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 $724 per month in Iligan City vs $934 in Manila, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,112 per month in Iligan City vs $1,491 in Manila, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,499 per month in Iligan City vs $2,048 in Manila, rent included.

Iligan City is about 22% cheaper than Manila, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Iligan City and Manila are more affordable than the global median – Iligan City 47% lower, Manila 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.80 ₱238

$5.70 ₱356

-33.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.11 ₱945

$25.88 ₱1,618

-41.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.86 ₱179

$4.11 ₱257

-30.41%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ₱126

$2.49 ₱155

-18.88%

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

$0.58 ₱36.30

$1.37 ₱85.5

-57.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₱19.72

$0.84 ₱52.4

-61.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 ₱70.3

$1.14 ₱71.6

-1.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₱120

$2.67 ₱167

-28.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ₱126

$1.89 ₱118

6.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 ₱72.6

$1.46 ₱91.3

-20.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ₱57.0

$0.99 ₱61.7

-8.08%

Eggs

$1.97 ₱123

$2.32 ₱145

-15.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.40 ₱338

$7.85 ₱491

-31.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.46 ₱279

$4.96 ₱310

-10.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.02 ₱439

$7.07 ₱442

-0.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ₱149

$3.39 ₱212

-29.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₱97.6

$1.93 ₱121

-19.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 ₱153

$3.01 ₱188

-18.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ₱73.2

$1.78 ₱111

-34.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 ₱129

$2.24 ₱140

-8.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 ₱125

$2.59 ₱162

-22.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 ₱48.09

$2.12 ₱133

-63.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.23

$0.56 ₱34.90

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.09 ₱193

$3.03 ₱190

1.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.93 ₱496

$9.84 ₱616

-19.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ₱58.7

$1.28 ₱80.0

-26.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₱106

$2.11 ₱132

-19.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.45

$0.47 ₱29.23

-46.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.85 ₱741

$12.73 ₱796

-6.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱46.98

$0.83 ₱52.1

-9.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.10

$0.23 ₱14.42

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 ₱114

$1.98 ₱124

-7.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱68.6

$1.24 ₱77.4

-11.29%

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

$24.6K ₱1.5M

$21.8K ₱1.4M

13.24%

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

$17.3K ₱1.1M

$19.7K ₱1.2M

-12.09%

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

$110 ₱6,883

$121 ₱7,598

-9.42%

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

$15.02 ₱939

$15.06 ₱942

-0.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.78 ₱1,550

$23.90 ₱1,495

3.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.53 ₱2,035

$43.84 ₱2,742

-25.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.39 ₱337

$5.97 ₱374

-9.72%

Cinema Ticket

$5.32 ₱333

$7.03 ₱440

-24.32%

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

$141 ₱8,837

$629 ₱39.4K

-77.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,245 ₱453.1K

$9,036 ₱565.1K

-19.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.78 ₱1,987

$59.1 ₱3,699

-46.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.11 ₱1,070

$28.07 ₱1,756

-39.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.7 ₱4,424

$75.6 ₱4,725

-6.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.2 ₱3,392

$57.9 ₱3,621

-6.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$114 ₱7,101

$537 ₱33.6K

-78.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 ₱10.7K

$283 ₱17.7K

-39.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 ₱31.8K

$1,898 ₱118.7K

-73.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 ₱21.7K

$671 ₱41.9K

-48.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,738 ₱171.2K

$4,351 ₱272.1K

-37.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,143 ₱71.5K

$2,494 ₱156.0K

-54.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$199 ₱12.5K

$484 ₱30.3K

-58.80%

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 Iligan City: August 30, 2026

Last update for Manila: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $114 in Iligan City versus $537 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 143% 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 $15.00 in Iligan City versus $26.00 in Manila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $223 – 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: $724 in Iligan City, $934 in Manila – roughly 29% apart. Manila costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,087 per month in Iligan City and $1,401 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.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Iligan City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $141 per month in Iligan City and $629 in Manila. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Iligan City, where all-in costs run around $724, than in Manila at $934. In Iligan City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manila it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Manila has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $724 in Iligan City to $934 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.