Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quang Ngai and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Quang Ngai: $480 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

23

Cost of Living Index in Quang Ngai
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Quang Ngai Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
Learn more

Cebu Living Index

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Quang Ngai

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$480

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $480 in Quang Ngai versus $918 in Cebu.

Quang Ngai $480
Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $747 in Quang Ngai versus $1,409 in Cebu.

Quang Ngai $747
Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,013 in Quang Ngai versus $1,900 in Cebu.

Quang Ngai $1,013
Cebu $1,900

Living in Quang Ngai costs roughly 48% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Quang Ngai 64% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.92 ₫23.8K

$3.09 ₱195

-70.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.42 ₫269.9K

$24.22 ₱1,525

-56.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 ₫123.1K

$3.92 ₱247

21.43%

Cappuccino

$1.33 ₫34.3K

$2.51 ₱158

-47.01%

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

$0.35 ₫8,946

$1.59 ₱100

-77.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₫4,373

$0.53 ₱33.45

-67.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 ₫35.4K

$1.78 ₱112

-23.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₫40.0K

$2.17 ₱137

-29.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₫40.7K

$1.92 ₱121

-18.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.37 ₫9,620

$1.36 ₱85.5

-72.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 ₫20.4K

$1.01 ₱63.6

-21.78%

Eggs

$1.52 ₫39.3K

$2.03 ₱128

-25.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.68 ₫198.9K

$9.86 ₱621

-22.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.91 ₫101.2K

$4.39 ₱277

-10.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.21 ₫160.8K

$7.60 ₱479

-18.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 ₫49.3K

$3.30 ₱208

-42.12%

Banana (1kg)

$0.61 ₫15.7K

$1.39 ₱87.8

-56.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₫33.1K

$2.33 ₱147

-45.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 ₫35.3K

$1.50 ₱94.3

-8.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.4K

$2.36 ₱149

-50.42%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ₫25.7K

$1.90 ₱119

-47.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 ₫8,296

$1.19 ₱74.9

-73.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₫11.5K

$0.63 ₱39.73

-28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.23 ₫31.8K

$3.00 ₱189

-59.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 ₫149.0K

$6.03 ₱380

-4.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₫15.1K

$1.23 ₱77.7

-52.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₫20.6K

$1.75 ₱110

-54.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₫9,364

$0.25 ₱15.87

44.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.71 ₫147.7K

$12.64 ₱796

-54.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 ₫15.7K

$0.77 ₱48.64

-20.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ₫9,614

$0.23 ₱14.54

60.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 ₫50.3K

$4.46 ₱281

-56.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 ₫20.4K

$1.31 ₱82.8

-39.69%

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

$30.9K ₫801.3M

$21.2K ₱1.3M

45.69%

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

$27.7K ₫716.3M

$19.1K ₱1.2M

44.51%

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

$64.7 ₫1.7M

$120 ₱7,573

-46.17%

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

$6.40 ₫165.8K

$14.00 ₱882

-54.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.54 ₫195.1K

$27.54 ₱1,735

-72.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.79 ₫253.5K

$32.33 ₱2,036

-69.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.68 ₫121.1K

$6.65 ₱419

-29.62%

Cinema Ticket

$3.15 ₫81.6K

$5.65 ₱356

-44.25%

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

$135 ₫3.5M

$275 ₱17.3K

-51.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,930 ₫101.7M

$7,918 ₱498.8K

-50.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$7.66 ₫198.4K

$49.33 ₱3,107

-84.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.66 ₫198.3K

$25.24 ₱1,590

-69.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 ₫2.6M

$77.0 ₱4,848

29.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.47 ₫711.1K

$57.2 ₱3,603

-51.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$180 ₫4.7M

$500 ₱31.5K

-64.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$119 ₫3.1M

$309 ₱19.5K

-61.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 ₫10.2M

$1,078 ₱67.9K

-63.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$248 ₫6.4M

$615 ₱38.8K

-59.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$221 ₫5.7M

$346 ₱21.8K

-36.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

-2.78%

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

Last update for Quang Ngai: October 10, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Quang Ngai

$143 29.8%

Cebu

$206 22.4% 43.8% $63

Accommodation & Living

Quang Ngai

$119 24.8%

Cebu

$309 33.6% 159% $190

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Quang Ngai

$79 16.4%

Cebu

$162 17.6% 106% $83

Clothing & Footwear

Quang Ngai

$64 13.4%

Cebu

$94 10.2% 46.3% $30

Eating Out

Quang Ngai

$50 10.3%

Cebu

$88 9.6% 78.3% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Quang Ngai

$16 3.4%

Cebu

$44 4.8% 171% $28

Getting Around

Quang Ngai

$9.6 2%

Cebu

$16 1.7% 61.9% $6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $180 in Quang Ngai and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 57% 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: $10.00 in Quang Ngai vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $143 vs $206 per month, with Quang Ngai cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Quang Ngai

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

19:50 7:50 PM

20:50 8:50 PM

1 h ahead of Quang Ngai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

112,384

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 17, 2026: 1 USD = 25,889 VND (100,000 VND = 3.86 USD). 1 EUR = 29,108 VND (100,000 VND = 3.44 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).

USD to VND in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Quang Ngai Cebu 1,720 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Quang Ngai
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

Quang Ngai vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quang Ngai is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 91% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 57% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $180 in Quang Ngai versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $480 per month in Quang Ngai versus $918 in Cebu – a 91% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Quang Ngai runs roughly 121% 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 Quang Ngai gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Quang Ngai 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, Quang Ngai 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 Quang Ngai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 91% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.