Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Bacolod

For one person, living is cheaper in Bacolod: $598 a month against $945 in Manila, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Manila
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Manila Living Index

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Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$945

/mo nomad

Bacolod

🇵🇭 Philippines

$598

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manila and in Bacolod

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 Bacolod actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $945 per month in Manila vs $598 in Bacolod, rent included.

Manila $945
Bacolod $598

A couple spends around $1,572 per month in Manila vs $867 in Bacolod, rent included.

Manila $1,572
Bacolod $867

A family of three spends $2,199 per month in Manila vs $1,135 in Bacolod, rent included.

Manila $2,199
Bacolod $1,135

Manila costs about 58% more than Bacolod, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Manila and Bacolod are more affordable than the global median – Manila 31% lower, Bacolod 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 ₱339

$2.36 ₱150

126.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.46 ₱1,677

$12.74 ₱808

107.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.93 ₱249

$3.90 ₱247

0.77%

Cappuccino

$2.53 ₱160

$2.30 ₱146

10.00%

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

$1.35 ₱85.6

$0.67 ₱42.59

101.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 ₱51.8

$0.36 ₱23.09

127.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ₱72.3

$1.31 ₱83.1

-12.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₱151

$1.84 ₱117

29.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱121

$1.50 ₱95.1

27.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ₱91.3

$1.09 ₱69.3

32.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₱59.8

$0.95 ₱60.4

-1.05%

Eggs

$2.30 ₱146

$1.58 ₱100

45.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 ₱470

$8.64 ₱548

-14.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱292

$6.47 ₱410

-28.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.65 ₱421

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ₱209

$3.45 ₱219

-4.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱114

$2.39 ₱152

-24.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 ₱190

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 ₱111

$0.56 ₱35.64

214.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 ₱141

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 ₱169

$1.97 ₱125

35.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 ₱136

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.85

$1.00 ₱63.6

-47.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.06 ₱194

$2.73 ₱173

12.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.57 ₱606

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱82.6

$0.88 ₱55.5

47.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₱126

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₱25.62

$0.17 ₱10.58

135.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.75 ₱808

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 ₱45.60

$0.65 ₱41.09

10.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.60

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ₱117

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ₱80.4

$1.25 ₱79.1

1.60%

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

$20.7K ₱1.3M

$21.3K ₱1.3M

-2.62%

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

$18.7K ₱1.2M

$22.9K ₱1.4M

-18.41%

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

$120 ₱7,580

$137 ₱8,713

-13.01%

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

$15.69 ₱995

$7.72 ₱489

103.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.60 ₱1,496

$27.18 ₱1,723

-13.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.57 ₱2,698

$15.83 ₱1,003

168.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.65 ₱358

$2.33 ₱148

142.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ₱412

$4.44 ₱282

46.40%

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

$599 ₱38.0K

$31.16 ₱1,975

1821.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,818 ₱558.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 ₱3,592

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.40 ₱1,737

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 ₱4,839

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.5 ₱3,518

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 ₱33.4K

$257 ₱16.3K

104.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 ₱18.8K

$178 ₱11.3K

66.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,887 ₱119.6K

$466 ₱29.5K

305.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$816 ₱51.7K

$339 ₱21.5K

140.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,968 ₱251.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,366 ₱150.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$466 ₱29.5K

$202 ₱12.8K

130.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

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

Last update for Manila: October 24, 2026

Last update for Bacolod: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Manila

$297 31.4%

Bacolod

–

Groceries & Markets

Manila

$216 22.9%

Bacolod

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manila

$159 16.8%

Bacolod

–

Eating Out

Manila

$104 11%

Bacolod

–

Clothing & Footwear

Manila

$97 10.3%

Bacolod

–

Sport & Entertainment

Manila

$56 5.9%

Bacolod

–

Getting Around

Manila

$16 1.7%

Bacolod

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $526 in Manila versus $257 in Bacolod. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Manila are about 2.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26 in Manila versus $13 in Bacolod. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $216 vs $149 – making Bacolod the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Manila

🇵🇭 Bacolod

🕒 Local time

14:59 2:59 PM

Same time as Manila

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,780,148 Capital

561,875

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.58 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.58 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Bacolod: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $945 in Manila, $598 in Bacolod – Bacolod comes out roughly 37% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,418 per month in Manila and $898 in Bacolod. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bacolod, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $257 there versus $526 in Manila.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26 in Manila and $13 in Bacolod. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% more in Manila, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $945 in Manila and $598 in Bacolod, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Manila has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $598 in Bacolod to $945 in Manila. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Bacolod. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Manila makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.