Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saraburi and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Saraburi: $782 a month against $915 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cebu outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Saraburi
🇹🇭 Thailand
$782
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$915
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $782 in Saraburi versus $915 in Cebu.

  • Saraburi $782
  • Cebu $915

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,419 in Saraburi versus $1,418 in Cebu.

  • Saraburi $1,419
  • Cebu $1,418

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,056 in Saraburi versus $1,921 in Cebu.

  • Saraburi $2,056
  • Cebu $1,921

Living in Saraburi costs roughly 14% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Saraburi 42% lower, Cebu 33% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Saraburi
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.17 ฿206
$3.05 ₱192
102.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$26.93 ฿900
$24.00 ₱1,511
12.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.43 ฿215
$3.99 ₱251
61.15%
Cappuccino
$2.28 ฿76.2
$2.50 ₱157
-8.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.66 ฿22.15
$1.54 ₱97.1
-57.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.24 ฿7.99
$0.50 ₱31.37
-52.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.99 ฿66.6
$1.78 ₱112
11.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17 ฿106
$2.17 ₱136
46.08%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Saraburi
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 ฿50.3
$2.00 ₱126
-24.50%
White Bread (500g)
$1.12 ฿37.35
$1.37 ₱86.2
-18.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 ฿44.47
$1.03 ₱64.9
29.13%
Eggs
$1.96 ฿65.5
$2.03 ₱128
-3.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.86 ฿563
$10.20 ₱642
65.29%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.57 ฿86.0
$4.45 ₱280
-42.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.89 ฿331
$7.67 ₱483
28.94%
Apples (1kg)
$5.15 ฿172
$3.31 ₱208
55.59%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 ฿56.7
$1.46 ₱91.8
16.44%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.08 ฿69.4
$2.32 ₱146
-10.34%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.90 ฿63.5
$1.49 ₱94.0
27.52%
Potato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.1
$2.34 ₱147
-35.90%
Onion (1kg)
$1.07 ฿35.81
$1.94 ₱122
-44.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 ฿37.51
$1.16 ₱73.0
-3.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.38
$0.68 ₱42.89
-27.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.43 ฿148
$2.99 ₱188
48.16%
Wine (Bottle)
$21.05 ฿703
$6.24 ₱393
237.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 ฿55.4
$1.23 ₱77.3
34.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 ฿93.5
$1.73 ₱109
61.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Saraburi
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.90 ฿30.05
$0.23 ₱14.36
291.30%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$12.34 ₱777
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.05 ฿34.98
$0.79 ₱49.96
32.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.16 ฿38.75
$0.22 ₱13.86
427.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.03 ฿202
$4.54 ₱286
32.82%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.39 ฿46.57
$1.32 ₱82.9
5.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.9K ฿765.9K
$21.0K ₱1.3M
9.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.8K ฿962.3K
$19.4K ₱1.2M
48.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saraburi
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$81.9 ฿2,737
$119 ₱7,464
-30.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.58 ฿387
$14.22 ₱896
-18.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.63 ฿556
$27.47 ₱1,730
-39.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Saraburi
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.66 ฿1,426
$32.31 ₱2,034
32.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.23 ฿476
$6.50 ₱409
118.92%
Cinema Ticket
$6.73 ฿225
$5.40 ₱340
24.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Saraburi
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$581 ฿19.4K
$276 ₱17.4K
110.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,594 ฿220.4K
$7,866 ₱495.3K
-16.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Saraburi
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.2 ฿1,712
$49.37 ₱3,108
3.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.84 ฿997
$24.58 ₱1,548
21.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.0 ฿2,572
$76.6 ₱4,825
0.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.5 ฿2,589
$58.9 ₱3,706
31.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Saraburi
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$428 ฿14.3K
$503 ₱31.7K
-14.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$124 ฿4,154
$305 ₱19.2K
-59.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 ฿39.1K
$1,075 ₱67.7K
8.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$602 ฿20.1K
$632 ₱39.8K
-4.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,682 ฿56.2K
$2,870 ₱180.7K
-41.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,662 ฿55.6K
$1,877 ₱118.2K
-11.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Saraburi
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$453 ฿15.1K
$336 ₱21.1K
34.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
7.2
-22.64%

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

Last update for Saraburi: October 18, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Saraburi
$259
Cebu
$210 19.1% $50
Accommodation & Living
Saraburi
$124
Cebu
$305 145% $180
Eating Out
Saraburi
$116
Cebu
$88 24.3% $28
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saraburi
$110
Cebu
$160 45.5% $50
Clothing & Footwear
Saraburi
$106
Cebu
$94 11.1% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Saraburi
$56
Cebu
$43 23.2% $13
Getting Around
Saraburi
$10 *
Cebu
$15 45.1% $4.7

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 $428 in Saraburi and $503 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saraburi pays 35% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Saraburi vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $259 vs $210 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Saraburi
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
03:22 3:22 AM
04:22 4:22 AM
1 h ahead of Saraburi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
61,900
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 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Saraburi Cebu 2,540 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Saraburi
  • 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
Saraburi vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Saraburi?
Saraburi is cheaper overall, especially in utilities and transport. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Saraburi or Cebu?
Average pay runs 35% higher in Saraburi, 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 Saraburi and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $428 in Saraburi versus $503 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Saraburi and in Cebu?
Shoppers in Cebu pay roughly 24% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
What are total monthly expenses in Saraburi and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $782 per month in Saraburi versus $915 in Cebu – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Saraburi or in Cebu?
At $782 in Saraburi versus $915 in Cebu, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Saraburi but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Saraburi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Saraburi or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Saraburi 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, Saraburi or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Saraburi 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 Saraburi 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.

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