Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dagupan and Manila

For one person, living is cheaper in Dagupan: $730 a month against $945 in Manila, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

35

Cost of Living Index in Dagupan
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Dagupan Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Manila
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Manila Living Index

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Dagupan

🇵🇭 Philippines

$730

/mo nomad

Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$945

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dagupan and in Manila

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dagupan and in Manila actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $730 per month in Dagupan vs $945 in Manila, rent included.

Dagupan $730
Manila $945

A couple spends around $1,083 per month in Dagupan vs $1,572 in Manila, rent included.

Dagupan $1,083
Manila $1,572

A family of three spends $1,435 per month in Dagupan vs $2,199 in Manila, rent included.

Dagupan $1,435
Manila $2,199

Dagupan is about 23% cheaper than Manila, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Dagupan and Manila are more affordable than the global median – Dagupan 46% lower, Manila 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.76 ₱176

$5.34 ₱341

-48.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.82 ₱755

$26.46 ₱1,691

-55.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.25 ₱271

$3.93 ₱251

8.14%

Cappuccino

$2.39 ₱153

$2.53 ₱162

-5.53%

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

$0.49 ₱31.45

$1.35 ₱86.2

-63.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 ₱14.01

$0.82 ₱52.2

-73.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 ₱76.6

$1.14 ₱72.8

5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 ₱171

$2.38 ₱152

12.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ₱109

$1.91 ₱122

-10.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 ₱80.9

$1.44 ₱92.1

-11.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ₱59.2

$0.94 ₱60.3

-1.06%

Eggs

$1.92 ₱122

$2.30 ₱147

-16.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.68 ₱363

$7.41 ₱473

-23.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.73 ₱302

$4.61 ₱295

2.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.66 ₱426

$6.65 ₱425

0.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 ₱250

$3.29 ₱211

18.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ₱122

$1.80 ₱115

6.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 ₱176

$3.00 ₱192

-8.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 ₱71.7

$1.76 ₱112

-36.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 ₱178

$2.22 ₱142

25.23%

Onion (1kg)

$3.38 ₱216

$2.66 ₱170

27.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 ₱66.7

$2.14 ₱137

-51.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.79

$0.53 ₱34.12

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 ₱147

$3.06 ₱196

-24.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.36 ₱342

$9.57 ₱611

-43.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ₱52.5

$1.30 ₱83.3

-36.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ₱119

$1.99 ₱127

-6.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₱12.66

$0.40 ₱25.83

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.75 ₱815

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 ₱38.49

$0.72 ₱45.97

-16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.71

$0.23 ₱14.72

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ₱122

$1.84 ₱117

3.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱70.3

$1.27 ₱81.0

-13.39%

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

$20.9K ₱1.3M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

1.11%

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

$18.7K ₱1.2M

0.33%

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

$103 ₱6,570

$120 ₱7,641

-14.02%

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

$15.47 ₱988

$15.69 ₱1,003

-1.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.08 ₱1,602

$23.60 ₱1,508

6.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.41 ₱2,071

$42.57 ₱2,720

-23.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.65 ₱361

Cinema Ticket

$5.03 ₱321

$6.50 ₱415

-22.62%

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

$767 ₱49.0K

$599 ₱38.3K

28.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,158 ₱457.3K

$8,818 ₱563.4K

-18.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 ₱3,828

$56.7 ₱3,621

5.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.65 ₱489

$27.40 ₱1,751

-72.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.4 ₱5,010

$76.4 ₱4,878

2.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ₱6,541

$55.5 ₱3,546

84.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$189 ₱12.1K

$526 ₱33.6K

-64.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$159 ₱10.2K

$297 ₱19.0K

-46.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$351 ₱22.4K

$1,887 ₱120.5K

-81.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 ₱16.8K

$816 ₱52.1K

-67.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,968 ₱253.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$463 ₱29.6K

$2,366 ₱151.2K

-80.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$231 ₱14.8K

$466 ₱29.8K

-50.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

7.43

0.94%

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

Last update for Dagupan: October 25, 2026

Last update for Manila: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Dagupan

$194 26.5%

Manila

$216 22.9% 11.7% $23

Accommodation & Living

Dagupan

$159 21.8%

Manila

$297 31.4% 86.7% $138

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dagupan

$143 19.6%

Manila

$159 16.8% 10.8% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Dagupan

$112 15.3%

Manila

$97 10.3% 13.1% $15

Eating Out

Dagupan

$78 10.6%

Manila

$104 11% 33.9% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Dagupan

$42 5.8%

Manila

$56 5.9% 30.9% $13

Getting Around

Dagupan

$2.6 * 0.4%

Manila

$16 1.7% 537% $14

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $189 in Dagupan versus $526 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 in Manila are about 2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12 in Dagupan versus $26 in Manila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $194 vs $216 – making Dagupan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Dagupan

🇵🇭 Manila

🕒 Local time

05:34 5:34 AM

Same time as Dagupan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

174,302

1,780,148 Capital

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Dagupan Manila 180 km

From you

Dagupan
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Dagupan vs Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Manila is pricier by about 29%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,096 per month in Dagupan and $1,418 in Manila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dagupan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $189 there versus $526 in Manila.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12 in Dagupan and $26 in Manila. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Manila, though the gap depends on what you buy.

It depends on your priorities. Manila has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $730 in Dagupan to $945 in Manila. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Dagupan. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Manila makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.