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: $696 in General Santos versus $300 in Silchar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,087 in General Santos versus $470 in Silchar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,478 in General Santos versus $639 in Silchar.

Living in General Santos is roughly 132% more expensive than in Silchar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.37 ₱269

$1.15 ₹110

280.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.84 ₱667

$8.38 ₹806

29.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.92 ₱180

$5.15 ₹496

-43.30%

Cappuccino

$2.12 ₱131

$0.66 ₹63.9

221.21%

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

$0.33 ₱20.18

$0.22 ₹21.17

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₱19.77

$0.13 ₹12.78

146.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ₱72.0

$1.42 ₹136

-17.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₱52.4

$2.13 ₹205

-60.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 ₱85.8

$0.75 ₹72.6

85.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 ₱53.5

$0.47 ₹45.05

85.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ₱57.5

$0.57 ₹54.9

63.16%

Eggs

$2.01 ₱124

$0.98 ₹94.7

105.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 ₱373

$4.58 ₹441

32.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.93 ₱181

$3.18 ₹306

-7.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.38 ₱393

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 ₱177

$1.92 ₹185

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ₱72.2

$0.70 ₹67.3

67.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ₱149

$0.90 ₹87.0

167.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.43 ₱26.34

$0.71 ₹68.0

-39.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 ₱55.5

$0.29 ₹27.73

210.34%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 ₱193

$0.36 ₹34.49

769.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ₱66.0

$0.33 ₹32.06

224.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.67

$0.28 ₹26.57

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 ₱134

$2.35 ₹226

-7.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.96 ₱490

$6.97 ₹671

14.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 ₱67.0

$1.54 ₹148

-29.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 ₱92.7

$2.18 ₹210

-30.73%

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

$4.36 ₹420

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₱22.58

$0.28 ₹26.88

32.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.70 ₱536

$5.72 ₹551

52.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱50.3

$0.81 ₹77.6

1.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.15 ₱9.22

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 ₱80.4

$1.44 ₹139

-9.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₱69.8

$1.18 ₹114

-4.24%

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

$20.4K ₱1.3M

$14.1K ₹1.4M

45.11%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$18.2K ₹1.8M

15.82%

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

$74.0 ₱4,553

$17.17 ₹1,653

330.69%

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

$34.10 ₱2,100

$2.40 ₹231

1320.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.35 ₱2,238

$5.57 ₹536

552.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.19 ₱2,105

$11.42 ₹1,100

199.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.81 ₱111

$6.88 ₹662

-73.69%

Cinema Ticket

$3.15 ₱194

$2.99 ₹288

5.35%

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

$58.1 ₱3,577

$17.66 ₹1,701

228.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,392 ₱85.7K

$1,917 ₹184.6K

-27.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.43 ₱2,797

$25.67 ₹2,472

76.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.62 ₱962

$36.15 ₹3,480

-56.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 ₱4,422

$46.92 ₹4,518

53.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.0 ₱4,189

$42.88 ₹4,128

58.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$265 ₱16.3K

$58.3 ₹5,615

353.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 ₱10.7K

$34.33 ₹3,305

407.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 ₱36.0K

$117 ₹11.3K

399.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$396 ₱24.4K

$70.3 ₹6,764

463.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$563 ₹54.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$532 ₹51.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$286 ₹27.5K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Silchar: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $265 in General Santos and $58.3 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 $164 vs $101 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 132% 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 $1,045 in General Santos and $450 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: $265 in General Santos versus $58.3 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 $696 per month in General Santos versus $300 in Silchar – a 132% 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 132% less than in General Santos. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.