Cost of Living Comparison Between Albay and Manila Cost of Living Comparison Between Albay and Manila

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $731 in Albay versus $927 in Manila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,100 in Albay versus $1,501 in Manila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,470 in Albay versus $2,074 in Manila.

Living in Albay costs roughly 21% less than in Manila, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Albay 47% lower, Manila 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.65 ₱228

$5.16 ₱322

-29.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.73 ₱1,043

$25.86 ₱1,613

-35.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.77 ₱172

$3.93 ₱245

-29.52%

Cappuccino

$2.15 ₱134

$2.52 ₱157

-14.68%

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

$0.59 ₱36.49

$1.36 ₱84.6

-56.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₱19.77

$0.83 ₱51.8

-61.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 ₱67.9

$1.13 ₱70.4

-3.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ₱116

$2.74 ₱171

-31.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 ₱105

$1.90 ₱118

-11.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 ₱69.9

$1.43 ₱89.1

-21.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ₱56.9

$0.98 ₱61.1

-7.14%

Eggs

$1.94 ₱121

$2.23 ₱139

-13.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.31 ₱331

$7.99 ₱498

-33.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.16 ₱259

$4.69 ₱292

-11.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.34 ₱458

$6.81 ₱424

7.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₱143

$3.32 ₱207

-31.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ₱97.7

$1.83 ₱114

-14.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 ₱147

$2.98 ₱186

-21.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ₱70.7

$1.86 ₱116

-39.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 ₱132

$2.26 ₱141

-6.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 ₱126

$2.70 ₱168

-25.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 ₱48.91

$2.10 ₱131

-62.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₱32.69

$0.56 ₱34.65

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 ₱180

$3.20 ₱200

-9.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.17 ₱510

$9.61 ₱599

-14.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 ₱60.9

$1.32 ₱82.6

-25.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ₱125

$2.10 ₱131

-4.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ₱16.86

$0.46 ₱28.89

-41.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.14 ₱695

$12.68 ₱791

-12.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱48.58

$0.83 ₱52.1

-6.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.67

$0.23 ₱14.39

8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ₱118

$1.86 ₱116

1.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₱70.2

$1.24 ₱77.1

-8.87%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$21.3K ₱1.3M

2.18%

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

$19.5K ₱1.2M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

0.89%

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

$122 ₱7,636

$122 ₱7,607

0.38%

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

$15.25 ₱951

$14.83 ₱925

2.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.58 ₱1,533

$23.95 ₱1,494

2.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.78 ₱1,982

$42.46 ₱2,648

-25.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.76 ₱297

$5.79 ₱361

-17.79%

Cinema Ticket

$5.28 ₱329

$6.88 ₱429

-23.26%

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

$135 ₱8,447

$621 ₱38.7K

-78.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,000 ₱498.9K

$8,865 ₱552.8K

-9.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.79 ₱2,045

$57.5 ₱3,586

-42.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.93 ₱1,243

$28.04 ₱1,749

-28.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 ₱4,487

$77.6 ₱4,840

-7.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.6 ₱3,532

$57.9 ₱3,609

-2.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 ₱16.8K

$534 ₱33.3K

-49.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 ₱10.8K

$287 ₱17.9K

-39.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$493 ₱30.7K

$1,928 ₱120.2K

-74.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 ₱22.2K

$664 ₱41.4K

-46.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,618 ₱163.3K

$4,356 ₱271.6K

-39.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,025 ₱63.9K

$2,555 ₱159.3K

-59.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 ₱10.3K

$473 ₱29.5K

-65.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

7.43

-9.15%

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

Last update for Albay: September 6, 2026

Last update for Manila: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $269 in Albay and $534 in Manila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manila pays 187% 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: $17.00 in Albay vs $26.00 in Manila for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $220 per month, with Albay cheaper across the board.

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

Albay vs Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Albay and Manila differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($731 vs $927 including rent). Albay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 187% lower in Manila. 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: $269 in Albay versus $534 in Manila. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Manila. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Albay – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $26.00 in Manila. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $731 in Albay versus $927 in Manila, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Albay but tight or insufficient in Manila. The gap between the two cities makes Albay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Albay and Manila 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 Albay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Manila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.