Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phan Thiet and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Phan Thiet: $647 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

32

Cost of Living Index in Phan Thiet
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Phan Thiet Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
Learn more

Cebu Living Index

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Phan Thiet

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$647

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $647 in Phan Thiet versus $918 in Cebu.

Phan Thiet $647
Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,070 in Phan Thiet versus $1,409 in Cebu.

Phan Thiet $1,070
Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,493 in Phan Thiet versus $1,900 in Cebu.

Phan Thiet $1,493
Cebu $1,900

Living in Phan Thiet costs roughly 30% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phan Thiet 52% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.71 ₫70.3K

$3.09 ₱194

-12.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.33 ₫603.9K

$24.22 ₱1,525

-3.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.46 ₫115.4K

$3.92 ₱247

13.78%

Cappuccino

$0.59 ₫15.4K

$2.51 ₱158

-76.49%

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

$0.40 ₫10.2K

$1.59 ₱100

-74.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 ₫5,436

$0.53 ₱33.43

-60.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.64 ₫16.5K

$1.78 ₱112

-64.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₫32.4K

$2.17 ₱137

-42.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 ₫34.0K

$1.92 ₱121

-31.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.38 ₫9,834

$1.36 ₱85.4

-72.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ₫23.6K

$1.01 ₱63.5

-9.90%

Eggs

$1.14 ₫29.5K

$2.03 ₱128

-43.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.95 ₫309.3K

$9.86 ₱621

21.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.05 ₫78.9K

$4.39 ₱277

-30.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.66 ₫224.2K

$7.60 ₱479

13.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₫49.2K

$3.30 ₱208

-42.42%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 ₫21.3K

$1.39 ₱87.8

-41.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 ₫27.5K

$2.33 ₱147

-54.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 ₫30.7K

$1.50 ₱94.3

-20.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ₫20.0K

$2.36 ₱149

-67.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₫17.3K

$1.90 ₱119

-64.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 ₫15.3K

$1.19 ₱74.9

-50.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₫13.1K

$0.63 ₱39.71

-19.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.51 ₫39.1K

$3.00 ₱189

-49.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.43 ₫244.2K

$6.03 ₱379

56.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₫9,708

$1.23 ₱77.7

-69.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₫40.9K

$1.75 ₱110

-9.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ₫7,633

$0.25 ₱15.86

16.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.85 ₫151.6K

$12.64 ₱796

-53.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.59 ₫15.4K

$0.77 ₱48.62

-23.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₫15.6K

$0.23 ₱14.53

160.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 ₫70.0K

$4.46 ₱281

-39.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 ₫22.0K

$1.31 ₱82.8

-35.11%

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

$30.3K ₫785.1M

$21.2K ₱1.3M

42.75%

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

$27.6K ₫713.7M

$19.1K ₱1.2M

43.98%

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

$44.46 ₫1.2M

$120 ₱7,569

-63.02%

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

$6.64 ₫171.9K

$14.00 ₱882

-52.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.19 ₫237.8K

$27.54 ₱1,734

-66.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.09 ₫623.6K

$32.33 ₱2,035

-25.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.87 ₫203.7K

$6.65 ₱419

18.35%

Cinema Ticket

$1.99 ₫51.4K

$5.65 ₱356

-64.78%

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

$214 ₫5.6M

$275 ₱17.3K

-22.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,808 ₫98.6M

$7,918 ₱498.5K

-51.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.86 ₫591.8K

$49.33 ₱3,106

-53.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.30 ₫603.1K

$25.24 ₱1,589

-7.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.44 ₫995.1K

$77.0 ₱4,846

-50.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.7 ₫1.5M

$57.2 ₱3,601

0.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$355 ₫9.2M

$500 ₱31.5K

-29.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 ₫7.0M

$309 ₱19.4K

-12.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ₫19.6M

$1,078 ₱67.9K

-29.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ₫15.7M

$615 ₱38.7K

-1.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 ₫73.2M

$2,886 ₱181.7K

-1.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,195 ₫30.9M

$1,917 ₱120.7K

-37.67%

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 Phan Thiet: 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

Phan Thiet

$271 41.8%

Cebu

$309 33.6% 14.1% $38

Groceries & Markets

Phan Thiet

$163 25.2%

Cebu

$206 22.4% 26.4% $43

Clothing & Footwear

Phan Thiet

$64 9.9%

Cebu

$94 10.2% 46.7% $30

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phan Thiet

$60 9.3%

Cebu

$162 17.6% 168% $101

Eating Out

Phan Thiet

$50 7.8%

Cebu

$88 9.6% 75.3% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Phan Thiet

$28 4.3%

Cebu

$44 4.8% 55.5% $16

Getting Around

Phan Thiet

$11 1.7%

Cebu

$16 1.7% 46.2% $4.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $355 in Phan Thiet and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Phan Thiet vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $163 vs $206 per month, with Phan Thiet cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Phan Thiet

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

16:52 4:52 PM

17:52 5:52 PM

1 h ahead of Phan Thiet

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

255,000

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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phan Thiet Cebu 1,730 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Phan Thiet
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

Phan Thiet vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phan Thiet is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $970 in Phan Thiet 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: $355 in Phan Thiet versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $647 per month in Phan Thiet versus $918 in Cebu – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phan Thiet runs roughly 116% 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 Phan Thiet gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Phan Thiet 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, Phan Thiet 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 Phan Thiet gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.