Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Manila: $931 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $21,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

46

Cost of Living Index in Manila
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Manila Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$931

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manila and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Manila and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $931 in Manila versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Manila $931
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,519 in Manila versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Manila $1,519
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,106 in Manila versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Manila $2,106
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Manila costs roughly 66% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Manila is 31% below, Austin, TX is 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.61 ₱352

$20.22 $20.22

-72.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.39 ₱1,718

$85.0 $85.0

-67.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.95 ₱248

$12.35 $12.35

-68.02%

Cappuccino

$2.56 ₱161

$5.47 $5.47

-53.20%

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

$1.42 ₱89.1

$3.82 $3.82

-62.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₱50.9

$2.50 $2.50

-67.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ₱73.2

$8.06 $8.06

-85.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₱148

$8.99 $8.99

-73.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₱122

$1.13 $1.13

71.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ₱88.0

$3.78 $3.78

-62.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.2

$3.25 $3.25

-68.62%

Eggs

$2.29 ₱144

$4.14 $4.14

-44.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 ₱493

$13.08 $13.08

-39.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 ₱307

$14.31 $14.31

-65.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.77 ₱425

$15.96 $15.96

-57.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 ₱212

$4.38 $4.38

-22.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₱116

$1.45 $1.45

27.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 ₱186

$4.54 $4.54

-34.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 ₱112

$4.19 $4.19

-57.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 ₱140

$2.63 $2.63

-14.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 ₱168

$2.36 $2.36

13.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 ₱138

$1.76 $1.76

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₱37.25

$2.16 $2.16

-72.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 ₱196

$9.81 $9.81

-68.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.42 ₱591

$14.72 $14.72

-36.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₱83.3

$2.78 $2.78

-52.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 ₱125

$3.48 $3.48

-42.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ₱29.46

$1.49 $1.49

-68.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.58 ₱789

$40.51 $40.51

-68.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱48.77

$2.67 $2.67

-70.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.43

$1.58 $1.58

-85.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 ₱122

$35.29 $35.29

-94.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.5

$0.99 $0.99

34.34%

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

$21.3K ₱1.3M

$35.8K $35.8K

-40.40%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$27.2K $27.2K

-27.56%

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

$121 ₱7,614

$219 $219

-44.63%

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

$16.04 ₱1,006

$58.0 $58.0

-72.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.25 ₱1,521

$68.4 $68.4

-64.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.44 ₱2,724

$57.9 $57.9

-24.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.90 ₱370

$14.82 $14.82

-60.19%

Cinema Ticket

$6.63 ₱416

$14.13 $14.13

-53.08%

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

$613 ₱38.4K

$1,509 $1,509

-59.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,953 ₱561.6K

$21.5K $21.5K

-58.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.2 ₱3,647

$51.7 $51.7

12.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.18 ₱1,704

$44.05 $44.05

-38.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.5 ₱4,862

$85.1 $85.1

-8.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.0 ₱3,574

$105 $105

-45.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$534 ₱33.5K

$1,932 $1,932

-72.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ₱18.0K

$1,272 $1,272

-77.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,916 ₱120.2K

$3,670 $3,670

-47.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$677 ₱42.5K

$2,525 $2,525

-73.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,439 ₱278.4K

$7,617 $7,617

-41.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,556 ₱160.3K

$3,199 $3,199

-20.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$485 ₱30.4K

$5,105 $5,105

-90.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

6.79

9.43%

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

Last update for Manila: October 4, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Manila

$287 30.2%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2% 343% $985

Groceries & Markets

Manila

$221 23.3%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 82% $182

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manila

$162 17%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1% 114% $184

Eating Out

Manila

$107 11.3%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 226% $241

Clothing & Footwear

Manila

$99 10.4%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9% 30.2% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Manila

$57 6%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 52% $29

Getting Around

Manila

$16 1.7%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2% 248% $41

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $534 in Manila and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 952% 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: $27.00 in Manila vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $403 per month, with Manila cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Manila

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

14:29 2:29 PM

01:29 1:29 AM

13 h behind Manila

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,780,148 Capital

974,447

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.35 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Manila Austin, TX 13,530 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Manila
Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manila wins on cost – living expenses run 190% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Manila the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 952% lower in Austin, TX. 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: $534 in Manila versus $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $931 per month in Manila versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 190% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Manila runs roughly 222% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $931 in Manila versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Manila but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Manila the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Manila delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $931 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Manila hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Manila and Austin, TX 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 Manila gentler on the wallet – expenses run 190% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.