For one person, living is cheaper in Patna: $378 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Patna and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $378 in Patna versus $934 in Cebu.
Patna $378
Cebu $934
Estimated couple costs with rent: $581 in Patna versus $1,415 in Cebu.
Patna $581
Cebu $1,415
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $783 in Patna versus $1,896 in Cebu.
Patna $783
Cebu $1,896
🌍
Living in Patna costs roughly 60% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Patna72% lower, Cebu30% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Patna
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.04₹197
$3.03₱190
-32.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$9.32₹902
$23.48₱1,473
-60.31%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.03₹294
$4.09₱256
-25.92%
Cappuccino
$1.62₹157
$2.52₱158
-35.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34₹33.11
$1.54₱96.9
-77.92%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.15₹14.48
$0.49₱30.98
-69.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.90₹184
$1.79₱112
6.15%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.80₹561
$2.26₱142
156.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Patna
Cebu
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.65₹62.6
$1.95₱122
-66.67%
White Bread(500g)
$0.42₹40.69
$1.43₱89.7
-70.63%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.52₹50.6
$1.02₱63.8
-49.02%
Eggs
$0.94₹90.6
$2.06₱129
-54.37%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.69₹648
$9.81₱615
-31.80%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.23₹216
$4.61₱289
-51.63%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
-
$7.70₱483
-
Apples(1kg)
$1.35₹131
$3.31₱207
-59.21%
Banana(1kg)
$0.67₹65.3
$1.45₱90.9
-53.79%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.03₹99.8
$2.36₱148
-56.36%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.45₹43.18
$1.54₱96.4
-70.78%
Potato(1kg)
$0.32₹30.63
$2.36₱148
-86.44%
Onion(1kg)
$0.49₹47.19
$1.99₱125
-75.38%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.46₹44.79
$1.15₱72.1
-60.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.27₹26.05
$0.67₱42.15
-59.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.96₹480
$3.00₱188
65.33%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.31₹611
$6.35₱398
-0.63%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59₹154
$1.31₱81.9
21.37%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14₹207
$1.73₱108
23.70%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
$6.84₹662
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Patna
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.32₹31.32
$0.25₱15.78
28.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$4.56₹441
$12.65₱793
-63.95%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.34₹130
$0.74₱46.32
81.08%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.19₹18.44
$0.21₱13.11
-9.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.05₹198
$4.33₱271
-52.66%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.06₹102
$1.33₱83.5
-20.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$13.5K₹1.3M
$21.8K₱1.4M
-37.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K₹2.6M
$19.4K₱1.2M
37.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Patna
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$45.39₹4,392
$121₱7,563
-62.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$2.72₹263
$14.45₱907
-81.18%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$6.48₹627
$28.29₱1,774
-77.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Patna
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$21.99₹2,128
$32.68₱2,050
-32.71%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.09₹1,171
$6.39₱401
89.20%
Cinema Ticket
$3.29₹318
$5.46₱342
-39.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Patna
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$53.7₹5,192
$273₱17.1K
-80.38%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,637₹158.4K
$8,156₱511.5K
-79.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Patna
Cebu
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$23.99₹2,322
$49.57₱3,109
-51.60%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.76₹2,783
$24.87₱1,560
15.64%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$38.25₹3,702
$76.6₱4,804
-50.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$32.71₹3,166
$59.3₱3,717
-44.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Patna
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$106₹10.2K
$506₱31.7K
-79.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$60.5₹5,858
$309₱19.4K
-80.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$240₹23.3K
$1,052₱66.0K
-77.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$132₹12.8K
$619₱38.8K
-78.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,255₹121.5K
$2,915₱182.9K
-56.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$495₹47.9K
$1,867₱117.1K
-73.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Patna
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$340₹32.9K
$341₱21.4K
-0.39%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.46
7.2
31.39%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Patna: October 5, 2026
Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Patna
$97 26%
Cebu
$210 22.7% ↑ 117%$114
🍽Eating Out
Patna
$68 18.3%
Cebu
$88 9.6% ↑ 30.1%$20
🏠Accommodation & Living
Patna
$61 16.3%
Cebu
$309 33.5% ↑ 411%$249
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Patna
$56 15%
Cebu
$95 10.2% ↑ 70%$39
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Patna
$55 14.7%
Cebu
$163 17.7% ↑ 199%$109
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Patna
$29 7.7%
Cebu
$44 4.7% ↑ 52.7%$15
🚌Getting Around
Patna
$8.1 2.2%
Cebu
$15 1.7% ↑ 89.7%$7.3
🛒Groceries & Markets
Patna
$210 26.6%
Cebu
$493 25.8% ↑ 135%$283
🍽Eating Out
Patna
$179 22.7%
Cebu
$288 15.1% ↑ 61.4%$110
🏠Accommodation & Living
Patna
$132 16.8%
Cebu
$619 32.4% ↑ 369%$487
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Patna
$124 15.7%
Cebu
$210 11% ↑ 70%$87
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Patna
$57 7.3%
Cebu
$178 9.3% ↑ 210%$120
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Patna
$69 8.8%
Cebu
$94 4.9% ↑ 35.2%$24
🚌Getting Around
Patna
$17 2.2%
Cebu
$31 1.6% ↑ 85.3%$14
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $106 in Patna and $506 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Cebu pays 0% 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: $9.00 in Patna vs $23.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $97.0 vs $210 per month, with Patna cheaper across the board.
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
Patna vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Patna?
Patna is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 147% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Patna or Cebu?
On paper, salaries run 0% lower in Cebu. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Patna and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $106 in Patna versus $506 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Patna and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $378 per month in Patna versus $934 in Cebu – a 147% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Patna runs roughly 177% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,000 enough for either Patna or Cebu?
Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Patna gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Patna or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Patna 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, Patna or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Patna 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 Patna gentler on the wallet – expenses run 147% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.