Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Surat and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Surat: $806 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. The total is higher in Cebu despite lower rent and utilities.

39

Cost of Living Index in Surat
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Surat Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
Learn more

Cebu Living Index

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Surat

🇮🇳 India

$806

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $806 in Surat versus $934 in Cebu.

Surat $806
Cebu $934

Estimated couple costs with rent: $826 in Surat versus $1,415 in Cebu.

Surat $826
Cebu $1,415

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $847 in Surat versus $1,896 in Cebu.

Surat $847
Cebu $1,896

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Surat 40% lower, Cebu 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.18 ₹307

$3.03 ₱190

4.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.40 ₹1,006

$23.48 ₱1,473

-55.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.14 ₹304

$4.09 ₱256

-23.23%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ₹177

$2.52 ₱158

-27.38%

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

$0.36 ₹34.38

$1.54 ₱96.9

-76.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.56

$0.49 ₱30.98

-69.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 ₹282

$1.79 ₱112

63.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 ₹309

$2.26 ₱142

41.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹70.9

$1.95 ₱122

-62.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 ₹45.50

$1.43 ₱89.7

-67.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.66 ₹63.5

$1.02 ₱63.8

-35.29%

Eggs

$0.95 ₹91.5

$2.06 ₱129

-53.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 ₹420

$9.81 ₱615

-55.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.73 ₹265

$4.61 ₱289

-40.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱483

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 ₹164

$3.31 ₱207

-48.64%

Banana (1kg)

$0.62 ₹59.6

$1.45 ₱90.9

-57.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.80 ₹77.4

$2.36 ₱148

-66.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.54 ₹52.2

$1.54 ₱96.4

-64.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 ₹33.56

$2.36 ₱148

-85.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 ₹41.73

$1.99 ₱125

-78.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 ₹46.59

$1.15 ₱72.1

-58.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₹28.89

$0.67 ₱42.15

-55.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 ₹495

$3.00 ₱188

70.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 ₹735

$6.35 ₱398

19.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ₹180

$1.31 ₱81.9

41.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 ₹291

$1.73 ₱108

73.99%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$6.06 ₹586

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹21.19

$0.25 ₱15.78

-12.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.27 ₹510

$12.65 ₱793

-58.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.59 ₹57.2

$0.74 ₱46.32

-20.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₹21.32

$0.21 ₱13.11

4.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 ₹103

$4.33 ₱271

-75.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₹110

$1.33 ₱83.5

-15.04%

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

$12.1K ₹1.2M

$21.8K ₱1.4M

-44.18%

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

$18.3K ₹1.8M

$19.4K ₱1.2M

-5.49%

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

$36.72 ₹3,554

$121 ₱7,563

-69.55%

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

$3.64 ₹353

$14.45 ₱907

-74.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.44 ₹720

$28.29 ₱1,774

-73.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.59 ₹1,799

$32.68 ₱2,050

-43.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.16 ₹499

$6.39 ₱401

-19.25%

Cinema Ticket

$2.88 ₹278

$5.46 ₱342

-47.25%

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

$33.35 ₹3,227

$273 ₱17.1K

-87.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$891 ₹86.2K

$8,156 ₱511.5K

-89.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.51 ₹2,179

$49.57 ₱3,109

-54.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.53 ₹2,374

$24.87 ₱1,560

-1.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.90 ₹3,958

$76.6 ₱4,804

-46.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.42 ₹3,137

$59.3 ₱3,717

-45.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$216 ₹20.9K

$506 ₱31.7K

-57.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$499 ₹48.3K

$309 ₱19.4K

61.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$375 ₹36.3K

$1,052 ₱66.0K

-64.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 ₹19.5K

$619 ₱38.8K

-67.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$660 ₹63.8K

$2,915 ₱182.9K

-77.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$309 ₹29.9K

$1,867 ₱117.1K

-83.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$313 ₹30.3K

$341 ₱21.4K

-8.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.17

7.2

27.36%

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

Last update for Surat: October 4, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Surat

$499 61.3%

Cebu

$309 33.5% 38% $189

Groceries & Markets

Surat

$101 12.4%

Cebu

$210 22.7% 108% $109

Eating Out

Surat

$80 9.8%

Cebu

$88 9.6% 10.9% $8.7

Clothing & Footwear

Surat

$54 6.7%

Cebu

$95 10.2% 74.7% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Surat

$48 5.9%

Cebu

$163 17.7% 242% $116

Sport & Entertainment

Surat

$24 3%

Cebu

$44 4.7% 79.1% $19

Getting Around

Surat

$7.8 1%

Cebu

$15 1.7% 96.9% $7.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $216 in Surat and $506 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 9% 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 Surat vs $23.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $101 vs $210 per month, with Surat cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇳 Surat

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

07:51 7:51 AM

10:21 10:21 AM

2 h 30 min ahead of Surat

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,936,534

964,169

💱 Currency

Indian Rupee INR ₹

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 INR = 10.33 USD

1,000 INR = 9.21 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇳 Indian Rupee (₹)

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 96.78 INR (100 INR = 1.03 USD). 1 EUR = 109 INR (1,000 INR = 9.21 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.35 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

USD to INR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Surat Cebu 5,570 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Surat
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

Surat vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surat is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 9% 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: $216 in Surat versus $506 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $806 per month in Surat versus $934 in Cebu – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Surat runs roughly 140% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Surat gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Surat 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, Surat 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 Surat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.