Cost of Living Comparison Between Calbayog and Manila Cost of Living Comparison Between Calbayog and Manila

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $695 per month in Calbayog vs $963 in Manila, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,060 per month in Calbayog vs $1,522 in Manila, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,425 per month in Calbayog vs $2,081 in Manila, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.61 ₱221

$5.39 ₱330

-33.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.04 ₱1,104

$26.79 ₱1,639

-32.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.36 ₱206

$4.54 ₱278

-25.99%

Cappuccino

$2.47 ₱151

$2.62 ₱160

-5.73%

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

$0.79 ₱48.07

$0.98 ₱60.2

-19.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₱22.41

$0.54 ₱32.93

-31.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ₱83.2

$1.48 ₱90.8

-8.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₱128

$2.73 ₱167

-23.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 ₱82.7

$1.96 ₱120

-31.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 ₱77.6

$1.40 ₱85.4

-9.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ₱61.2

$1.03 ₱63.2

-2.91%

Eggs

$2.10 ₱128

$2.07 ₱127

1.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.84 ₱480

$9.11 ₱557

-13.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.84 ₱235

$5.20 ₱318

-26.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.61 ₱465

$8.70 ₱533

-12.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 ₱102

$3.40 ₱208

-51.18%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 ₱56.7

$1.81 ₱111

-48.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 ₱158

$3.66 ₱224

-29.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ₱95.0

$2.52 ₱154

-38.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱140

$2.81 ₱172

-18.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 ₱161

$3.09 ₱189

-14.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₱68.6

$1.99 ₱122

-43.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₱43.11

$0.69 ₱41.97

1.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 ₱266

$3.44 ₱210

26.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.77 ₱353

$9.98 ₱611

-42.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₱46.81

$1.49 ₱91.4

-48.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 ₱61.2

$2.19 ₱134

-54.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.87

$0.48 ₱29.54

-45.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.88 ₱1,278

$11.83 ₱724

76.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱48.13

$0.93 ₱56.7

-15.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.77

$0.27 ₱16.58

-11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.15 ₱131

$2.16 ₱132

-0.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 ₱94.2

$1.12 ₱68.2

37.50%

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

$26.2K ₱1.6M

$26.6K ₱1.6M

-1.24%

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

$20.2K ₱1.2M

$23.0K ₱1.4M

-11.88%

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

$111 ₱6,806

$135 ₱8,238

-17.38%

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

$32.40 ₱1,982

$22.00 ₱1,346

47.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.85 ₱1,704

$27.98 ₱1,712

-0.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.69 ₱2,061

$42.05 ₱2,573

-19.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.56 ₱279

$7.00 ₱428

-34.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.05 ₱370

$6.73 ₱411

-10.10%

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

$154 ₱9,423

$365 ₱22.3K

-57.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,233 ₱259.0K

$11.6K ₱707.4K

-63.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.05 ₱2,756

$46.97 ₱2,874

-4.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.15 ₱1,600

$35.01 ₱2,142

-25.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.4 ₱4,549

$81.7 ₱5,000

-9.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.3 ₱3,200

$45.98 ₱2,813

13.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$176 ₱10.8K

$489 ₱29.9K

-63.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$106 ₱6,512

$270 ₱16.5K

-60.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$341 ₱20.8K

$1,687 ₱103.2K

-79.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 ₱11.4K

$630 ₱38.5K

-70.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$525 ₱32.1K

$4,325 ₱264.6K

-87.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$502 ₱30.7K

$2,640 ₱161.5K

-80.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$154 ₱9,442

$452 ₱27.7K

-65.88%

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 Calbayog: April 26, 2026

Last update for Manila: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $176 in Calbayog versus $489 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 193% 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 $18 in Calbayog versus $27 in Manila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $243 – making Calbayog 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

Calbayog 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 $1,042 per month in Calbayog and $1,444 in Manila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 36% more in Manila, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Calbayog and $27.00 in Manila. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Calbayog, where all-in costs run around $695, than in Manila at $963. In Calbayog it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manila it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Calbayog – 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 Calbayog. 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.