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: $959 in Manila versus $810 in Bayawan City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,528 in Manila versus $1,271 in Bayawan City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,097 in Manila versus $1,733 in Bayawan City.

Living in Manila is roughly 18% more expensive than Bayawan City, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Manila 28% lower, Bayawan City 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.38 ₱332

$4.42 ₱272

21.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.83 ₱1,655

$23.64 ₱1,457

13.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.34 ₱267

$4.34 ₱268

Cappuccino

$2.75 ₱169

$2.54 ₱157

8.27%

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

$0.96 ₱58.9

$0.78 ₱48.19

23.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱30.56

$0.42 ₱25.99

19.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.49 ₱92.0

$1.53 ₱94.4

-2.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 ₱161

$2.17 ₱134

20.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₱116

$1.93 ₱119

-2.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 ₱85.3

$1.57 ₱96.9

-12.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ₱64.7

$0.76 ₱46.92

38.16%

Eggs

$2.18 ₱135

$2.35 ₱145

-7.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.61 ₱593

$12.65 ₱780

-24.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.19 ₱320

$5.23 ₱322

-0.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.32 ₱513

$7.57 ₱467

9.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 ₱216

$3.53 ₱218

-0.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱111

$1.50 ₱92.7

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 ₱221

$3.45 ₱213

3.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 ₱154

$2.19 ₱135

13.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 ₱170

$2.63 ₱162

4.94%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 ₱187

$2.53 ₱156

19.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 ₱124

$1.00 ₱61.5

101.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₱39.57

$0.83 ₱51.5

-22.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 ₱205

$3.25 ₱200

2.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.74 ₱601

$4.82 ₱297

102.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₱92.1

$0.90 ₱55.5

65.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₱133

$2.35 ₱145

-8.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ₱31.91

$0.28 ₱17.36

85.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.00 ₱740

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 ₱53.2

$0.83 ₱51.4

3.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.37

$0.25 ₱15.53

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ₱133

$2.60 ₱161

-16.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₱71.8

$1.15 ₱70.7

0.87%

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

$26.2K ₱1.6M

$30.7K ₱1.9M

-14.59%

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

$22.7K ₱1.4M

$27.7K ₱1.7M

-18.03%

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

$138 ₱8,529

$98.4 ₱6,069

40.53%

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

$22.24 ₱1,371

$34.84 ₱2,149

-36.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.71 ₱1,709

$29.40 ₱1,813

-5.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ₱2,554

$34.22 ₱2,110

21.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ₱425

$4.52 ₱279

52.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ₱406

$1.74 ₱107

278.16%

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

$357 ₱22.0K

$234 ₱14.4K

52.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ₱707.3K

$3,966 ₱244.5K

189.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.42 ₱2,862

$46.35 ₱2,858

0.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.12 ₱2,166

$23.07 ₱1,423

52.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 ₱5,081

$75.5 ₱4,654

9.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.78 ₱2,823

$55.9 ₱3,447

-18.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱30.8K

$271 ₱16.7K

84.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 ₱16.3K

$176 ₱10.9K

50.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,684 ₱103.8K

$586 ₱36.2K

187.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 ₱39.2K

$390 ₱24.1K

62.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,370 ₱269.4K

$2,480 ₱152.9K

76.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,544 ₱156.9K

$988 ₱60.9K

157.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$481 ₱29.7K

$112 ₱6,930

327.98%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Bayawan City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Manila and $271 in Bayawan City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manila pays 328% 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 $242 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 18% in total monthly costs ($959 vs $810 including rent). Bayawan City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Manila pays 328% more on average, 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: $500 in Manila versus $271 in Bayawan City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $357 in Manila versus $234 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.

At $810 in Bayawan City versus $959 in Manila, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bayawan City but tight or insufficient in Manila. The gap between the two cities makes Bayawan City 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 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 18% less than in Manila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.