Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Bulacan Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Bulacan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $957 per month in Manila vs $709 in Bulacan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,538 per month in Manila vs $1,047 in Bulacan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,118 per month in Manila vs $1,385 in Bulacan, rent included.

Manila costs about 35% more than Bulacan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Manila and Bulacan are more affordable than the global median – Manila 28% lower, Bulacan 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.28 ₱325

$2.63 ₱162

100.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.12 ₱1,669

$14.29 ₱879

89.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.55 ₱280

$2.86 ₱176

59.09%

Cappuccino

$2.73 ₱168

$2.18 ₱134

25.23%

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

$0.96 ₱59.2

$0.68 ₱42.03

41.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱30.96

$0.33 ₱20.57

51.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.54 ₱94.7

$1.04 ₱63.9

48.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ₱163

$2.03 ₱125

30.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱117

$2.04 ₱125

-6.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ₱81.9

$1.24 ₱76.4

7.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱66.1

$0.98 ₱60.4

9.18%

Eggs

$2.08 ₱128

$1.99 ₱122

4.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.28 ₱572

$3.13 ₱193

196.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 ₱321

$3.49 ₱215

49.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.55 ₱526

$6.44 ₱397

32.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 ₱218

$2.17 ₱134

63.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱111

$1.44 ₱88.9

25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.11 ₱130

69.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 ₱154

$1.47 ₱90.5

70.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 ₱171

$1.81 ₱112

53.59%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 ₱194

$1.51 ₱92.8

109.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 ₱122

$0.83 ₱51.1

138.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₱42.17

$0.80 ₱49.24

-15.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 ₱204

$2.86 ₱176

15.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 ₱585

$3.68 ₱227

158.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 ₱90.0

$1.04 ₱64.3

40.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$1.71 ₱105

23.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ₱29.41

$0.29 ₱17.92

65.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.15 ₱748

$7.30 ₱449

66.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 ₱54.0

$0.81 ₱50.1

8.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₱16.65

$0.22 ₱13.51

22.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 ₱128

$2.64 ₱162

-21.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₱72.3

$1.10 ₱67.5

6.36%

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

$26.1K ₱1.6M

$27.3K ₱1.7M

-4.52%

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

$22.8K ₱1.4M

$14.8K ₱912.1K

54.09%

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

$135 ₱8,337

$113 ₱6,971

19.60%

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

$21.56 ₱1,327

$32.87 ₱2,023

-34.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.58 ₱1,698

$28.12 ₱1,731

-1.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ₱2,549

$41.87 ₱2,578

-1.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.82 ₱420

$4.34 ₱267

57.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.92 ₱426

$6.05 ₱372

14.38%

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

$363 ₱22.3K

$105 ₱6,493

244.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ₱713.4K

$4,301 ₱264.8K

169.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 ₱2,900

$30.11 ₱1,854

56.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.39 ₱2,117

$23.21 ₱1,429

48.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.9 ₱5,040

$75.5 ₱4,648

8.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.42 ₱2,919

$99.1 ₱6,103

-52.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 ₱29.9K

$259 ₱15.9K

87.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 ₱16.7K

$135 ₱8,317

100.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,729 ₱106.5K

$391 ₱24.1K

342.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 ₱39.5K

$201 ₱12.4K

219.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,332 ₱266.7K

$1,954 ₱120.3K

121.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,602 ₱160.2K

$1,461 ₱90.0K

78.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$467 ₱28.7K

$293 ₱18.0K

59.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.52

6.17

21.88%

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

Last update for Manila: July 11, 2026

Last update for Bulacan: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $486 in Manila versus $259 in Bulacan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 59% higher in Manila, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Manila versus $14.00 in Bulacan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $164 – making Bulacan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Bulacan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manila costs about 35% more than Bulacan, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,436 per month in Manila and $1,063 in Bulacan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bulacan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $957 in Manila and $709 in Bulacan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 66% less in Bulacan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $957 in Manila and $709 in Bulacan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bulacan costs $709 versus $957 in Manila. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bulacan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Manila makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.