Cost of Living Comparison Between Alabang and Chengdu Cost of Living Comparison Between Alabang and Chengdu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $680 per month in Alabang vs $691 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,113 per month in Alabang vs $1,088 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,546 per month in Alabang vs $1,484 in Chengdu, rent included.

Alabang is about 2% cheaper than Chengdu, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Alabang and Chengdu are more affordable than the global median – Alabang 49% lower, Chengdu 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.01 ₱245

$2.84 ¥19.16

41.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.18 ₱1,296

$23.43 ¥158

-9.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.24 ₱137

$4.94 ¥33.36

-54.66%

Cappuccino

$2.69 ₱165

$2.79 ¥18.85

-3.58%

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

$0.92 ₱56.3

$0.43 ¥2.93

113.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₱21.04

$0.30 ¥2.03

13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.26 ₱77.0

$1.14 ¥7.67

10.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ₱165

$2.11 ¥14.23

27.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ₱94.1

$1.79 ¥12.11

-13.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 ₱71.3

$1.45 ¥9.77

-20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 ₱44.57

$0.91 ¥6.17

-19.78%

Eggs

$1.97 ₱120

$1.92 ¥12.97

2.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.98 ₱427

$13.62 ¥91.9

-48.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ₱185

$3.65 ¥24.65

-16.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.82 ₱418

$11.42 ¥77.1

-40.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 ₱130

$1.84 ¥12.40

15.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ₱89.4

$1.23 ¥8.30

18.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 ₱96.5

$1.44 ¥9.72

9.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ₱99.0

$1.06 ¥7.18

52.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 ₱74.7

$0.71 ¥4.80

71.83%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 ₱193

$0.70 ¥4.74

351.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 ₱100

$0.60 ¥4.02

173.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₱42.79

$0.57 ¥3.84

22.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 ₱134

$3.40 ¥22.92

-35.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.93 ₱485

$5.44 ¥36.72

45.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 ₱77.0

$0.94 ¥6.36

34.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱106

$1.88 ¥12.71

-7.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.17

$0.43 ¥2.92

-34.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.82 ¥188

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱51.2

$1.22 ¥8.25

-31.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.40

$0.28 ¥1.91

-21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 ₱134

$4.28 ¥28.87

-48.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₱69.3

$1.12 ¥7.56

0.89%

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

$25.2K ₱1.5M

$18.7K ¥126.0K

35.31%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$16.7K ¥112.5K

24.77%

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

$46.10 ₱2,822

$44.08 ¥298

4.58%

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

$33.63 ₱2,058

$11.44 ¥77.2

193.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 ₱1,803

$11.59 ¥78.2

154.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.48 ₱2,110

$23.88 ¥161

44.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.50 ₱276

$11.59 ¥78.2

-61.17%

Cinema Ticket

$3.53 ₱216

$5.43 ¥36.66

-34.99%

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

$67.1 ₱4,110

$342 ¥2,310

-80.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,776 ₱169.9K

$12.3K ¥83.0K

-77.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.85 ₱1,950

$36.64 ¥247

-13.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.00 ₱1,102

$38.88 ¥262

-53.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 ₱5,895

$66.4 ¥448

44.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.0 ₱3,305

$51.5 ¥347

4.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$253 ₱15.5K

$310 ¥2,095

-18.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 ₱10.7K

$180 ¥1,216

-3.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 ₱35.3K

$611 ¥4,125

-5.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$399 ₱24.4K

$324 ¥2,187

23.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,633 ₱161.2K

$3,792 ¥25.6K

-30.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,039 ₱63.6K

$1,909 ¥12.9K

-45.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,258 ¥8,491

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.13

4.21

93.11%

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

Last update for Alabang: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $253 in Alabang versus $310 in Chengdu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Alabang versus $23.00 in Chengdu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $197 – making Alabang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Alabang vs Chengdu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chengdu is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,021 per month in Alabang and $1,037 in Chengdu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alabang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Alabang and $23.00 in Chengdu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Chengdu, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $680 in Alabang and $691 in Chengdu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Alabang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Alabang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chengdu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.