Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Boracay Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Boracay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Manila versus $765 in Boracay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,491 in Manila versus $1,164 in Boracay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,048 in Manila versus $1,562 in Boracay.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Manila 32% lower, Boracay 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.70 ₱355

$5.47 ₱341

4.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.88 ₱1,615

$19.41 ₱1,211

33.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.11 ₱256

$5.85 ₱365

-29.74%

Cappuccino

$2.49 ₱155

$2.25 ₱141

10.67%

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

$1.37 ₱85.3

$0.67 ₱41.67

104.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 ₱52.3

$0.23 ₱14.23

265.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ₱71.4

$1.08 ₱67.4

5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 ₱167

$1.93 ₱120

38.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₱118

$1.63 ₱102

15.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ₱91.1

$1.08 ₱67.1

35.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ₱61.6

$0.97 ₱60.4

2.06%

Eggs

$2.32 ₱145

$1.88 ₱117

23.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 ₱490

$5.24 ₱327

49.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.96 ₱309

$4.01 ₱250

23.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.07 ₱441

$7.61 ₱475

-7.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ₱212

$2.55 ₱159

32.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 ₱120

$1.55 ₱96.6

24.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 ₱188

$2.04 ₱127

47.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 ₱111

$0.99 ₱62.0

79.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 ₱140

$2.00 ₱125

12.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 ₱161

$1.81 ₱113

43.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 ₱132

$0.91 ₱56.6

132.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.82

$0.61 ₱38.27

-8.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 ₱189

$2.37 ₱148

27.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.84 ₱614

$8.11 ₱506

21.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₱79.9

$1.00 ₱62.3

28.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱132

$1.96 ₱122

7.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ₱29.17

$0.25 ₱15.47

88.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.73 ₱794

$10.29 ₱642

23.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱52.0

$0.76 ₱47.39

9.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.39

$0.23 ₱14.17

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 ₱123

$1.70 ₱106

16.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱77.3

$1.16 ₱72.3

6.90%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$20.4K ₱1.3M

6.67%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$19.9K ₱1.2M

-0.98%

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

$121 ₱7,581

$111 ₱6,920

9.55%

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

$15.06 ₱940

$15.94 ₱995

-5.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.90 ₱1,492

$34.58 ₱2,158

-30.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.84 ₱2,736

$34.63 ₱2,161

26.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.97 ₱373

$4.53 ₱283

31.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.03 ₱439

$5.23 ₱327

34.42%

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

$629 ₱39.3K

$153 ₱9,530

312.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,036 ₱563.9K

$8,190 ₱511.1K

10.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 ₱3,691

$29.35 ₱1,832

101.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.07 ₱1,752

$18.32 ₱1,143

53.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 ₱4,714

$61.6 ₱3,842

22.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.9 ₱3,613

$63.1 ₱3,936

-8.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 ₱33.5K

$270 ₱16.9K

98.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 ₱17.6K

$175 ₱10.9K

61.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,898 ₱118.4K

$504 ₱31.5K

276.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 ₱41.9K

$358 ₱22.3K

87.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,351 ₱271.5K

$2,625 ₱163.8K

65.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,494 ₱155.6K

$1,058 ₱66.0K

135.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$484 ₱30.2K

$235 ₱14.7K

105.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

6.75

10.07%

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

Last update for Manila: August 31, 2026

Last update for Boracay: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $537 in Manila and $270 in Boracay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manila pays 106% 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 $19.00 in Boracay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $178 per month, with Boracay 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 Boracay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manila and Boracay differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($934 vs $765 including rent). Boracay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 106% 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: $537 in Manila versus $270 in Boracay. 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.

Dining out is cheaper in Boracay – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $26.00 in Manila. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $765 in Boracay versus $934 in Manila, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Boracay but tight or insufficient in Manila. The gap between the two cities makes Boracay 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 Boracay 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 Boracay 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.