Cost of Living Comparison Between Dasmarinas and Manila Cost of Living Comparison Between Dasmarinas and Manila

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $502 in Dasmarinas versus $934 in Manila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $750 in Dasmarinas versus $1,491 in Manila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $998 in Dasmarinas versus $2,048 in Manila.

Living in Dasmarinas costs roughly 46% less than in Manila, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dasmarinas 63% lower, Manila 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.10 ₱257

$5.70 ₱357

-28.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.57 ₱1,037

$25.88 ₱1,620

-35.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.76 ₱173

$4.11 ₱257

-32.85%

Cappuccino

$1.78 ₱111

$2.49 ₱156

-28.51%

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

$0.59 ₱37.08

$1.37 ₱85.6

-56.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₱19.38

$0.84 ₱52.5

-63.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 ₱63.4

$1.14 ₱71.7

-11.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ₱98.2

$2.67 ₱167

-41.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 ₱87.4

$1.89 ₱118

-25.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 ₱69.6

$1.46 ₱91.4

-23.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.70 ₱43.81

$0.99 ₱61.8

-29.29%

Eggs

$1.82 ₱114

$2.32 ₱145

-21.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.01 ₱313

$7.85 ₱492

-36.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 ₱216

$4.96 ₱310

-30.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.68 ₱293

$7.07 ₱442

-33.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 ₱140

$3.39 ₱212

-34.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ₱100

$1.93 ₱121

-17.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 ₱153

$3.01 ₱188

-18.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 ₱65.7

$1.78 ₱112

-41.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 ₱106

$2.24 ₱140

-24.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 ₱110

$2.59 ₱162

-32.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ₱38.65

$2.12 ₱133

-70.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱31.20

$0.56 ₱34.94

-10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₱183

$3.03 ₱190

-3.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.07 ₱568

$9.84 ₱616

-7.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₱56.4

$1.28 ₱80.1

-29.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ₱126

$2.11 ₱132

-4.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ₱29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.73 ₱797

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱49.39

$0.83 ₱52.2

-4.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.69

$0.23 ₱14.44

8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ₱118

$1.98 ₱124

-4.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 ₱61.2

$1.24 ₱77.5

-20.97%

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

$21.7K ₱1.4M

$21.8K ₱1.4M

-0.42%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

-0.19%

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

$48.99 ₱3,067

$121 ₱7,605

-59.68%

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

$17.37 ₱1,087

$15.06 ₱943

15.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 ₱1,493

$23.90 ₱1,496

-0.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.47 ₱2,095

$43.84 ₱2,745

-23.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.97 ₱374

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 ₱320

$7.03 ₱440

-27.45%

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

$136 ₱8,490

$629 ₱39.4K

-78.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₱677.1K

$9,036 ₱565.7K

19.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.71 ₱1,797

$59.1 ₱3,703

-51.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.82 ₱1,241

$28.07 ₱1,758

-29.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₱4,478

$75.6 ₱4,730

-5.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.4 ₱3,470

$57.9 ₱3,624

-4.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 ₱33.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$48.46 ₱3,034

$283 ₱17.7K

-82.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,898 ₱118.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 ₱42.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,351 ₱272.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,494 ₱156.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$357 ₱22.4K

$484 ₱30.3K

-26.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

7.43

-13.86%

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

Last update for Dasmarinas: September 1, 2026

Last update for Manila: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Manila pays 35% 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: $17.00 in Dasmarinas vs $26.00 in Manila for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $161 vs $223 per month, with Dasmarinas 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

Dasmarinas vs Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dasmarinas and Manila differ by about 86% in total monthly costs ($502 vs $934 including rent). Dasmarinas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 35% lower in Manila. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $136 in Dasmarinas versus $629 in Manila. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Dasmarinas – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $26.00 in Manila. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $502 in Dasmarinas versus $934 in Manila, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dasmarinas but tight or insufficient in Manila. The gap between the two cities makes Dasmarinas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Dasmarinas 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 Dasmarinas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Manila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.