Cost of Living Comparison Between Dumaguete and Manila Cost of Living Comparison Between Dumaguete and Manila

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $806 in Dumaguete versus $959 in Manila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,208 in Dumaguete versus $1,506 in Manila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,611 in Dumaguete versus $2,052 in Manila.

Living in Dumaguete costs roughly 16% less than in Manila, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dumaguete 41% lower, Manila 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 ₱234

$5.43 ₱341

-31.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.69 ₱984

$26.54 ₱1,664

-40.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.26 ₱267

$3.92 ₱246

8.67%

Cappuccino

$2.32 ₱145

$2.51 ₱158

-7.57%

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

$0.76 ₱47.96

$1.39 ₱87.0

-45.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₱27.06

$0.83 ₱52.3

-48.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.38 ₱86.5

$1.16 ₱73.0

18.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ₱119

$2.74 ₱172

-31.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ₱105

$1.89 ₱118

-11.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 ₱82.9

$1.40 ₱87.8

-5.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ₱58.5

$0.99 ₱62.0

-6.06%

Eggs

$1.74 ₱109

$2.31 ₱145

-24.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.53 ₱535

$7.81 ₱490

9.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.30 ₱270

$4.93 ₱309

-12.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.22 ₱453

$7.11 ₱446

1.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 ₱101

$3.23 ₱203

-50.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 ₱81.0

$1.89 ₱119

-31.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.55 ₱222

$3.01 ₱189

17.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 ₱81.6

$1.82 ₱114

-28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 ₱157

$2.22 ₱139

13.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 ₱145

$2.62 ₱165

-11.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 ₱48.10

$2.17 ₱136

-64.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱36.52

$0.59 ₱37.12

-1.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.40 ₱150

$3.18 ₱199

-24.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.79 ₱551

$9.52 ₱597

-7.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ₱71.2

$1.28 ₱80.5

-11.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱81.3

$2.02 ₱127

-35.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₱23.98

$0.47 ₱29.25

-19.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.12 ₱635

$12.85 ₱806

-21.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 ₱43.63

$0.77 ₱48.26

-9.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.15 ₱9.33

$0.23 ₱14.44

-34.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 ₱132

$1.96 ₱123

7.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 ₱61.7

$1.27 ₱79.5

-22.83%

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

$20.4K ₱1.3M

$21.5K ₱1.3M

-5.06%

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

$24.7K ₱1.5M

$19.7K ₱1.2M

25.47%

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

$67.5 ₱4,235

$122 ₱7,639

-44.56%

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

$9.72 ₱610

$15.16 ₱951

-35.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.66 ₱1,672

$24.00 ₱1,505

11.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.38 ₱1,529

$42.61 ₱2,673

-42.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.07 ₱255

$5.69 ₱357

-28.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.96 ₱437

$6.88 ₱432

1.16%

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

$59.2 ₱3,715

$618 ₱38.8K

-90.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,674 ₱105.0K

$8,864 ₱555.9K

-81.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.1 ₱6,089

$58.3 ₱3,658

66.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.32 ₱2,027

$27.91 ₱1,751

15.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.4 ₱6,234

$77.8 ₱4,881

27.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₱7,105

$58.5 ₱3,667

93.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 ₱14.7K

$545 ₱34.2K

-56.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 ₱13.1K

$285 ₱17.9K

-26.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 ₱27.2K

$1,928 ₱120.9K

-77.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₱22.4K

$673 ₱42.2K

-46.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,061 ₱192.0K

$4,397 ₱275.8K

-30.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$668 ₱41.9K

$2,528 ₱158.5K

-73.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$279 ₱17.5K

$477 ₱29.9K

-41.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

-5.79%

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

Last update for Dumaguete: September 12, 2026

Last update for Manila: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $234 in Dumaguete and $545 in Manila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manila pays 71% 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: $16.00 in Dumaguete vs $27.00 in Manila for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $221 per month, with Dumaguete 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

Dumaguete vs Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dumaguete and Manila differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($806 vs $959 including rent). Dumaguete is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 71% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $234 in Dumaguete versus $545 in Manila. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $806 per month in Dumaguete versus $959 in Manila – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dumaguete runs roughly 27% less than in Manila. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $806 in Dumaguete versus $959 in Manila, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dumaguete but tight or insufficient in Manila. The gap between the two cities makes Dumaguete 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, Dumaguete 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 Dumaguete gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Manila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.