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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $689 per month in Chengdu vs $718 in Bulacan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,083 per month in Chengdu vs $1,050 in Bulacan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,477 per month in Chengdu vs $1,383 in Bulacan, rent included.

Chengdu is about 4% cheaper than Bulacan, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chengdu and Bulacan are more affordable than the global median – Chengdu 49% lower, Bulacan 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 ¥19.30

$2.70 ₱167

5.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.00 ¥162

$14.10 ₱870

70.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 ¥33.72

$2.83 ₱174

76.33%

Cappuccino

$2.77 ¥18.73

$2.22 ₱137

24.77%

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

$0.46 ¥3.14

$0.68 ₱41.84

-32.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.06

$0.31 ₱18.92

-3.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ¥7.62

$1.04 ₱63.9

8.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥14.43

$2.10 ₱129

1.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ¥12.18

$2.11 ₱130

-14.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ¥9.38

$1.25 ₱77.0

11.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.09

$0.92 ₱56.6

-2.17%

Eggs

$1.86 ¥12.59

$1.97 ₱121

-5.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.62 ¥92.1

$3.04 ₱188

348.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 ¥24.07

$3.70 ₱228

-3.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.23 ¥76.0

$6.67 ₱411

68.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ¥12.61

$2.07 ₱128

-10.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.99

$1.44 ₱88.6

-18.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.15

$2.14 ₱132

-29.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 ¥7.01

$1.43 ₱88.2

-27.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.73

$1.74 ₱107

-59.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.71

$1.52 ₱93.6

-53.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.81

$0.88 ₱54.0

-36.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.12

$0.84 ₱52.1

-27.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 ¥21.91

$2.87 ₱177

12.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.44 ¥36.77

$3.63 ₱224

49.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ¥6.78

$1.09 ₱67.3

-8.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.67

$1.62 ₱100

15.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.77

$0.29 ₱17.95

41.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.31 ¥185

$7.49 ₱462

264.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ¥8.28

$0.76 ₱47.02

60.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ¥1.75

$0.24 ₱14.84

8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 ¥27.62

$2.72 ₱168

50.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$1.10 ₱67.6

3.64%

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

$18.7K ¥126.6K

$27.1K ₱1.7M

-30.90%

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

$16.0K ¥108.4K

$14.7K ₱905.5K

9.22%

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

$45.05 ¥305

$113 ₱6,942

-59.98%

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

$11.69 ¥79.1

$32.16 ₱1,983

-63.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.38 ¥77.0

$27.96 ₱1,724

-59.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.49 ¥166

$40.56 ₱2,501

-39.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.16 ¥75.5

$4.40 ₱271

153.64%

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 ¥37.45

$6.38 ₱393

-13.17%

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

$333 ¥2,249

$106 ₱6,556

212.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K ¥82.1K

$4,394 ₱270.9K

176.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.92 ¥256

$29.90 ₱1,844

26.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.57 ¥261

$23.35 ₱1,440

65.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.4 ¥456

$75.8 ₱4,674

-11.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.7 ¥343

$98.2 ₱6,052

-48.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$318 ¥2,149

$255 ₱15.7K

24.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ¥1,213

$135 ₱8,326

32.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$610 ¥4,128

$392 ₱24.1K

55.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 ¥2,263

$202 ₱12.4K

66.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,810 ¥25.8K

$1,907 ₱117.6K

99.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,922 ¥13.0K

$1,479 ₱91.2K

29.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,257 ¥8,501

$294 ₱18.1K

327.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

6.17

-31.77%

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

Last update for Chengdu: June 2, 2026

Last update for Bulacan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $318 in Chengdu versus $255 in Bulacan. 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 327% higher in Chengdu, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Chengdu versus $14.00 in Bulacan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $196 vs $165 – 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

Chengdu vs Bulacan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bulacan costs about 4% more than Chengdu, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,033 per month in Chengdu and $1,076 in Bulacan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chengdu, 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 $689 in Chengdu and $718 in Bulacan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 265% less in Chengdu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $689 in Chengdu and $718 in Bulacan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Chengdu – 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 Chengdu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bulacan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.