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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $701 in General Santos versus $297 in Silchar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,078 in General Santos versus $469 in Silchar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,455 in General Santos versus $641 in Silchar.

Living in General Santos is roughly 137% more expensive than Silchar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: General Santos 48% lower, Silchar 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.45 ₱275

$1.14 ₹109

290.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.55 ₱650

$7.92 ₹754

33.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.84 ₱175

$4.92 ₹468

-42.28%

Cappuccino

$2.06 ₱127

$0.62 ₹59.4

232.26%

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

$0.36 ₱21.95

$0.22 ₹20.94

63.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₱18.33

$0.12 ₹11.77

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ₱69.5

$1.44 ₹137

-21.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₱56.2

$2.07 ₹197

-56.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 ₱86.2

$0.69 ₹65.6

102.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 ₱57.3

$0.47 ₹44.85

97.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 ₱52.3

$0.53 ₹50.5

60.38%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱127

$0.97 ₹92.8

112.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.15 ₱379

$4.48 ₹427

37.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ₱185

$3.06 ₹291

-1.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.38 ₱394

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 ₱183

$1.86 ₹178

59.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 ₱70.6

$0.75 ₹71.9

52.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ₱142

$0.97 ₹92.0

137.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.43 ₱26.29

$0.73 ₹69.4

-41.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 ₱56.9

$0.29 ₹27.31

217.24%

Onion (1kg)

$3.14 ₱193

$0.38 ₹36.49

726.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ₱63.7

$0.36 ₹34.43

186.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₱36.94

$0.28 ₹26.43

114.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 ₱134

$2.28 ₹217

-4.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 ₱504

$6.93 ₹660

18.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 ₱67.0

$1.49 ₹142

-26.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ₱92.6

$2.26 ₹215

-33.63%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$4.25 ₹405

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ₱20.82

$0.30 ₹28.69

13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.93 ₱550

$5.71 ₹544

56.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱50.6

$0.81 ₹77.3

1.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.16 ₱9.83

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 ₱81.0

$1.43 ₹136

-8.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.7

$1.18 ₹112

-6.78%

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

$20.6K ₱1.3M

$13.9K ₹1.3M

47.93%

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

$20.5K ₱1.3M

$18.0K ₹1.7M

13.75%

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

$74.6 ₱4,601

$17.35 ₹1,653

330.09%

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

$34.23 ₱2,111

$2.37 ₹226

1344.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.19 ₱2,231

$5.56 ₹530

550.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.55 ₱2,069

$11.69 ₹1,113

187.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.75 ₱108

$6.83 ₹651

-74.38%

Cinema Ticket

$3.11 ₱192

$2.85 ₹271

9.12%

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

$58.8 ₱3,628

$17.57 ₹1,674

234.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,404 ₱86.5K

$1,912 ₹182.1K

-26.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.99 ₱2,774

$25.58 ₹2,436

75.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.05 ₱990

$35.00 ₹3,334

-54.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 ₱4,293

$46.62 ₹4,440

49.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.7 ₱4,234

$43.59 ₹4,153

57.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 ₱16.7K

$57.4 ₹5,463

371.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₱11.0K

$35.30 ₹3,363

406.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 ₱36.0K

$116 ₹11.0K

403.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₱24.0K

$69.6 ₹6,629

458.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$568 ₹54.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$522 ₹49.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$283 ₹27.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

7.38

-11.92%

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

Last update for General Santos: May 31, 2026

Last update for Silchar: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $271 in General Santos and $57.4 in Silchar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $11.00 in General Santos vs $8.00 in Silchar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $166 vs $100 per month, with Silchar 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 Silchar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Silchar wins on cost – living expenses run 137% lower than in General Santos. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Silchar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,052 in General Santos and $445 in Silchar 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 $57.4 in Silchar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Silchar – a meal for two runs $8.00 versus $11.00 in General Santos. 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 $297 in Silchar – a 137% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Silchar gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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, General Santos and Silchar 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 Silchar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 137% less than in General Santos. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.