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: $618 in General Santos versus $276 in Silchar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,007 in General Santos versus $432 in Silchar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,396 in General Santos versus $588 in Silchar.

Living in General Santos is roughly 124% more expensive than in Silchar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: General Santos 55% lower, Silchar 80% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 ₱214

$1.33 ₹126

157.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.30 ₱1,707

$7.24 ₹688

277.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.76 ₱173

$4.97 ₹472

-44.47%

Cappuccino

$2.61 ₱163

$0.70 ₹66.1

272.86%

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

$0.30 ₱18.85

$0.20 ₹18.96

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ₱15.70

$0.18 ₹17.14

38.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 ₱99.1

$1.28 ₹121

23.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₱147

$1.81 ₹172

30.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₱126

$0.70 ₹66.4

187.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 ₱70.9

$0.43 ₹41.25

162.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 ₱54.9

$0.51 ₹48.73

72.55%

Eggs

$1.94 ₱121

$0.98 ₹92.6

97.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.62 ₱414

$3.95 ₹375

67.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.15 ₱260

$2.81 ₹266

47.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.73 ₱546

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 ₱168

$1.92 ₹182

40.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 ₱70.0

$0.67 ₹64.0

67.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱146

$0.92 ₹87.2

153.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 ₱75.7

$0.66 ₹62.4

83.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 ₱130

$0.35 ₹33.64

494.29%

Onion (1kg)

$3.10 ₱194

$0.34 ₹32.69

811.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 ₱74.7

$0.31 ₹29.23

287.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₱41.43

$0.27 ₹25.55

144.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.41 ₱151

$3.72 ₹353

-35.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 ₱503

$5.24 ₹497

53.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 ₱78.8

$1.40 ₹133

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 ₱99.9

$1.95 ₹185

-17.95%

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

$4.99 ₹474

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ₱25.86

$1.04 ₹98.3

-60.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.20 ₱513

$5.40 ₹513

51.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱52.1

$0.68 ₹64.6

22.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.37

$0.28 ₹26.58

-17.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱52.0

$1.27 ₹121

-34.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 ₱66.7

$1.05 ₹99.7

1.90%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$12.5K ₹1.2M

66.18%

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

$18.7K ₱1.2M

$16.3K ₹1.6M

14.26%

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

$75.1 ₱4,696

$23.74 ₹2,255

216.34%

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

$6.50 ₱406

$3.00 ₹285

116.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.86 ₱1,992

$6.32 ₹600

404.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.54 ₹1,001

Cinema Ticket

$4.73 ₱296

$3.11 ₹296

52.09%

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

$108 ₱6,772

$15.58 ₹1,479

595.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,671 ₱479.7K

$2,266 ₹215.2K

238.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 ₱3,896

$17.47 ₹1,659

256.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.97 ₱1,686

$31.37 ₹2,979

-14.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 ₱4,454

$37.55 ₹3,566

89.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.1 ₱3,822

$27.13 ₹2,576

125.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 ₱11.1K

$52.2 ₹4,953

241.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 ₱6,973

$31.88 ₹3,028

249.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$367 ₱23.0K

$105 ₹9,926

251.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ₱15.1K

$62.6 ₹5,943

285.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$588 ₹55.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$523 ₹49.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$287 ₹27.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.31

7.38

12.60%

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

Last update for General Santos: September 1, 2026

Last update for Silchar: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $178 in General Santos and $52.2 in Silchar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in General Santos vs $7.00 in Silchar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $91.0 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 124% 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 $927 in General Santos and $415 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: $178 in General Santos versus $52.2 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 $7.00 versus $27.00 in General Santos. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $618 per month in General Santos versus $276 in Silchar – a 124% 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 124% less than in General Santos. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.