Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Bayawan City Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Bayawan City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $957 in Manila versus $784 in Bayawan City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,538 in Manila versus $1,245 in Bayawan City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,118 in Manila versus $1,706 in Bayawan City.

Living in Manila is roughly 22% more expensive than in Bayawan City, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Manila 28% lower, Bayawan City 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.28 ₱325

$4.36 ₱268

21.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.12 ₱1,669

$24.00 ₱1,478

13.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.55 ₱280

$4.50 ₱277

1.11%

Cappuccino

$2.73 ₱168

$2.66 ₱163

2.63%

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

$0.96 ₱59.3

$0.80 ₱49.06

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱30.96

$0.46 ₱28.24

8.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.54 ₱94.7

$1.52 ₱93.8

1.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ₱163

$2.11 ₱130

25.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱117

$2.00 ₱123

-5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ₱81.9

$1.50 ₱92.1

-11.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱66.1

$0.77 ₱47.28

38.96%

Eggs

$2.08 ₱128

$2.37 ₱146

-12.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.28 ₱572

$12.83 ₱790

-27.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 ₱321

$5.14 ₱316

1.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.55 ₱527

$7.66 ₱471

11.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 ₱218

$3.59 ₱221

-1.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱111

$1.53 ₱94.2

17.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 ₱221

$3.42 ₱211

4.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 ₱154

$2.27 ₱140

10.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 ₱171

$2.65 ₱163

4.91%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 ₱194

$2.55 ₱157

23.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 ₱122

$0.97 ₱59.7

104.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₱42.17

$0.78 ₱48.15

-12.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 ₱204

$3.22 ₱198

2.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 ₱585

$4.82 ₱297

97.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 ₱90.0

$0.92 ₱56.4

58.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$2.27 ₱140

-7.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ₱29.41

$0.26 ₱15.79

84.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.15 ₱748

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 ₱54.0

$0.84 ₱51.6

4.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₱16.65

$0.23 ₱14.10

17.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 ₱128

$2.70 ₱166

-22.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₱72.3

$1.09 ₱67.2

7.34%

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

$26.1K ₱1.6M

$30.6K ₱1.9M

-14.90%

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

$22.8K ₱1.4M

$27.5K ₱1.7M

-16.87%

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

$135 ₱8,337

$95.4 ₱5,871

42.01%

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

$21.56 ₱1,328

$34.78 ₱2,141

-38.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.58 ₱1,698

$29.34 ₱1,806

-6.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ₱2,549

$33.90 ₱2,087

22.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.82 ₱420

$4.37 ₱269

56.06%

Cinema Ticket

$6.92 ₱426

$1.74 ₱107

297.70%

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

$363 ₱22.3K

$235 ₱14.5K

54.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ₱713.4K

$3,928 ₱241.8K

195.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 ₱2,900

$46.50 ₱2,863

1.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.39 ₱2,117

$22.83 ₱1,406

50.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.9 ₱5,040

$74.8 ₱4,603

9.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.42 ₱2,919

$55.6 ₱3,422

-14.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 ₱29.9K

$261 ₱16.1K

85.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 ₱16.7K

$175 ₱10.8K

54.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,729 ₱106.5K

$581 ₱35.8K

197.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 ₱39.5K

$402 ₱24.7K

59.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,332 ₱266.7K

$2,717 ₱167.3K

59.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,602 ₱160.2K

$876 ₱53.9K

197.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$467 ₱28.7K

$112 ₱6,914

315.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.52

-6.00%

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

Last update for Manila: July 11, 2026

Last update for Bayawan City: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $486 in Manila and $261 in Bayawan City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manila pays 316% 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 $24.00 in Bayawan City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $232 per month, with Bayawan City 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 Bayawan City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manila and Bayawan City differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($957 vs $784 including rent). Bayawan City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 316% 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: $486 in Manila versus $261 in Bayawan City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $363 in Manila versus $235 in Bayawan City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bayawan City – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $27.00 in Manila. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Bayawan City gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 Bayawan City 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 Bayawan City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Manila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.