Cost of Living Comparison Between Boracay and Manila Cost of Living Comparison Between Boracay and Manila

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $785 in Boracay versus $959 in Manila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,413 in Boracay versus $1,528 in Manila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,041 in Boracay versus $2,097 in Manila.

Living in Boracay costs roughly 18% less than in Manila, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Boracay 41% lower, Manila 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ₱193

$5.38 ₱332

-41.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.30 ₱1,314

$26.83 ₱1,656

-20.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 ₱303

$4.34 ₱268

13.13%

Cappuccino

$2.36 ₱146

$2.75 ₱169

-14.18%

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

$1.23 ₱75.8

$0.96 ₱59.0

28.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₱17.46

$0.50 ₱30.58

-44.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 ₱80.2

$1.49 ₱92.1

-12.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$2.61 ₱161

-19.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ₱108

$1.89 ₱117

-7.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ₱75.1

$1.38 ₱85.4

-11.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 ₱52.4

$1.05 ₱64.7

-19.05%

Eggs

$2.64 ₱163

$2.18 ₱135

21.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.83 ₱483

$9.61 ₱593

-18.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.30 ₱266

$5.19 ₱320

-17.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 ₱462

$8.32 ₱513

-9.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ₱184

$3.50 ₱216

-14.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ₱90.6

$1.80 ₱111

-18.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 ₱159

$3.58 ₱221

-27.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 ₱88.3

$2.49 ₱154

-42.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 ₱108

$2.76 ₱170

-36.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 ₱162

$3.03 ₱187

-13.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ₱66.1

$2.01 ₱124

-46.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₱44.01

$0.64 ₱39.60

10.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.81 ₱235

$3.32 ₱205

14.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.95 ₱491

$9.74 ₱601

-18.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₱71.2

$1.49 ₱92.1

-22.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ₱121

$2.15 ₱133

-8.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₱22.51

$0.52 ₱31.93

-30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.00 ₱741

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱49.99

$0.86 ₱53.2

-5.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.57

$0.25 ₱15.38

-12.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 ₱135

$2.16 ₱133

1.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₱77.9

$1.16 ₱71.9

8.62%

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

$26.4K ₱1.6M

$26.2K ₱1.6M

0.64%

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

$20.5K ₱1.3M

$22.7K ₱1.4M

-9.82%

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

$114 ₱7,039

$138 ₱8,535

-17.52%

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

$8.80 ₱543

$22.24 ₱1,372

-60.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.04 ₱2,347

$27.71 ₱1,710

37.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 ₱3,218

$41.41 ₱2,555

25.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.52 ₱279

$6.89 ₱425

-34.40%

Cinema Ticket

$4.12 ₱254

$6.58 ₱406

-37.39%

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

$155 ₱9,537

$357 ₱22.0K

-56.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,962 ₱244.5K

$11.5K ₱707.8K

-65.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.06 ₱2,842

$46.42 ₱2,864

-0.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.47 ₱1,633

$35.12 ₱2,167

-24.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 ₱4,689

$82.4 ₱5,084

-7.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.0 ₱3,269

$45.78 ₱2,825

15.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 ₱16.6K

$500 ₱30.8K

-46.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 ₱10.8K

$265 ₱16.3K

-34.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 ₱35.9K

$1,684 ₱103.9K

-65.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$758 ₱46.8K

$636 ₱39.2K

19.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,470 ₱152.4K

$4,370 ₱269.6K

-43.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$983 ₱60.7K

$2,544 ₱157.0K

-61.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$235 ₱14.5K

$481 ₱29.7K

-51.22%

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 Boracay: May 31, 2026

Last update for Manila: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $269 in Boracay and $500 in Manila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manila pays 105% 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: $21.00 in Boracay vs $27.00 in Manila for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $201 vs $242 per month, with Boracay 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

Boracay vs Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boracay and Manila differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($785 vs $959 including rent). Boracay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Manila earns 105% less. 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 Boracay versus $500 in Manila. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $155 in Boracay versus $357 in Manila. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Boracay – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $27.00 in Manila. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $785 in Boracay versus $959 in Manila, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Boracay but tight or insufficient in Manila. The gap between the two cities makes Boracay 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, Boracay 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 Boracay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Manila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.