Cost of Living Comparison Between Iligan City and Manila Cost of Living Comparison Between Iligan City and Manila

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $798 per month in Iligan City vs $957 in Manila, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,215 per month in Iligan City vs $1,538 in Manila, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,631 per month in Iligan City vs $2,118 in Manila, rent included.

Iligan City is about 17% cheaper than Manila, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Iligan City and Manila are more affordable than the global median – Iligan City 40% lower, Manila 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.54 ₱218

$5.28 ₱325

-32.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.48 ₱1,076

$27.12 ₱1,669

-35.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.40 ₱209

$4.55 ₱280

-25.27%

Cappuccino

$2.37 ₱146

$2.73 ₱168

-13.19%

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

$0.83 ₱50.9

$0.96 ₱59.3

-13.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₱24.17

$0.50 ₱30.96

-22.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.29 ₱79.4

$1.54 ₱94.7

-16.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₱132

$2.65 ₱163

-19.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₱138

$1.90 ₱117

17.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 ₱78.4

$1.33 ₱81.9

-4.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱62.3

$1.07 ₱66.1

-5.61%

Eggs

$2.02 ₱124

$2.08 ₱128

-2.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.18 ₱504

$9.28 ₱572

-11.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.79 ₱295

$5.21 ₱321

-8.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱474

$8.55 ₱527

-9.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ₱184

$3.54 ₱218

-15.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₱93.5

$1.80 ₱111

-15.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 ₱167

$3.58 ₱221

-24.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ₱95.3

$2.50 ₱154

-38.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 ₱141

$2.78 ₱171

-17.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 ₱155

$3.16 ₱194

-20.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 ₱65.5

$1.98 ₱122

-46.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₱47.18

$0.68 ₱42.17

13.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ₱174

$3.31 ₱204

-14.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 ₱491

$9.50 ₱585

-16.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱71.2

$1.46 ₱90.0

-20.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₱127

$2.11 ₱130

-2.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.96

$0.48 ₱29.41

-45.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.15 ₱748

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱47.25

$0.88 ₱54.0

-12.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.53

$0.27 ₱16.65

-18.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.18 ₱134

$2.08 ₱128

4.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₱69.8

$1.17 ₱72.3

-3.42%

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

$26.2K ₱1.6M

$26.1K ₱1.6M

0.33%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$22.8K ₱1.4M

-8.97%

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

$114 ₱7,021

$135 ₱8,337

-15.79%

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

$33.09 ₱2,037

$21.56 ₱1,328

53.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.79 ₱1,711

$27.58 ₱1,698

0.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.06 ₱2,097

$41.41 ₱2,549

-17.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.47 ₱275

$6.82 ₱420

-34.46%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ₱365

$6.92 ₱426

-14.45%

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

$152 ₱9,357

$363 ₱22.3K

-58.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,350 ₱267.8K

$11.6K ₱713.4K

-62.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.89 ₱2,764

$47.10 ₱2,900

-4.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.15 ₱1,610

$34.39 ₱2,117

-23.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 ₱4,656

$81.9 ₱5,040

-7.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.0 ₱3,263

$47.42 ₱2,919

11.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 ₱16.5K

$486 ₱29.9K

-44.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 ₱10.8K

$272 ₱16.7K

-35.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 ₱35.7K

$1,729 ₱106.5K

-66.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₱24.0K

$641 ₱39.5K

-39.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,656 ₱163.5K

$4,332 ₱266.7K

-38.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,087 ₱66.9K

$2,602 ₱160.2K

-58.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$198 ₱12.2K

$467 ₱28.7K

-57.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

7.52

-11.30%

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

Last update for Iligan City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Manila: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $268 in Iligan City versus $486 in Manila. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 135% higher in Manila, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Iligan City versus $27.00 in Manila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 vs $241 – making Iligan City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Iligan City vs Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $798 in Iligan City, $957 in Manila – roughly 20% apart. Manila costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,197 per month in Iligan City and $1,436 in Manila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Iligan City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Iligan City and $27.00 in Manila. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Manila, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $798 in Iligan City and $957 in Manila, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Manila has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $798 in Iligan City to $957 in Manila. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Iligan City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Manila makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.