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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Chengdu costs about 18% more than Bulacan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.90 ¥19.46

$2.39 ₱149

21.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.18 ¥135

$16.56 ₱1,035

21.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 ¥34.79

$2.36 ₱148

119.49%

Cappuccino

$2.94 ¥19.70

$1.83 ₱114

60.66%

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

$0.48 ¥3.19

$0.35 ₱22.07

37.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.29 ₱18.30

-3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ¥9.78

$0.86 ₱53.9

69.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 ¥16.75

$1.51 ₱94.4

65.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ¥11.82

$1.62 ₱101

8.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 ¥11.00

$1.15 ₱72.2

42.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ¥6.32

$0.88 ₱55.2

6.82%

Eggs

$1.54 ¥10.30

$1.71 ₱107

-9.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.19 ¥95.2

$2.72 ₱170

421.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.51 ¥23.54

$3.37 ₱210

4.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.04 ¥74.1

$6.02 ₱376

83.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.21

$2.01 ₱126

-9.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 ¥8.47

$1.57 ₱98.1

-19.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.11

$1.95 ₱122

-45.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 ¥8.39

$1.08 ₱67.4

15.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ¥4.64

$1.62 ₱101

-57.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.84

$1.75 ₱109

-58.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ¥4.91

$0.67 ₱41.85

8.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ¥3.93

$0.49 ₱30.69

20.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.63 ¥24.33

$2.94 ₱184

23.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.47 ¥36.67

$3.64 ₱228

50.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.29

$0.96 ₱60.0

-17.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ¥10.27

$1.53 ₱96.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.91

$0.21 ₱13.38

104.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.95 ¥167

$6.66 ₱417

274.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 ¥8.82

$0.71 ₱44.39

85.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ¥1.94

$0.18 ₱11.36

61.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 ¥29.37

$1.87 ₱117

134.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥8.22

$1.04 ₱65.1

18.27%

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

$19.4K ¥130.0K

$21.7K ₱1.4M

-10.59%

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

$17.4K ¥116.9K

$16.6K ₱1.0M

5.10%

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

$41.04 ¥275

$116 ₱7,248

-64.59%

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

$9.46 ¥63.5

$17.90 ₱1,119

-47.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.83 ¥86.1

$23.30 ₱1,457

-44.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.45 ¥184

$37.27 ₱2,331

-26.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.02 ¥74.0

$0.78 ₱48.72

1312.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.02 ¥40.40

$5.28 ₱330

14.02%

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

$410 ¥2,751

$94.2 ₱5,892

335.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ¥99.1K

$966 ₱60.4K

1428.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.78 ¥193

$28.62 ₱1,790

0.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.21 ¥196

$19.33 ₱1,209

51.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.8 ¥408

$74.3 ₱4,647

-18.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.7 ¥353

$56.1 ₱3,509

-6.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 ¥3,264

$241 ₱15.1K

101.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 ¥1,716

$152 ₱9,489

68.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 ¥5,699

$389 ₱24.3K

118.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$545 ¥3,660

$217 ₱13.6K

151.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,813 ¥25.6K

$1,927 ₱120.5K

97.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,909 ¥12.8K

$1,418 ₱88.7K

34.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,284 ¥8,614

$289 ₱18.0K

344.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

6.75

-49.93%

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

Last update for Chengdu: September 1, 2026

Last update for Bulacan: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $486 in Chengdu versus $241 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 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 $20.00 in Chengdu versus $17.00 in Bulacan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $196 vs $146 – 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

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 $1,145 per month in Chengdu and $967 in Bulacan. 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 $763 in Chengdu and $645 in Bulacan. 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 $763 in Chengdu and $645 in Bulacan, 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.