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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $807 per month in Laoag City vs $957 in Manila, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,230 per month in Laoag City vs $1,538 in Manila, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,653 per month in Laoag City vs $2,118 in Manila, rent included.

Laoag City is about 16% cheaper than Manila, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 ₱221

$5.28 ₱325

-32.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.91 ₱918

$27.12 ₱1,669

-45.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.23 ₱199

$4.55 ₱280

-29.01%

Cappuccino

$2.42 ₱149

$2.73 ₱168

-11.36%

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

$0.84 ₱51.6

$0.96 ₱59.3

-12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₱22.53

$0.50 ₱30.96

-26.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 ₱80.0

$1.54 ₱94.7

-15.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₱128

$2.65 ₱163

-21.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱117

$1.90 ₱117

0.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 ₱75.6

$1.33 ₱81.9

-7.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ₱60.8

$1.07 ₱66.1

-7.48%

Eggs

$2.25 ₱138

$2.08 ₱128

8.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.00 ₱493

$9.28 ₱572

-13.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.73 ₱476

$5.21 ₱321

48.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 ₱478

$8.55 ₱527

-9.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 ₱175

$3.54 ₱218

-19.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 ₱94.6

$1.80 ₱111

-14.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$3.58 ₱221

-24.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 ₱96.4

$2.50 ₱154

-37.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 ₱138

$2.78 ₱171

-19.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 ₱155

$3.16 ₱194

-20.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 ₱65.4

$1.98 ₱122

-46.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₱44.39

$0.68 ₱42.17

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.09 ₱190

$3.31 ₱204

-6.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.04 ₱495

$9.50 ₱585

-15.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₱58.8

$1.46 ₱90.0

-34.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₱123

$2.11 ₱130

-5.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.97

$0.48 ₱29.41

-45.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.15 ₱748

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱51.5

$0.88 ₱54.0

-4.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.75

$0.27 ₱16.65

-11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₱132

$2.08 ₱128

2.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₱68.6

$1.17 ₱72.3

-5.13%

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

$26.8K ₱1.7M

$26.1K ₱1.6M

2.89%

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

$20.2K ₱1.2M

$22.8K ₱1.4M

-11.40%

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

$114 ₱7,020

$135 ₱8,337

-15.80%

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

$33.21 ₱2,045

$21.56 ₱1,328

54.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.54 ₱1,634

$27.58 ₱1,698

-3.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.11 ₱931

$41.41 ₱2,549

-63.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.49 ₱276

$6.82 ₱420

-34.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.03 ₱371

$6.92 ₱426

-12.86%

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

$154 ₱9,464

$363 ₱22.3K

-57.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,390 ₱270.3K

$11.6K ₱713.4K

-62.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.83 ₱2,822

$47.10 ₱2,900

-2.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.79 ₱1,650

$34.39 ₱2,117

-22.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.0 ₱4,555

$81.9 ₱5,040

-9.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.5 ₱3,295

$47.42 ₱2,919

12.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 ₱16.4K

$486 ₱29.9K

-45.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 ₱12.3K

$272 ₱16.7K

-26.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$421 ₱25.9K

$1,729 ₱106.5K

-75.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 ₱24.7K

$641 ₱39.5K

-37.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,361 ₱145.4K

$4,332 ₱266.7K

-45.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$916 ₱56.4K

$2,602 ₱160.2K

-64.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 ₱10.1K

$467 ₱28.7K

-64.90%

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 Laoag City: July 12, 2026

Last update for Manila: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $266 in Laoag 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 185% 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 Laoag City versus $27.00 in Manila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $241 – making Laoag 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

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

Manila costs about 19% more than Laoag City, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,210 per month in Laoag 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 Laoag City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $807 in Laoag City and $957 in Manila. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $154 per month in Laoag City and $363 in Manila. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $807 in Laoag City and $957 in Manila, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Laoag City costs $807 versus $957 in Manila. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Laoag 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.