Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandaluyong and Manila Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandaluyong and Manila

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $855 in Mandaluyong versus $963 in Manila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,315 in Mandaluyong versus $1,522 in Manila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,775 in Mandaluyong versus $2,081 in Manila.

Living in Mandaluyong costs roughly 11% less than in Manila, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mandaluyong 36% lower, Manila 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.37 ₱329

$5.39 ₱330

-0.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.41 ₱1,065

$26.79 ₱1,639

-35.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.33 ₱203

$4.54 ₱278

-26.65%

Cappuccino

$2.37 ₱145

$2.62 ₱160

-9.54%

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

$0.90 ₱55.2

$0.98 ₱60.2

-8.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱30.78

$0.54 ₱32.93

-7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ₱93.9

$1.48 ₱90.8

3.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ₱165

$2.73 ₱167

-1.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₱115

$1.96 ₱120

-3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ₱82.2

$1.40 ₱85.4

-4.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ₱64.7

$1.03 ₱63.2

2.91%

Eggs

$2.27 ₱139

$2.07 ₱127

9.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.99 ₱550

$9.11 ₱557

-1.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.16 ₱316

$5.20 ₱318

-0.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.69 ₱532

$8.70 ₱533

-0.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 ₱214

$3.40 ₱208

2.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₱111

Oranges (1kg)

$3.53 ₱216

$3.66 ₱224

-3.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.48 ₱152

$2.52 ₱154

-1.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 ₱170

$2.81 ₱172

-1.07%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 ₱191

$3.09 ₱189

1.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ₱40.69

$1.99 ₱122

-66.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ₱39.81

$0.69 ₱41.97

-5.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₱198

$3.44 ₱210

-6.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.85 ₱541

$9.98 ₱611

-11.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₱93.1

$1.49 ₱91.4

2.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱129

$2.19 ₱134

-3.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₱22.39

$0.48 ₱29.54

-22.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.83 ₱724

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 ₱57.0

$0.93 ₱56.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₱16.56

$0.27 ₱16.58

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 ₱129

$2.16 ₱132

-2.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱70.3

$1.12 ₱68.2

2.68%

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

$26.8K ₱1.6M

$26.6K ₱1.6M

0.77%

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

$20.7K ₱1.3M

$23.0K ₱1.4M

-9.66%

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

$136 ₱8,344

$135 ₱8,238

1.28%

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

$35.15 ₱2,151

$22.00 ₱1,346

59.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.71 ₱1,634

$27.98 ₱1,712

-4.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.51 ₱2,111

$42.05 ₱2,573

-17.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.41 ₱270

$7.00 ₱428

-37.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 ₱411

$6.73 ₱411

-0.15%

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

$151 ₱9,256

$365 ₱22.3K

-58.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,679 ₱286.3K

$11.6K ₱707.4K

-59.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.36 ₱2,898

$46.97 ₱2,874

0.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.30 ₱2,098

$35.01 ₱2,142

-2.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 ₱4,541

$81.7 ₱5,000

-9.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.64 ₱2,853

$45.98 ₱2,813

1.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$525 ₱32.1K

$489 ₱29.9K

7.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ₱11.0K

$270 ₱16.5K

-33.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$594 ₱36.3K

$1,687 ₱103.2K

-64.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 ₱23.8K

$630 ₱38.5K

-38.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,980 ₱182.3K

$4,325 ₱264.6K

-31.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,640 ₱161.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ₱38.1K

$452 ₱27.7K

37.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

7.52

-40.16%

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

Last update for Mandaluyong: April 26, 2026

Last update for Manila: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $525 in Mandaluyong and $489 in Manila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mandaluyong pays 38% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $17.00 in Mandaluyong vs $27.00 in Manila for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $243 per month, with Mandaluyong 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

Mandaluyong vs Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mandaluyong and Manila differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($855 vs $963 including rent). Mandaluyong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mandaluyong pays 38% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $525 in Mandaluyong versus $489 in Manila. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $151 in Mandaluyong versus $365 in Manila. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mandaluyong – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $27.00 in Manila. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $855 in Mandaluyong versus $963 in Manila, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mandaluyong but tight or insufficient in Manila. The gap between the two cities makes Mandaluyong the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mandaluyong 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 Mandaluyong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Manila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.