Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Albay Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Albay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $927 in Manila versus $731 in Albay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,501 in Manila versus $1,100 in Albay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,074 in Manila versus $1,470 in Albay.

Living in Manila is roughly 27% more expensive than in Albay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Manila 33% lower, Albay 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.16 ₱322

$3.65 ₱228

41.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.86 ₱1,613

$16.73 ₱1,043

54.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.93 ₱245

$2.77 ₱172

41.88%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱157

$2.15 ₱134

17.21%

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

$1.36 ₱84.6

$0.59 ₱36.49

130.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₱51.8

$0.32 ₱19.77

159.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ₱70.4

$1.09 ₱67.9

3.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ₱171

$1.87 ₱116

46.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱118

$1.68 ₱105

13.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.1

$1.12 ₱69.9

27.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₱61.1

$0.91 ₱56.9

7.69%

Eggs

$2.23 ₱139

$1.94 ₱121

14.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 ₱498

$5.31 ₱331

50.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 ₱292

$4.16 ₱259

12.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.81 ₱424

$7.34 ₱458

-7.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 ₱207

$2.29 ₱143

44.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₱114

$1.57 ₱97.7

16.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 ₱186

$2.35 ₱147

26.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 ₱116

$1.13 ₱70.7

64.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 ₱141

$2.12 ₱132

6.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 ₱168

$2.02 ₱126

33.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 ₱131

$0.78 ₱48.91

169.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.65

$0.52 ₱32.69

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 ₱200

$2.89 ₱180

10.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.61 ₱599

$8.17 ₱510

17.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₱82.6

$0.98 ₱60.9

34.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₱131

$2.01 ₱125

4.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₱28.89

$0.27 ₱16.86

70.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.68 ₱791

$11.14 ₱695

13.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱52.1

$0.78 ₱48.58

6.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.39

$0.25 ₱15.67

-8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ₱116

$1.89 ₱118

-1.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱77.1

$1.13 ₱70.2

9.73%

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

$21.3K ₱1.3M

$21.8K ₱1.4M

-2.14%

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

$19.3K ₱1.2M

$19.5K ₱1.2M

-0.88%

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

$122 ₱7,607

$122 ₱7,636

-0.38%

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

$14.83 ₱925

$15.25 ₱951

-2.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.95 ₱1,494

$24.58 ₱1,533

-2.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.46 ₱2,648

$31.78 ₱1,982

33.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 ₱361

$4.76 ₱297

21.64%

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 ₱429

$5.28 ₱329

30.30%

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

$621 ₱38.7K

$135 ₱8,447

358.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,865 ₱552.8K

$8,000 ₱498.9K

10.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 ₱3,586

$32.79 ₱2,045

75.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.04 ₱1,749

$19.93 ₱1,243

40.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 ₱4,840

$72.0 ₱4,487

7.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.9 ₱3,609

$56.6 ₱3,532

2.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$534 ₱33.3K

$269 ₱16.8K

98.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ₱17.9K

$173 ₱10.8K

66.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,928 ₱120.2K

$493 ₱30.7K

291.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$664 ₱41.4K

$356 ₱22.2K

86.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,356 ₱271.6K

$2,618 ₱163.3K

66.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,555 ₱159.3K

$1,025 ₱63.9K

149.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$473 ₱29.5K

$165 ₱10.3K

187.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

6.75

10.07%

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

Last update for Manila: September 8, 2026

Last update for Albay: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $534 in Manila and $269 in Albay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manila pays 187% 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: $26.00 in Manila vs $17.00 in Albay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $220 vs $179 per month, with Albay 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

Manila vs Albay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manila and Albay differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($927 vs $731 including rent). Albay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 187% higher in Manila, 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: $534 in Manila versus $269 in Albay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Manila. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Albay – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $26.00 in Manila. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $731 in Albay versus $927 in Manila, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Albay but tight or insufficient in Manila. The gap between the two cities makes Albay 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, Manila and Albay 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 Albay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Manila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.