Cost of Living Comparison Between El Nido and Manila Cost of Living Comparison Between El Nido and Manila

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $806 per month in El Nido vs $963 in Manila, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,292 per month in El Nido vs $1,522 in Manila, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,778 per month in El Nido vs $2,081 in Manila, rent included.

El Nido is about 16% cheaper than Manila, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both El Nido and Manila are more affordable than the global median – El Nido 40% lower, Manila 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.16 ₱316

$5.39 ₱330

-4.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.02 ₱1,836

$26.79 ₱1,639

12.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.10 ₱251

$4.54 ₱278

-9.69%

Cappuccino

$3.81 ₱233

$2.62 ₱160

45.42%

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

$1.36 ₱83.4

$0.98 ₱60.2

38.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₱22.29

$0.54 ₱32.93

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 ₱82.5

$1.48 ₱90.8

-8.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₱131

$2.73 ₱167

-21.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱116

$1.96 ₱120

-3.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ₱78.0

$1.40 ₱85.4

-8.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 ₱107

$1.03 ₱63.2

69.90%

Eggs

$2.49 ₱152

$2.07 ₱127

20.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.08 ₱495

$9.11 ₱557

-11.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 ₱203

$5.20 ₱318

-36.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.32 ₱509

$8.70 ₱533

-4.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 ₱181

$3.40 ₱208

-12.94%

Banana (1kg)

$0.68 ₱41.65

$1.81 ₱111

-62.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 ₱166

$3.66 ₱224

-25.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ₱132

$2.52 ₱154

-14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 ₱137

$2.81 ₱172

-20.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 ₱127

$3.09 ₱189

-32.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₱68.5

$1.99 ₱122

-43.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₱46.81

$0.69 ₱41.97

11.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ₱173

$3.44 ₱210

-18.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.07 ₱494

$9.98 ₱611

-19.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₱70.3

$1.49 ₱91.4

-22.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₱124

$2.19 ₱134

-7.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ₱20.50

$0.48 ₱29.54

-29.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.83 ₱724

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱49.64

$0.93 ₱56.7

-12.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.70

$0.27 ₱16.58

-11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.12 ₱130

$2.16 ₱132

-1.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ₱63.7

$1.12 ₱68.2

-7.14%

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

$26.9K ₱1.6M

$26.6K ₱1.6M

1.41%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$23.0K ₱1.4M

-9.62%

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

$112 ₱6,879

$135 ₱8,238

-16.50%

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

$32.73 ₱2,002

$22.00 ₱1,346

48.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.85 ₱1,949

$27.98 ₱1,712

13.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.23 ₱2,094

$42.05 ₱2,573

-18.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.39 ₱269

$7.00 ₱428

-37.29%

Cinema Ticket

$6.10 ₱373

$6.73 ₱411

-9.36%

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

$151 ₱9,223

$365 ₱22.3K

-58.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,250 ₱260.0K

$11.6K ₱707.4K

-63.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.13 ₱2,761

$46.97 ₱2,874

-3.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.20 ₱1,603

$35.01 ₱2,142

-25.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ₱4,697

$81.7 ₱5,000

-6.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.6 ₱3,216

$45.98 ₱2,813

14.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$267 ₱16.4K

$489 ₱29.9K

-45.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₱11.0K

$270 ₱16.5K

-33.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 ₱35.6K

$1,687 ₱103.2K

-65.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 ₱23.7K

$630 ₱38.5K

-38.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,647 ₱161.9K

$4,325 ₱264.6K

-38.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,640 ₱161.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$263 ₱16.1K

$452 ₱27.7K

-41.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

7.52

-11.30%

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

Last update for El Nido: April 27, 2026

Last update for Manila: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $267 in El Nido versus $489 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 run about 72% higher in Manila, 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 $30.00 in El Nido versus $27.00 in Manila. Groceries tell a different story – $205 in El Nido vs $243 in Manila – so El Nido wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

El Nido vs Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $806 in El Nido, $963 in Manila – roughly 19% apart. Manila costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,209 per month in El Nido and $1,444 in Manila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in El Nido, 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 $806 in El Nido and $963 in Manila. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $151 per month in El Nido and $365 in Manila. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in El Nido, where all-in costs run around $806, than in Manila at $963. In El Nido it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manila it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Manila has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $806 in El Nido to $963 in Manila. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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