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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $968 in Manila versus $743 in Bogo City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,526 in Manila versus $1,145 in Bogo City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,085 in Manila versus $1,548 in Bogo City.

Living in Manila is roughly 30% more expensive than in Bogo City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Manila 27% lower, Bogo City 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.40 ₱331

$4.52 ₱276

19.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.20 ₱1,604

$15.24 ₱933

71.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.32 ₱264

$2.60 ₱159

66.15%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₱162

$1.81 ₱111

46.41%

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

$0.96 ₱58.6

$0.46 ₱28.22

108.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₱33.24

$0.34 ₱20.58

58.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ₱93.4

$1.56 ₱95.6

-1.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 ₱167

$1.41 ₱86.2

93.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱116

$1.78 ₱109

6.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ₱81.5

$1.17 ₱71.5

13.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 ₱66.6

$0.91 ₱55.9

19.78%

Eggs

$2.11 ₱129

$2.37 ₱145

-10.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.09 ₱556

$10.50 ₱643

-13.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.12 ₱313

$3.46 ₱212

47.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.32 ₱509

$4.64 ₱284

79.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 ₱213

$2.69 ₱165

29.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₱112

$1.48 ₱90.5

23.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.65 ₱224

$3.25 ₱199

12.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.48 ₱152

$2.18 ₱134

13.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 ₱164

$1.62 ₱99.4

65.43%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 ₱189

$1.78 ₱109

73.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 ₱122

$0.93 ₱57.1

113.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₱42.73

$0.52 ₱31.54

34.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ₱206

$3.26 ₱200

3.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.94 ₱609

$6.37 ₱390

56.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 ₱88.6

$1.19 ₱72.9

21.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₱131

$1.72 ₱105

25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.48

$0.28 ₱17.24

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.06 ₱738

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₱53.1

$0.82 ₱49.97

6.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₱16.66

$0.23 ₱14.05

17.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 ₱128

$2.63 ₱161

-20.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₱69.0

$1.15 ₱70.4

-1.74%

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

$26.5K ₱1.6M

$30.1K ₱1.8M

-11.74%

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

$23.0K ₱1.4M

$26.8K ₱1.6M

-14.10%

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

$136 ₱8,317

$96.8 ₱5,923

40.42%

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

$22.22 ₱1,360

$34.81 ₱2,131

-36.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.60 ₱1,690

$29.54 ₱1,808

-6.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.74 ₱2,616

$34.53 ₱2,113

23.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.04 ₱431

$4.45 ₱272

58.20%

Cinema Ticket

$6.67 ₱408

$5.42 ₱332

23.06%

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

$363 ₱22.2K

$233 ₱14.3K

55.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K ₱694.8K

$3,969 ₱243.0K

185.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.97 ₱2,875

$45.96 ₱2,813

2.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.66 ₱2,122

$23.40 ₱1,432

48.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 ₱5,084

$75.5 ₱4,624

9.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.23 ₱2,830

$56.3 ₱3,447

-17.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$488 ₱29.9K

$262 ₱16.0K

86.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 ₱16.1K

$176 ₱10.7K

49.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,705 ₱104.4K

$590 ₱36.1K

188.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 ₱38.4K

$398 ₱24.4K

57.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,414 ₱270.2K

$2,421 ₱148.2K

82.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,526 ₱154.6K

$1,084 ₱66.4K

132.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 ₱30.1K

$160 ₱9,821

206.47%

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 25, 2026

Last update for Bogo City: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $488 in Manila and $262 in Bogo City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manila pays 206% 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 $15.00 in Bogo City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $192 per month, with Bogo 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 Bogo City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bogo City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 206% 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: $488 in Manila versus $262 in Bogo City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Manila. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $968 per month in Manila versus $743 in Bogo City – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $743 in Bogo City versus $968 in Manila, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bogo City but tight or insufficient in Manila. The gap between the two cities makes Bogo City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bogo City is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Manila, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Manila and Bogo 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 Bogo City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Manila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.