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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $743 in Maasin City versus $959 in Manila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,135 in Maasin City versus $1,506 in Manila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,527 in Maasin City versus $2,052 in Manila.

Living in Maasin City costs roughly 23% less than in Manila, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maasin City 46% lower, Manila 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱190

$5.43 ₱341

-44.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.37 ₱1,468

$26.54 ₱1,667

-11.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.00 ₱251

$3.92 ₱246

2.04%

Cappuccino

$2.57 ₱161

$2.51 ₱158

2.39%

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

$0.59 ₱36.98

$1.39 ₱87.1

-57.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱31.16

$0.83 ₱52.4

-39.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 ₱108

$1.16 ₱73.2

48.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 ₱138

$2.74 ₱172

-19.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 ₱125

$1.89 ₱119

5.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 ₱69.3

$1.40 ₱87.9

-21.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ₱57.0

$0.99 ₱62.1

-8.08%

Eggs

$1.95 ₱123

$2.31 ₱145

-15.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.99 ₱628

$7.81 ₱491

27.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱278

$4.93 ₱310

-10.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.48 ₱470

$7.11 ₱447

5.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 ₱102

$3.23 ₱203

-49.85%

Banana (1kg)

$0.62 ₱38.96

$1.89 ₱119

-67.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ₱101

$3.01 ₱189

-46.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.6

$1.82 ₱115

-15.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 ₱149

$2.22 ₱139

6.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 ₱122

$2.62 ₱165

-25.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 ₱77.3

$2.17 ₱136

-43.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₱40.19

$0.59 ₱37.18

8.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 ₱183

$3.18 ₱200

-8.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.08 ₱382

$9.52 ₱598

-36.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₱80.0

$1.28 ₱80.6

-0.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₱109

$2.02 ₱127

-13.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ₱17.92

$0.47 ₱29.30

-38.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.01 ₱754

$12.85 ₱807

-6.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱48.93

$0.77 ₱48.34

1.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.84

$0.23 ₱14.47

-4.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 ₱122

$1.96 ₱123

-0.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₱79.0

$1.27 ₱79.7

-0.79%

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

$21.5K ₱1.4M

$21.5K ₱1.3M

0.36%

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

$19.3K ₱1.2M

$19.7K ₱1.2M

-1.95%

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

$122 ₱7,694

$122 ₱7,651

0.56%

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

$14.86 ₱934

$15.16 ₱952

-1.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.25 ₱1,712

$24.00 ₱1,508

13.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.89 ₱1,815

$42.61 ₱2,677

-32.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.12 ₱259

$5.69 ₱358

-27.59%

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱355

$6.88 ₱433

-17.88%

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

$131 ₱8,218

$618 ₱38.8K

-78.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,110 ₱509.5K

$8,864 ₱556.9K

-8.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.56 ₱1,983

$58.3 ₱3,665

-45.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.48 ₱1,224

$27.91 ₱1,754

-30.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 ₱4,765

$77.8 ₱4,889

-2.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.8 ₱3,440

$58.5 ₱3,674

-6.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 ₱16.9K

$545 ₱34.2K

-50.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$165 ₱10.4K

$285 ₱17.9K

-41.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$529 ₱33.2K

$1,928 ₱121.1K

-72.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 ₱19.6K

$673 ₱42.3K

-53.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,421 ₱152.1K

$4,397 ₱276.2K

-44.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,037 ₱65.1K

$2,528 ₱158.8K

-58.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$128 ₱8,056

$477 ₱29.9K

-73.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

7.43

-3.10%

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

Last update for Maasin City: September 13, 2026

Last update for Manila: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $269 in Maasin City and $545 in Manila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manila pays 272% 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: $23.00 in Maasin City vs $27.00 in Manila for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $221 per month, with Maasin City 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

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

Maasin City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 272% lower in Manila. 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: $269 in Maasin City versus $545 in Manila. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Manila. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Maasin City – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $27.00 in Manila. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $743 in Maasin City versus $959 in Manila, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Maasin City but tight or insufficient in Manila. The gap between the two cities makes Maasin City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Maasin City and Manila 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 Maasin City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Manila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.