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: $927 in Manila versus $757 in Bayawan City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,501 in Manila versus $1,173 in Bayawan City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,074 in Manila versus $1,588 in Bayawan City.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Manila 33% lower, Bayawan City 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.16 ₱322

$3.07 ₱191

68.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.86 ₱1,613

$23.13 ₱1,442

11.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.93 ₱245

$3.99 ₱249

-1.50%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱157

$2.61 ₱163

-3.45%

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

$1.36 ₱84.6

$0.62 ₱38.97

119.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₱51.8

$0.51 ₱31.61

62.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ₱70.4

$1.78 ₱111

-36.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ₱171

$2.28 ₱142

20.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱118

$1.80 ₱112

5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.1

$1.17 ₱72.7

22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₱61.1

$0.68 ₱42.19

44.12%

Eggs

$2.23 ₱139

$1.98 ₱123

12.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 ₱498

$10.11 ₱630

-20.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 ₱292

$4.59 ₱286

2.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.81 ₱424

$7.50 ₱468

-9.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 ₱207

$3.39 ₱212

-2.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₱114

$1.39 ₱87.0

31.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 ₱186

$2.40 ₱150

24.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 ₱116

$1.48 ₱92.1

25.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 ₱141

$2.38 ₱149

-5.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 ₱168

$1.93 ₱120

39.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 ₱131

$1.19 ₱74.4

76.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.65

$0.63 ₱39.23

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 ₱200

$2.98 ₱186

7.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.61 ₱599

$4.73 ₱295

103.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₱82.6

$0.81 ₱50.7

62.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₱131

$1.68 ₱105

25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₱28.89

$0.27 ₱16.93

70.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.68 ₱791

$11.04 ₱688

14.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱52.1

$0.79 ₱49.48

5.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.39

$0.21 ₱13.03

9.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ₱116

$1.93 ₱121

-3.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱77.1

$1.14 ₱71.0

8.77%

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

$21.3K ₱1.3M

$21.6K ₱1.3M

-1.31%

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

$19.3K ₱1.2M

$19.4K ₱1.2M

-0.21%

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

$122 ₱7,607

$121 ₱7,568

0.51%

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

$14.83 ₱925

$14.81 ₱923

0.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.95 ₱1,494

$28.41 ₱1,771

-15.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.46 ₱2,648

$31.58 ₱1,969

34.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 ₱361

$4.74 ₱296

22.15%

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 ₱429

$1.65 ₱103

316.97%

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

$621 ₱38.7K

$136 ₱8,461

357.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,865 ₱552.8K

$8,050 ₱502.0K

10.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 ₱3,586

$32.31 ₱2,015

77.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.04 ₱1,749

$19.35 ₱1,206

44.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 ₱4,840

$76.8 ₱4,790

1.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.9 ₱3,609

$56.8 ₱3,543

1.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$534 ₱33.3K

$266 ₱16.6K

101.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ₱17.9K

$174 ₱10.8K

64.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,928 ₱120.2K

$504 ₱31.4K

282.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$664 ₱41.4K

$351 ₱21.9K

88.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,356 ₱271.6K

$2,597 ₱162.0K

67.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,555 ₱159.3K

$1,060 ₱66.1K

140.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$473 ₱29.5K

$114 ₱7,088

316.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

7.2

3.19%

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

Last update for Manila: September 8, 2026

Last update for Bayawan City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $534 in Manila and $266 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: $26.00 in Manila vs $23.00 in Bayawan City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $220 vs $199 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 ($927 vs $757 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: $534 in Manila versus $266 in Bayawan City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Manila. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bayawan City – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $26.00 in Manila. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $757 in Bayawan City versus $927 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 22% less than in Manila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.