Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Alabang Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Alabang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $957 per month in Manila vs $688 in Alabang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,538 per month in Manila vs $1,094 in Alabang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,118 per month in Manila vs $1,499 in Alabang, rent included.

Manila costs about 39% more than Alabang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Manila and Alabang are more affordable than the global median – Manila 28% lower, Alabang 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.28 ₱325

$4.12 ₱254

28.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.12 ₱1,669

$21.61 ₱1,330

25.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.55 ₱280

$2.19 ₱135

107.76%

Cappuccino

$2.73 ₱168

$2.67 ₱164

2.25%

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

$0.96 ₱59.2

$0.94 ₱58.1

2.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱30.96

$0.37 ₱22.80

35.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.54 ₱94.7

$1.25 ₱77.0

23.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ₱163

$2.63 ₱162

0.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱117

$1.54 ₱94.8

23.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ₱81.9

$1.20 ₱73.9

10.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱66.1

$0.73 ₱44.79

46.58%

Eggs

$2.08 ₱128

$1.94 ₱119

7.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.28 ₱572

$6.87 ₱423

35.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 ₱321

$3.04 ₱187

71.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.55 ₱526

$6.73 ₱414

27.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 ₱218

$2.15 ₱133

64.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱111

$1.41 ₱86.7

27.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 ₱221

$1.55 ₱95.6

130.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 ₱154

$1.64 ₱101

52.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 ₱171

$1.27 ₱78.2

118.90%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 ₱194

$3.17 ₱195

-0.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 ₱122

$1.59 ₱97.6

24.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₱42.17

$0.69 ₱42.26

-1.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 ₱204

$2.11 ₱130

56.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 ₱585

$7.90 ₱487

20.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 ₱90.0

$1.23 ₱75.7

18.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$1.73 ₱106

21.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ₱29.41

$0.26 ₱15.89

84.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.15 ₱748

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 ₱54.0

$0.82 ₱50.3

7.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₱16.65

$0.24 ₱14.81

12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 ₱128

$2.16 ₱133

-3.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₱72.3

$1.10 ₱67.8

6.36%

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

$26.1K ₱1.6M

$26.2K ₱1.6M

-0.31%

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

$22.8K ₱1.4M

$20.2K ₱1.2M

12.84%

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

$135 ₱8,337

$46.97 ₱2,892

188.31%

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

$21.56 ₱1,327

$32.80 ₱2,019

-34.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.58 ₱1,698

$29.90 ₱1,841

-7.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ₱2,549

$34.32 ₱2,113

20.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.82 ₱420

$4.37 ₱269

56.06%

Cinema Ticket

$6.92 ₱426

$3.48 ₱215

98.85%

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

$363 ₱22.3K

$66.9 ₱4,116

442.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ₱713.4K

$2,844 ₱175.1K

307.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 ₱2,900

$32.18 ₱1,981

46.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.39 ₱2,117

$17.39 ₱1,070

97.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.9 ₱5,040

$98.4 ₱6,057

-16.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.42 ₱2,919

$52.2 ₱3,214

-9.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 ₱29.9K

$251 ₱15.5K

93.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 ₱16.7K

$174 ₱10.7K

56.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,729 ₱106.5K

$580 ₱35.7K

198.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 ₱39.5K

$399 ₱24.5K

60.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,332 ₱266.7K

$2,314 ₱142.4K

87.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,602 ₱160.2K

$1,045 ₱64.4K

148.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$467 ₱28.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.52

8.13

-7.50%

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

Last update for Manila: July 11, 2026

Last update for Alabang: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $486 in Manila versus $251 in Alabang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Manila versus $22.00 in Alabang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $178 – making Alabang 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

Manila vs Alabang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Manila is pricier by about 39%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,436 per month in Manila and $1,032 in Alabang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Manila and $22.00 in Alabang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Manila, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $957 in Manila and $688 in Alabang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Alabang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Alabang. 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.