Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between El Nido and Manila

For one person, living is cheaper in El Nido: $736 a month against $948 in Manila, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

36

Cost of Living Index in El Nido
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El Nido Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Manila
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Manila Living Index

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El Nido

🇵🇭 Philippines

$736

/mo nomad

Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$948

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in El Nido 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 El Nido and in Manila actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $736 per month in El Nido vs $948 in Manila, rent included.

El Nido $736
Manila $948

A couple spends around $1,157 per month in El Nido vs $1,508 in Manila, rent included.

El Nido $1,157
Manila $1,508

A family of three spends $1,578 per month in El Nido vs $2,068 in Manila, rent included.

El Nido $1,578
Manila $2,068

El Nido is about 22% cheaper than Manila, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both El Nido and Manila are more affordable than the global median – El Nido 45% lower, Manila 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.86 ₱243

$5.46 ₱344

-29.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.29 ₱1,907

$26.93 ₱1,695

12.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.86 ₱243

$3.90 ₱246

-1.03%

Cappuccino

$2.19 ₱138

$2.62 ₱165

-16.41%

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

$1.21 ₱76.0

$1.36 ₱85.5

-11.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₱20.86

$0.83 ₱52.3

-60.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 ₱68.3

$1.22 ₱76.9

-10.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₱107

$2.32 ₱146

-26.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ₱112

$1.96 ₱123

-8.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ₱61.8

$1.42 ₱89.1

-30.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ₱83.7

$1.04 ₱65.4

27.88%

Eggs

$1.96 ₱123

$2.23 ₱140

-12.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.00 ₱378

$7.70 ₱485

-22.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.95 ₱249

$4.91 ₱309

-19.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.99 ₱440

$7.12 ₱448

-1.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 ₱141

$3.23 ₱204

-30.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 ₱94.0

$1.92 ₱121

-22.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$2.93 ₱184

-19.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ₱72.0

$1.79 ₱113

-36.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 ₱122

$2.32 ₱146

-16.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 ₱126

$2.73 ₱172

-26.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ₱64.1

$2.12 ₱133

-51.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱36.53

$0.59 ₱37.25

-1.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 ₱171

$3.18 ₱200

-14.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.35 ₱463

$9.81 ₱618

-25.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₱54.3

$1.34 ₱84.1

-35.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₱132

$2.00 ₱126

5.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱16.29

$0.47 ₱29.47

-44.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.23 ₱644

$12.56 ₱791

-18.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.80 ₱50.1

$0.73 ₱46.07

9.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.26

$0.21 ₱13.20

9.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 ₱128

$1.87 ₱118

8.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ₱85.6

$1.28 ₱80.6

6.25%

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

$20.2K ₱1.3M

$21.4K ₱1.3M

-5.63%

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

$19.8K ₱1.2M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

2.66%

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

$134 ₱8,406

$124 ₱7,822

7.47%

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

$14.39 ₱906

$15.73 ₱990

-8.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.56 ₱1,546

$24.40 ₱1,536

0.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.19 ₱2,278

$43.31 ₱2,727

-16.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.34 ₱336

$5.79 ₱365

-7.77%

Cinema Ticket

$4.43 ₱279

$6.76 ₱425

-34.47%

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

$125 ₱7,876

$630 ₱39.7K

-80.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,526 ₱536.8K

$9,004 ₱566.9K

-5.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.70 ₱1,996

$58.3 ₱3,668

-45.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.74 ₱1,054

$27.34 ₱1,721

-38.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.2 ₱4,734

$75.6 ₱4,758

-0.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.9 ₱3,521

$56.6 ₱3,564

-1.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$264 ₱16.6K

$536 ₱33.8K

-50.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$162 ₱10.2K

$284 ₱17.9K

-42.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$527 ₱33.2K

$1,874 ₱118.0K

-71.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 ₱22.3K

$654 ₱41.2K

-45.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,291 ₱144.3K

$4,438 ₱279.4K

-48.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$873 ₱55.0K

$2,530 ₱159.3K

-65.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$259 ₱16.3K

$467 ₱29.4K

-44.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

7.43

-8.61%

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

Last update for El Nido: October 10, 2026

Last update for Manila: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

El Nido

$179 24.3%

Manila

$222 23.5% 24.3% $44

Monthly Utilities & Internet

El Nido

$172 23.4%

Manila

$164 17.3% 4.7% $8.1

Accommodation & Living

El Nido

$162 22%

Manila

$284 29.9% 75.3% $122

Eating Out

El Nido

$84 11.4%

Manila

$106 11.2% 27% $23

Clothing & Footwear

El Nido

$81 11%

Manila

$98 10.3% 21.3% $17

Sport & Entertainment

El Nido

$45 6.1%

Manila

$57 6% 26.1% $12

Getting Around

El Nido

$13 1.8%

Manila

$16 1.7% 22.9% $3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $264 in El Nido versus $536 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 80% 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 – $179 in El Nido vs $222 in Manila – so El Nido wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇵🇭 El Nido

🇵🇭 Manila

🕒 Local time

07:41 7:41 AM

Same time as El Nido

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

50,494

1,780,148 Capital

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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El Nido Manila 420 km

From you

El Nido
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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: $736 in El Nido, $948 in Manila – roughly 29% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,104 per month in El Nido and $1,422 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.

Public transport costs about 23% less in El Nido. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $125 per month in El Nido and $630 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 $736, than in Manila at $948. 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 $736 in El Nido to $948 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.