Cost of Living Comparison Between Calamba and Manila Cost of Living Comparison Between Calamba and Manila

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $716 in Calamba versus $963 in Manila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,185 in Calamba versus $1,522 in Manila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,654 in Calamba versus $2,081 in Manila.

Living in Calamba costs roughly 26% less than in Manila, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Calamba 47% lower, Manila 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 ₱216

$5.39 ₱330

-34.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.14 ₱804

$26.79 ₱1,639

-50.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.59 ₱159

$4.54 ₱278

-42.95%

Cappuccino

$2.45 ₱150

$2.62 ₱160

-6.49%

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

$0.64 ₱39.37

$0.98 ₱60.2

-34.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 ₱24.82

$0.54 ₱32.93

-24.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ₱60.9

$1.48 ₱90.8

-33.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₱118

$2.73 ₱167

-28.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱117

$1.96 ₱120

-2.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 ₱73.1

$1.40 ₱85.4

-14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱65.6

$1.03 ₱63.2

3.88%

Eggs

$2.21 ₱135

$2.07 ₱127

6.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 ₱566

$9.11 ₱557

1.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.76 ₱230

$5.20 ₱318

-27.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.57 ₱524

$8.70 ₱533

-1.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 ₱163

$3.40 ₱208

-21.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ₱110

$1.81 ₱111

-1.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ₱146

$3.66 ₱224

-34.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 ₱74.5

$2.52 ₱154

-51.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 ₱113

$2.81 ₱172

-34.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 ₱139

$3.09 ₱189

-26.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ₱44.29

$1.99 ₱122

-63.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₱47.46

$0.69 ₱41.97

13.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ₱197

$3.44 ₱210

-6.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.97 ₱549

$9.98 ₱611

-10.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 ₱63.3

$1.49 ₱91.4

-30.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱142

$2.19 ₱134

5.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.90

$0.48 ₱29.54

-45.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.83 ₱724

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 ₱52.4

$0.93 ₱56.7

-7.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.77

$0.27 ₱16.58

-11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.41 ₱147

$2.16 ₱132

11.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.1

$1.12 ₱68.2

-1.79%

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

$32.2K ₱2.0M

$26.6K ₱1.6M

21.03%

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

$20.5K ₱1.3M

$23.0K ₱1.4M

-10.57%

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

$148 ₱9,035

$135 ₱8,238

9.68%

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

$34.74 ₱2,125

$22.00 ₱1,346

57.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.96 ₱1,588

$27.98 ₱1,712

-7.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.12 ₱2,088

$42.05 ₱2,573

-18.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.53 ₱277

$7.00 ₱428

-35.29%

Cinema Ticket

$5.64 ₱345

$6.73 ₱411

-16.20%

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

$152 ₱9,308

$365 ₱22.3K

-58.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,639 ₱283.8K

$11.6K ₱707.4K

-59.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.81 ₱2,986

$46.97 ₱2,874

3.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.42 ₱1,678

$35.01 ₱2,142

-21.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 ₱4,626

$81.7 ₱5,000

-7.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.02 ₱2,877

$45.98 ₱2,813

2.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$124 ₱7,568

$489 ₱29.9K

-74.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$79.1 ₱4,841

$270 ₱16.5K

-70.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 ₱35.3K

$1,687 ₱103.2K

-65.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₱23.8K

$630 ₱38.5K

-38.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,132 ₱130.4K

$4,325 ₱264.6K

-50.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,640 ₱161.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$260 ₱15.9K

$452 ₱27.7K

-42.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

7.52

-40.16%

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

Last update for Calamba: April 27, 2026

Last update for Manila: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $124 in Calamba and $489 in Manila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manila pays 74% 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: $13.00 in Calamba vs $27.00 in Manila for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $243 per month, with Calamba 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

Calamba vs Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calamba wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Manila. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Calamba the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Manila earns 74% 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: $124 in Calamba versus $489 in Manila. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Manila. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $716 per month in Calamba versus $963 in Manila – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $716 in Calamba versus $963 in Manila, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Calamba but tight or insufficient in Manila. The gap between the two cities makes Calamba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Calamba delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $716 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Calamba hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Calamba 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 Calamba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Manila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.