Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulacan and Manila Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulacan and Manila

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $709 per month in Bulacan vs $957 in Manila, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,047 per month in Bulacan vs $1,538 in Manila, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,385 per month in Bulacan vs $2,118 in Manila, rent included.

Bulacan is about 26% cheaper than Manila, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bulacan and Manila are more affordable than the global median – Bulacan 47% lower, Manila 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.63 ₱162

$5.28 ₱325

-50.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.29 ₱880

$27.12 ₱1,669

-47.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.86 ₱176

$4.55 ₱280

-37.14%

Cappuccino

$2.18 ₱134

$2.73 ₱168

-20.15%

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

$0.68 ₱42.03

$0.96 ₱59.3

-29.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₱20.57

$0.50 ₱30.96

-34.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 ₱63.9

$1.54 ₱94.7

-32.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₱125

$2.65 ₱163

-23.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 ₱125

$1.90 ₱117

7.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 ₱76.4

$1.33 ₱81.9

-6.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₱60.4

$1.07 ₱66.1

-8.41%

Eggs

$1.99 ₱122

$2.08 ₱128

-4.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.13 ₱193

$9.28 ₱572

-66.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 ₱215

$5.21 ₱321

-33.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.44 ₱397

$8.55 ₱527

-24.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 ₱134

$3.54 ₱218

-38.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 ₱88.9

$1.80 ₱111

-20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 ₱130

$3.58 ₱221

-41.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 ₱90.5

$2.50 ₱154

-41.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 ₱112

$2.78 ₱171

-34.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ₱92.8

$3.16 ₱194

-52.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 ₱51.1

$1.98 ₱122

-58.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₱49.24

$0.68 ₱42.17

17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 ₱176

$3.31 ₱204

-13.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.68 ₱227

$9.50 ₱585

-61.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ₱64.3

$1.46 ₱90.0

-28.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ₱105

$2.11 ₱130

-18.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ₱17.92

$0.48 ₱29.41

-39.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.30 ₱449

$12.15 ₱748

-39.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.1

$0.88 ₱54.0

-7.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.51

$0.27 ₱16.65

-18.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 ₱162

$2.08 ₱128

26.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.5

$1.17 ₱72.3

-5.98%

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

$27.3K ₱1.7M

$26.1K ₱1.6M

4.73%

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

$14.8K ₱912.1K

$22.8K ₱1.4M

-35.10%

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

$113 ₱6,971

$135 ₱8,337

-16.39%

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

$32.87 ₱2,023

$21.56 ₱1,328

52.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.12 ₱1,731

$27.58 ₱1,698

1.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.87 ₱2,578

$41.41 ₱2,549

1.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.34 ₱267

$6.82 ₱420

-36.36%

Cinema Ticket

$6.05 ₱372

$6.92 ₱426

-12.57%

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

$105 ₱6,494

$363 ₱22.3K

-70.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,301 ₱264.8K

$11.6K ₱713.4K

-62.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.11 ₱1,854

$47.10 ₱2,900

-36.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.21 ₱1,429

$34.39 ₱2,117

-32.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 ₱4,648

$81.9 ₱5,040

-7.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 ₱6,103

$47.42 ₱2,919

109.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$259 ₱15.9K

$486 ₱29.9K

-46.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 ₱8,317

$272 ₱16.7K

-50.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 ₱24.1K

$1,729 ₱106.5K

-77.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 ₱12.4K

$641 ₱39.5K

-68.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,954 ₱120.3K

$4,332 ₱266.7K

-54.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,461 ₱90.0K

$2,602 ₱160.2K

-43.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$293 ₱18.0K

$467 ₱28.7K

-37.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

7.52

-17.95%

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

Last update for Bulacan: July 14, 2026

Last update for Manila: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $259 in Bulacan versus $486 in Manila. 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 59% higher in Manila, 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 $14.00 in Bulacan versus $27.00 in Manila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $164 vs $241 – 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 Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manila costs about 35% 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 $1,063 per month in Bulacan 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 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 $709 in Bulacan and $957 in Manila. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 66% 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 $709 in Bulacan and $957 in Manila, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bulacan costs $709 versus $957 in Manila. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Bulacan. 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.