Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lucena and Manila

For one person, living is cheaper in Lucena: $646 a month against $948 in Manila, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

31

Cost of Living Index in Lucena
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Lucena Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Manila
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Manila Living Index

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Lucena

🇵🇭 Philippines

$646

/mo nomad

Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$948

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $646 per month in Lucena vs $948 in Manila, rent included.

Lucena $646
Manila $948

A couple spends around $1,041 per month in Lucena vs $1,508 in Manila, rent included.

Lucena $1,041
Manila $1,508

A family of three spends $1,436 per month in Lucena vs $2,068 in Manila, rent included.

Lucena $1,436
Manila $2,068

Lucena is about 32% cheaper than Manila, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Lucena and Manila are more affordable than the global median – Lucena 52% lower, Manila 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.50 ₱94.4

$5.46 ₱344

-72.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.91 ₱1,191

$26.93 ₱1,695

-29.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$1.72 ₱108

$3.90 ₱246

-55.90%

Cappuccino

$1.32 ₱83.2

$2.62 ₱165

-49.62%

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

$0.33 ₱20.88

$1.36 ₱85.5

-75.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₱18.26

$0.83 ₱52.3

-65.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.38 ₱86.7

$1.22 ₱76.9

13.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₱80.9

$2.32 ₱146

-44.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ₱105

$1.96 ₱123

-15.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 ₱73.4

$1.42 ₱89.1

-17.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 ₱57.6

$1.04 ₱65.4

-11.54%

Eggs

$1.75 ₱110

$2.23 ₱140

-21.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.82 ₱429

$7.70 ₱485

-11.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.21 ₱265

$4.91 ₱309

-14.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.13 ₱449

$7.12 ₱448

0.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 ₱254

$3.23 ₱204

25.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 ₱86.0

$1.92 ₱121

-28.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 ₱225

$2.93 ₱184

22.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ₱73.5

$1.79 ₱113

-34.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 ₱143

$2.32 ₱146

-2.16%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$2.73 ₱172

20.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 ₱89.6

$2.12 ₱133

-33.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₱57.0

$0.59 ₱37.25

54.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.74 ₱173

$3.18 ₱200

-13.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.74 ₱487

$9.81 ₱618

-21.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 ₱84.6

$1.34 ₱84.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 ₱111

$2.00 ₱126

-12.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₱14.97

$0.47 ₱29.47

-48.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.08 ₱761

$12.56 ₱791

-3.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱51.0

$0.73 ₱46.07

10.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.19

$0.21 ₱13.20

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 ₱160

$1.87 ₱118

35.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₱77.6

$1.28 ₱80.6

-3.91%

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

$21.3K ₱1.3M

$21.4K ₱1.3M

-0.30%

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

$18.8K ₱1.2M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

-2.81%

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

$47.89 ₱3,015

$124 ₱7,822

-61.45%

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

$6.37 ₱401

$15.73 ₱990

-59.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.06 ₱696

$24.40 ₱1,536

-54.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.15 ₱2,150

$43.31 ₱2,727

-21.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.02 ₱253

$5.79 ₱365

-30.57%

Cinema Ticket

$7.38 ₱465

$6.76 ₱425

9.17%

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

$71.9 ₱4,529

$630 ₱39.7K

-88.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,515 ₱158.3K

$9,004 ₱566.9K

-72.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.78 ₱2,253

$58.3 ₱3,668

-38.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.69 ₱1,428

$27.34 ₱1,721

-17.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 ₱5,020

$75.6 ₱4,758

5.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.4 ₱4,683

$56.6 ₱3,564

31.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 ₱16.5K

$536 ₱33.8K

-51.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 ₱10.7K

$284 ₱17.9K

-40.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$516 ₱32.5K

$1,874 ₱118.0K

-72.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₱22.5K

$654 ₱41.2K

-45.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,274 ₱143.2K

$4,438 ₱279.4K

-48.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$921 ₱58.0K

$2,530 ₱159.3K

-63.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$320 ₱20.2K

$467 ₱29.4K

-31.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

-5.79%

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

Last update for Lucena: October 12, 2026

Last update for Manila: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Lucena

$206 31.9%

Manila

$222 23.5% 7.9% $16

Accommodation & Living

Lucena

$170 26.3%

Manila

$284 29.9% 67.2% $114

Clothing & Footwear

Lucena

$96 14.8%

Manila

$98 10.3% 2.4% $2.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lucena

$65 10.1%

Manila

$164 17.3% 152% $99

Sport & Entertainment

Lucena

$49 7.6%

Manila

$57 6% 16.2% $7.9

Eating Out

Lucena

$45 7%

Manila

$106 11.2% 137% $61

Getting Around

Lucena

$15 2.3%

Manila

$16 1.7% 8.9% $1.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $262 in Lucena versus $536 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 46% 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 $19.00 in Lucena versus $27.00 in Manila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $222 – making Lucena the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Lucena

🇵🇭 Manila

🕒 Local time

05:27 5:27 AM

Same time as Lucena

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

278,924

1,780,148 Capital

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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

Lucena vs Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $646 in Lucena, $948 in Manila – roughly 47% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $968 per month in Lucena and $1,422 in Manila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $71.9 per month in Lucena and $630 in Manila. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Manila, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lucena, where all-in costs run around $646, than in Manila at $948. In Lucena 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 $646 in Lucena to $948 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 Lucena. 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.