Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between General Trias and Manila

For one person, living is cheaper in General Trias: $618 a month against $922 in Manila, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

29

Cost of Living Index in General Trias
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General Trias Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Manila
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Manila Living Index

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General Trias

🇵🇭 Philippines

$618

/mo nomad

Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$922

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $618 per month in General Trias vs $922 in Manila, rent included.

General Trias $618
Manila $922

A couple spends around $990 per month in General Trias vs $1,531 in Manila, rent included.

General Trias $990
Manila $1,531

A family of three spends $1,362 per month in General Trias vs $2,140 in Manila, rent included.

General Trias $1,362
Manila $2,140

General Trias is about 33% cheaper than Manila, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both General Trias and Manila are more affordable than the global median – General Trias 54% lower, Manila 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.00 ₱254

$4.66 ₱296

-14.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.20 ₱1,029

$26.32 ₱1,671

-38.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.45 ₱155

$4.02 ₱255

-39.05%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ₱116

$2.51 ₱159

-27.09%

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

$0.40 ₱25.40

$1.37 ₱87.1

-70.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₱18.83

$0.89 ₱56.4

-66.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 ₱64.2

$1.20 ₱75.9

-15.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 ₱95.9

$2.34 ₱149

-35.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ₱104

$1.87 ₱119

-12.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 ₱72.9

$1.41 ₱89.5

-18.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ₱57.9

$1.02 ₱64.5

-10.78%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱129

$2.19 ₱139

-7.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.79 ₱304

$7.47 ₱474

-35.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ₱215

$4.86 ₱308

-30.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.61 ₱483

$6.98 ₱443

9.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 ₱139

$3.28 ₱208

-33.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 ₱100

$1.81 ₱115

-12.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ₱146

$2.90 ₱184

-21.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.01 ₱64.0

$1.91 ₱121

-47.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 ₱106

$2.30 ₱146

-27.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 ₱108

$2.69 ₱171

-36.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 ₱55.5

$2.18 ₱139

-60.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₱32.86

$0.57 ₱36.41

-8.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱187

$3.07 ₱195

-4.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.42 ₱535

$9.34 ₱593

-9.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₱61.2

$1.27 ₱80.9

-24.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₱131

$2.05 ₱130

0.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₱15.29

$0.33 ₱20.98

-27.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.30 ₱781

$12.80 ₱812

-3.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱48.01

$0.78 ₱49.21

-2.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 ₱12.70

$0.20 ₱12.68

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 ₱122

$1.85 ₱118

3.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₱77.8

$1.31 ₱83.2

-6.87%

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

$11.6K ₱737.1K

$20.8K ₱1.3M

-44.09%

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

$18.7K ₱1.2M

$19.4K ₱1.2M

-3.61%

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

$31.73 ₱2,014

$109 ₱6,936

-70.96%

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

$17.15 ₱1,089

$15.71 ₱997

9.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.95 ₱1,330

$24.58 ₱1,561

-14.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.30 ₱1,987

$41.75 ₱2,651

-25.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.25 ₱333

$5.84 ₱371

-10.10%

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 ₱318

$6.42 ₱407

-21.96%

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

$129 ₱8,211

$606 ₱38.5K

-78.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₱688.4K

$7,674 ₱487.2K

41.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.39 ₱1,802

$55.8 ₱3,545

-49.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.41 ₱1,232

$28.57 ₱1,814

-32.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.9 ₱4,499

$68.9 ₱4,375

2.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.8 ₱3,543

$58.3 ₱3,701

-4.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$95.0 ₱6,032

$533 ₱33.8K

-82.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 ₱10.7K

$289 ₱18.4K

-41.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ₱30.7K

$1,916 ₱121.6K

-74.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 ₱22.4K

$780 ₱49.5K

-54.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,636 ₱167.4K

$4,078 ₱258.9K

-35.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,111 ₱70.6K

$2,432 ₱154.4K

-54.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ₱32.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

7.43

-9.15%

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

Last update for General Trias: November 1, 2026

Last update for Manila: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

General Trias

$172 27.9%

Manila

$219 23.7% 26.9% $46

Accommodation & Living

General Trias

$168 27.3%

Manila

$289 31.4% 71.9% $121

Clothing & Footwear

General Trias

$79 12.7%

Manila

$95 10.3% 21.3% $17

Eating Out

General Trias

$72 11.7%

Manila

$99 10.8% 37.2% $27

Monthly Utilities & Internet

General Trias

$70 11.3%

Manila

$150 16.2% 114% $80

Sport & Entertainment

General Trias

$41 6.7%

Manila

$55 5.9% 32.1% $13

Getting Around

General Trias

$15 2.4%

Manila

$16 1.7% 5.8% $0.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $95 in General Trias versus $533 in Manila. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16 in General Trias versus $26 in Manila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $172 vs $219 – making General Trias the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 General Trias

🇵🇭 Manila

🕒 Local time

09:47 9:47 AM

Same time as General Trias

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

450,583

1,780,148 Capital

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.58 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.58 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Manila costs about 49% more than General Trias, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $926 per month in General Trias and $1,383 in Manila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in General Trias, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $95 there versus $533 in Manila.

Public transport costs about 4% less in General Trias. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $129 per month in General Trias and $606 in Manila. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in General Trias, where all-in costs run around $618, than in Manila at $922. In General Trias it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manila it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward General Trias – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

For expats, General Trias is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 33% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.