Cost of Living Comparison Between Bohol and Manila Cost of Living Comparison Between Bohol and Manila

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $689 per month in Bohol vs $957 in Manila, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,111 per month in Bohol vs $1,543 in Manila, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,532 per month in Bohol vs $2,130 in Manila, rent included.

Bohol is about 28% cheaper than Manila, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bohol and Manila are more affordable than the global median – Bohol 48% lower, Manila 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 ₱216

$5.22 ₱315

-31.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.34 ₱2,128

$26.52 ₱1,597

33.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.33 ₱261

$4.38 ₱264

-1.14%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ₱201

$2.72 ₱164

22.79%

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

$0.79 ₱47.33

$0.93 ₱55.9

-15.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₱23.96

$0.51 ₱30.63

-21.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 ₱81.5

$1.52 ₱91.7

-11.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₱125

$2.71 ₱163

-23.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱116

$1.95 ₱117

-1.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 ₱72.6

$1.36 ₱81.9

-11.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ₱56.2

$1.09 ₱65.5

-14.68%

Eggs

$2.01 ₱121

$2.10 ₱127

-4.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 ₱477

$9.46 ₱570

-16.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.13 ₱249

$5.24 ₱316

-21.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.81 ₱530

$8.78 ₱529

0.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 ₱174

$3.40 ₱205

-15.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 ₱93.0

$1.77 ₱106

-12.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱163

$3.48 ₱210

-22.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱92.6

$2.41 ₱145

-36.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 ₱125

$2.67 ₱161

-22.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 ₱157

$3.15 ₱190

-17.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ₱66.6

$2.02 ₱122

-45.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₱42.86

$0.69 ₱41.56

2.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 ₱140

$3.35 ₱202

-30.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.03 ₱604

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 ₱71.9

$1.46 ₱87.9

-18.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₱122

$2.14 ₱129

-5.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱16.94

$0.52 ₱31.03

-46.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.01 ₱723

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱46.16

$0.92 ₱55.1

-16.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.20

$0.27 ₱16.32

-18.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.18 ₱131

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱75.0

$1.16 ₱69.6

6.90%

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

$27.1K ₱1.6M

$26.8K ₱1.6M

0.97%

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

$20.2K ₱1.2M

$23.1K ₱1.4M

-12.63%

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

$111 ₱6,679

$134 ₱8,058

-17.12%

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

$32.82 ₱1,977

$22.30 ₱1,343

47.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.44 ₱1,653

$26.94 ₱1,622

1.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.38 ₱1,107

$42.13 ₱2,537

-56.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.34 ₱261

$6.77 ₱408

-35.89%

Cinema Ticket

$5.63 ₱339

$6.57 ₱395

-14.31%

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

$149 ₱8,963

$354 ₱21.3K

-57.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,382 ₱263.9K

$11.2K ₱675.0K

-60.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.65 ₱2,749

$47.31 ₱2,849

-3.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ₱1,585

$34.90 ₱2,102

-24.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 ₱4,606

$82.5 ₱4,966

-7.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.1 ₱3,140

$46.21 ₱2,783

12.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$142 ₱8,534

$500 ₱30.1K

-71.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$105 ₱6,350

$272 ₱16.4K

-61.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$536 ₱32.3K

$1,716 ₱103.3K

-68.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 ₱13.6K

$631 ₱38.0K

-64.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,360 ₱262.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$551 ₱33.2K

$2,599 ₱156.5K

-78.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$516 ₱31.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

7.52

-11.30%

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

Last update for Bohol: June 14, 2026

Last update for Manila: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $142 in Bohol versus $500 in Manila. 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 $35.00 in Bohol versus $27.00 in Manila. Groceries tell a different story – $191 in Bohol vs $243 in Manila – so Bohol wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Bohol vs Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Manila is pricier by about 39%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,034 per month in Bohol and $1,436 in Manila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $689 in Bohol and $957 in Manila. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $149 per month in Bohol and $354 in Manila. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bohol, where all-in costs run around $689, than in Manila at $957. In Bohol it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manila it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bohol – 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 Bohol. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Manila makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.