Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lipa and Manila

For one person, living is cheaper in Lipa: $596 a month against $945 in Manila, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

29

Cost of Living Index in Lipa
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Lipa Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Manila
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Manila Living Index

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Lipa

🇵🇭 Philippines

$596

/mo nomad

Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$945

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $596 per month in Lipa vs $945 in Manila, rent included.

Lipa $596
Manila $945

A couple spends around $924 per month in Lipa vs $1,572 in Manila, rent included.

Lipa $924
Manila $1,572

A family of three spends $1,252 per month in Lipa vs $2,199 in Manila, rent included.

Lipa $1,252
Manila $2,199

Lipa is about 37% cheaper than Manila, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Lipa and Manila are more affordable than the global median – Lipa 56% lower, Manila 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.12 ₱199

$5.34 ₱340

-41.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.87 ₱1,011

$26.46 ₱1,685

-40.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.78 ₱177

$3.93 ₱251

-29.26%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ₱117

$2.53 ₱161

-27.67%

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

$0.42 ₱26.58

$1.35 ₱86.0

-68.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₱19.52

$0.82 ₱52.1

-62.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ₱65.2

$1.14 ₱72.6

-10.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₱96.8

$2.38 ₱152

-36.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 ₱96.4

$1.91 ₱121

-20.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 ₱70.1

$1.44 ₱91.8

-23.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 ₱52.6

$0.94 ₱60.1

-11.70%

Eggs

$1.72 ₱109

$2.30 ₱147

-25.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.13 ₱327

$7.41 ₱472

-30.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.26 ₱208

$4.61 ₱294

-29.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 ₱498

$6.65 ₱423

17.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 ₱145

$3.29 ₱210

-30.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ₱99.7

$1.80 ₱114

-12.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 ₱145

$3.00 ₱191

-24.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.01 ₱64.3

$1.76 ₱112

-42.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 ₱106

$2.22 ₱141

-24.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 ₱109

$2.66 ₱169

-36.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ₱38.36

$2.14 ₱136

-71.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.10

$0.53 ₱34.01

-7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 ₱186

$3.06 ₱195

-4.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.39 ₱534

$9.57 ₱609

-12.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ₱56.9

$1.30 ₱83.0

-31.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₱124

$1.99 ₱127

-2.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ₱17.23

$0.40 ₱25.75

-32.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.80 ₱306

$12.75 ₱812

-62.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 ₱43.28

$0.72 ₱45.82

-5.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱15.33

$0.23 ₱14.67

4.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₱119

$1.84 ₱117

1.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱69.9

$1.27 ₱80.8

-13.39%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

0.47%

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

$15.4K ₱982.6K

$18.7K ₱1.2M

-17.35%

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

$135 ₱8,605

$120 ₱7,617

12.97%

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

$17.10 ₱1,089

$15.69 ₱999

8.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.80 ₱1,452

$23.60 ₱1,503

-3.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.49 ₱2,005

$42.57 ₱2,711

-26.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.83 ₱244

$5.65 ₱360

-32.21%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 ₱322

$6.50 ₱414

-22.15%

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

$132 ₱8,375

$599 ₱38.1K

-78.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ₱675.9K

$8,818 ₱561.6K

20.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.79 ₱1,834

$56.7 ₱3,609

-49.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.29 ₱1,228

$27.40 ₱1,745

-29.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 ₱4,565

$76.4 ₱4,863

-6.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.7 ₱3,545

$55.5 ₱3,535

0.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$79.1 ₱5,039

$526 ₱33.5K

-84.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.6 ₱3,729

$297 ₱18.9K

-80.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 ₱15.4K

$1,887 ₱120.2K

-87.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 ₱11.3K

$816 ₱52.0K

-78.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,968 ₱252.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,366 ₱150.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$222 ₱14.1K

$466 ₱29.7K

-52.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

-19.25%

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

Last update for Lipa: October 25, 2026

Last update for Manila: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lipa

$175 29.3%

Manila

$159 16.8% 9.2% $16

Groceries & Markets

Lipa

$168 28.2%

Manila

$216 22.9% 28.6% $48

Clothing & Footwear

Lipa

$79 13.2%

Manila

$97 10.3% 23.1% $18

Eating Out

Lipa

$66 11.1%

Manila

$104 11% 57% $38

Accommodation & Living

Lipa

$59 9.8%

Manila

$297 31.4% 407% $238

Sport & Entertainment

Lipa

$42 7%

Manila

$56 5.9% 33.5% $14

Getting Around

Lipa

$7.8 1.3%

Manila

$16 1.7% 109% $8.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $79 in Lipa versus $526 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 in Manila are about 2.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16 in Lipa versus $26 in Manila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $168 vs $216 – making Lipa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Lipa

🇵🇭 Manila

🕒 Local time

12:05 12:05 PM

Same time as Lipa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

332,386

1,780,148 Capital

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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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

Lipa vs Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $596 in Lipa, $945 in Manila – Lipa comes out roughly 37% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $894 per month in Lipa and $1,418 in Manila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lipa, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $79 there versus $526 in Manila.

Public transport costs about 62% less in Lipa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $132 per month in Lipa and $599 in Manila. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $596 in Lipa and $945 in Manila, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Lipa – 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.

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