Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulacan and Chengdu Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulacan and Chengdu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $645 per month in Bulacan vs $763 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $930 per month in Bulacan vs $1,225 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,215 per month in Bulacan vs $1,688 in Chengdu, rent included.

Bulacan is about 15% cheaper than Chengdu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bulacan and Chengdu are more affordable than the global median – Bulacan 53% lower, Chengdu 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.39 ₱149

$2.90 ¥19.46

-17.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.56 ₱1,035

$20.18 ¥135

-17.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.36 ₱148

$5.18 ¥34.79

-54.44%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ₱114

$2.94 ¥19.70

-37.76%

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

$0.35 ₱22.07

$0.48 ¥3.19

-27.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₱18.30

$0.28 ¥1.89

3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.86 ₱53.9

$1.46 ¥9.78

-41.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 ₱94.4

$2.50 ¥16.75

-39.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ₱101

$1.76 ¥11.82

-7.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 ₱72.2

$1.64 ¥11.00

-29.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 ₱55.2

$0.94 ¥6.32

-6.38%

Eggs

$1.71 ₱107

$1.54 ¥10.30

11.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.72 ₱170

$14.19 ¥95.2

-80.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 ₱210

$3.51 ¥23.54

-3.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.02 ₱376

$11.04 ¥74.1

-45.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 ₱126

$1.82 ¥12.21

10.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ₱98.1

$1.26 ¥8.47

24.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 ₱122

$1.06 ¥7.11

83.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 ₱67.4

$1.25 ¥8.39

-13.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 ₱101

$0.69 ¥4.64

134.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 ₱109

$0.72 ¥4.84

143.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ₱41.85

$0.73 ¥4.91

-8.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.69

$0.59 ¥3.93

-16.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱184

$3.63 ¥24.33

-19.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.64 ₱228

$5.47 ¥36.67

-33.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₱60.0

$0.79 ¥5.29

21.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ₱96.0

$1.53 ¥10.27

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 ₱13.38

$0.43 ¥2.91

-51.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.66 ₱417

$24.95 ¥167

-73.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 ₱44.39

$1.32 ¥8.82

-46.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.18 ₱11.36

$0.29 ¥1.94

-37.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₱117

$4.38 ¥29.37

-57.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ₱65.1

$1.23 ¥8.22

-15.45%

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

$21.7K ₱1.4M

$19.4K ¥130.0K

11.85%

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

$16.6K ₱1.0M

$17.4K ¥116.9K

-4.85%

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

$116 ₱7,248

$41.04 ¥275

182.43%

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

$17.90 ₱1,119

$9.46 ¥63.5

89.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.30 ₱1,457

$12.83 ¥86.1

81.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.27 ₱2,331

$27.45 ¥184

35.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$0.78 ₱48.72

$11.02 ¥74.0

-92.92%

Cinema Ticket

$5.28 ₱330

$6.02 ¥40.40

-12.29%

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

$94.2 ₱5,892

$410 ¥2,751

-77.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$966 ₱60.4K

$14.8K ¥99.1K

-93.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.62 ₱1,790

$28.78 ¥193

-0.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.33 ₱1,209

$29.21 ¥196

-33.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 ₱4,647

$60.8 ¥408

22.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.1 ₱3,509

$52.7 ¥353

6.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 ₱15.1K

$486 ¥3,264

-50.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 ₱9,489

$256 ¥1,716

-40.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₱24.3K

$849 ¥5,699

-54.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 ₱13.6K

$545 ¥3,660

-60.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,927 ₱120.5K

$3,813 ¥25.6K

-49.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,418 ₱88.7K

$1,909 ¥12.8K

-25.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$289 ₱18.0K

$1,284 ¥8,614

-77.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

3.38

99.70%

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

Last update for Bulacan: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $241 in Bulacan versus $486 in Chengdu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 345% higher in Chengdu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Bulacan versus $20.00 in Chengdu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $146 vs $196 – making Bulacan 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

Bulacan vs Chengdu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chengdu costs about 18% more than Bulacan, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $967 per month in Bulacan and $1,145 in Chengdu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bulacan, 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 $645 in Bulacan and $763 in Chengdu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 275% less in Bulacan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $645 in Bulacan and $763 in Chengdu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

If budget matters most, go with Bulacan. 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.