Cost of Living Comparison Between Iloilo and Changzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Iloilo and Changzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $663 in Iloilo versus $733 in Changzhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,033 in Iloilo versus $1,214 in Changzhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,404 in Iloilo versus $1,695 in Changzhou.

Living in Iloilo costs roughly 10% less than in Changzhou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iloilo 52% lower, Changzhou 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.84 ₱178

$3.01 ¥20.18

-5.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.33 ₱1,209

$28.60 ¥192

-32.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.27 ₱205

$4.56 ¥30.62

-28.29%

Cappuccino

$1.97 ₱123

$2.11 ¥14.19

-6.64%

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

$0.65 ₱40.43

$0.38 ¥2.57

71.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₱21.51

$0.23 ¥1.54

47.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 ₱68.4

$0.57 ¥3.84

91.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₱109

$1.45 ¥9.75

20.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ₱102

$1.93 ¥12.94

-15.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 ₱75.2

$1.28 ¥8.57

-6.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 ₱55.8

$0.96 ¥6.43

-7.29%

Eggs

$2.04 ₱128

$1.63 ¥10.91

25.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.86 ₱366

$7.53 ¥50.5

-22.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 ₱256

$2.88 ¥19.36

42.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.32 ₱395

$12.37 ¥83.0

-48.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ₱206

$2.11 ¥14.16

55.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ₱68.2

$1.73 ¥11.59

-36.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 ₱194

$2.05 ¥13.74

51.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 ₱90.1

$1.09 ¥7.30

32.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 ₱144

$0.87 ¥5.83

164.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 ₱176

$0.93 ¥6.23

202.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 ₱89.0

$0.42 ¥2.79

238.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ₱51.1

$0.68 ¥4.59

20.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.09 ₱193

$3.26 ¥21.84

-5.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.56 ₱411

$10.49 ¥70.4

-37.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 ₱68.7

$0.93 ¥6.26

18.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱82.2

$1.59 ¥10.67

-17.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₱15.07

$0.35 ¥2.32

-31.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.60 ₱287

$14.09 ¥94.5

-67.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.04

$1.47 ¥9.83

-49.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₱20.90

$0.31 ¥2.09

6.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 ₱152

$2.86 ¥19.17

-15.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱68.6

$1.26 ¥8.47

-12.70%

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

$21.4K ₱1.3M

$17.3K ¥115.9K

23.67%

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

$19.5K ₱1.2M

$13.9K ¥93.5K

40.05%

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

$63.0 ₱3,941

$63.2 ¥424

-0.25%

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

$9.60 ₱600

$8.63 ¥57.9

11.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.04 ₱1,691

$10.42 ¥69.9

159.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.36 ₱585

$40.42 ¥271

-76.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.00 ¥101

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 ₱292

$4.55 ¥30.55

2.64%

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

$32.35 ₱2,023

$252 ¥1,691

-87.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ¥99.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.00 ₱1,501

$48.92 ¥328

-50.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.31 ₱1,082

$27.76 ¥186

-37.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.0 ₱3,564

$73.1 ¥491

-22.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$24.08 ₱1,506

$75.1 ¥504

-67.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$291 ₱18.2K

$284 ¥1,906

2.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 ₱14.0K

$232 ¥1,555

-3.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 ₱80.8K

$918 ¥6,158

40.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 ₱27.1K

$503 ¥3,378

-13.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,759 ₱235.1K

$2,950 ¥19.8K

27.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,048 ₱65.5K

$1,603 ¥10.8K

-34.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$205 ₱12.8K

$1,067 ¥7,157

-80.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.33

3.35

118.81%

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

Last update for Iloilo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Changzhou: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $291 in Iloilo and $284 in Changzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Changzhou pays 420% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $19.00 in Iloilo vs $29.00 in Changzhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $189 vs $194 per month, with Iloilo 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

Iloilo vs Changzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iloilo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 420% lower in Changzhou. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $291 in Iloilo versus $284 in Changzhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Changzhou. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Iloilo – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $29.00 in Changzhou. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Iloilo gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Iloilo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Changzhou, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Iloilo and Changzhou 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 Iloilo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Changzhou. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.