 ₱21.8K
14.46%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4
7.2
-44.44%

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

Last update for Pathum Thani: 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
Pathum Thani
$263
Cebu
$309 17.2% $45
Groceries & Markets
Pathum Thani
$223
Cebu
$206 7.5% $17
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pathum Thani
$102
Cebu
$162 59% $60
Clothing & Footwear
Pathum Thani
$75
Cebu
$94 25.8% $19
Eating Out
Pathum Thani
$68
Cebu
$88 29.5% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Pathum Thani
$43
Cebu
$44 1.7% $0.8
Getting Around
Pathum Thani
$11 *
Cebu
$16 40.3% $4.5

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $453 in Pathum Thani and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pathum Thani pays 14% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $22.00 in Pathum Thani vs $24.00 in Cebu. Groceries flip the comparison at $223 vs $206, with Cebu cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Pathum Thani
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
01:51 1:51 AM
02:51 2:51 AM
1 h ahead of Pathum Thani
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
18,320
964,169
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.99 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.82 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Pathum Thani Cebu 2,570 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Pathum Thani
  • 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
Pathum Thani vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Pathum Thani?
Pathum Thani is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, eating out, and leisure. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Pathum Thani or Cebu?
Average pay runs 14% higher in Pathum Thani, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Pathum Thani and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $453 in Pathum Thani versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Pathum Thani and in Cebu?
Shoppers in Cebu pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
What are total monthly expenses in Pathum Thani and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $785 per month in Pathum Thani versus $918 in Cebu – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,000 enough for either Pathum Thani or Cebu?
Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Pathum Thani gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Pathum Thani or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Pathum Thani 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.
Which city is safer, Pathum Thani or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Pathum Thani 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Pathum Thani gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Pathum Thani vs other spots: cost of living compared

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