Cost of Living Comparison Between General Santos and Manila Cost of Living Comparison Between General Santos and Manila

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $701 in General Santos versus $959 in Manila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,078 in General Santos versus $1,528 in Manila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,455 in General Santos versus $2,097 in Manila.

Living in General Santos costs roughly 27% less than in Manila, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: General Santos 48% lower, Manila 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.45 ₱275

$5.38 ₱332

-17.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.55 ₱650

$26.83 ₱1,655

-60.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.84 ₱175

$4.34 ₱267

-34.56%

Cappuccino

$2.06 ₱127

$2.75 ₱169

-25.09%

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

$0.36 ₱21.95

$0.96 ₱58.9

-62.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₱18.33

$0.50 ₱30.56

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ₱69.5

$1.49 ₱92.0

-24.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₱56.2

$2.61 ₱161

-65.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 ₱86.2

$1.89 ₱116

-25.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 ₱57.3

$1.38 ₱85.3

-32.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 ₱52.3

$1.05 ₱64.7

-19.05%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱127

$2.18 ₱135

-5.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.15 ₱379

$9.61 ₱593

-36.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ₱185

$5.19 ₱320

-42.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.38 ₱394

$8.32 ₱513

-23.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 ₱183

$3.50 ₱216

-15.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 ₱70.6

$1.80 ₱111

-36.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ₱142

$3.58 ₱221

-35.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.43 ₱26.29

$2.49 ₱154

-82.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 ₱56.9

$2.76 ₱170

-66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$3.14 ₱193

$3.03 ₱187

3.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ₱63.7

$2.01 ₱124

-48.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₱36.94

$0.64 ₱39.57

-6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 ₱134

$3.32 ₱205

-34.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 ₱504

$9.74 ₱601

-16.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 ₱67.0

$1.49 ₱92.1

-26.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ₱92.6

$2.15 ₱133

-30.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ₱20.82

$0.52 ₱31.91

-34.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.93 ₱550

$12.00 ₱740

-25.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱50.6

$0.86 ₱53.2

-4.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.16 ₱9.83

$0.25 ₱15.37

-36.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 ₱81.0

$2.16 ₱133

-39.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.7

$1.16 ₱71.8

-5.17%

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

$20.6K ₱1.3M

$26.2K ₱1.6M

-21.45%

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

$20.5K ₱1.3M

$22.7K ₱1.4M

-9.76%

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

$74.6 ₱4,601

$138 ₱8,529

-46.05%

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

$34.23 ₱2,111

$22.24 ₱1,371

53.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.19 ₱2,231

$27.71 ₱1,709

30.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.55 ₱2,069

$41.41 ₱2,554

-18.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.75 ₱108

$6.89 ₱425

-74.60%

Cinema Ticket

$3.11 ₱192

$6.58 ₱406

-52.74%

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

$58.8 ₱3,628

$357 ₱22.0K

-83.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,404 ₱86.5K

$11.5K ₱707.3K

-87.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.99 ₱2,774

$46.42 ₱2,862

-3.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.05 ₱990

$35.12 ₱2,166

-54.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 ₱4,293

$82.4 ₱5,081

-15.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.7 ₱4,234

$45.78 ₱2,823

50.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 ₱16.7K

$500 ₱30.8K

-45.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₱11.0K

$265 ₱16.3K

-32.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 ₱36.0K

$1,684 ₱103.8K

-65.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₱24.0K

$636 ₱39.2K

-38.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,370 ₱269.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,544 ₱156.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$481 ₱29.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

7.52

-13.56%

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

Last update for General Santos: May 31, 2026

Last update for Manila: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $271 in General Santos and $500 in Manila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $11.00 in General Santos vs $27.00 in Manila for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $166 vs $242 per month, with General Santos 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

General Santos vs Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

General Santos wins on cost – living expenses run 37% lower than in Manila. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making General Santos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,052 in General Santos and $1,438 in Manila to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $271 in General Santos versus $500 in Manila. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in General Santos – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $27.00 in Manila. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $701 per month in General Santos versus $959 in Manila – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $701 in General Santos versus $959 in Manila, a $1,000 budget is realistic in General Santos but tight or insufficient in Manila. The gap between the two cities makes General Santos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but General Santos delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $701 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes General Santos hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, General Santos 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 General Santos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Manila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.