Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Bulacan

For one person, living is cheaper in Bulacan: $628 a month against $922 in Manila, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Manila
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Manila Living Index
30

Cost of Living Index in Bulacan
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Bulacan Living Index

Jump to prices

Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$922

/mo nomad

Bulacan

🇵🇭 Philippines

$628

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manila and in Bulacan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Manila and in Bulacan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $922 per month in Manila vs $628 in Bulacan, rent included.

Manila $922
Bulacan $628

A couple spends around $1,531 per month in Manila vs $904 in Bulacan, rent included.

Manila $1,531
Bulacan $904

A family of three spends $2,140 per month in Manila vs $1,180 in Bulacan, rent included.

Manila $2,140
Bulacan $1,180

Manila costs about 47% more than Bulacan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Manila and Bulacan are more affordable than the global median – Manila 32% lower, Bulacan 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ₱296

$2.34 ₱148

99.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.32 ₱1,671

$14.45 ₱917

82.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.02 ₱255

$1.85 ₱117

117.30%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱159

$1.70 ₱108

47.65%

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

$1.37 ₱87.1

$0.45 ₱28.51

204.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 ₱56.4

$0.15 ₱9.59

493.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 ₱75.9

$1.13 ₱72.0

6.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱149

$1.31 ₱83.1

78.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ₱119

$1.40 ₱88.7

33.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ₱89.5

$1.09 ₱69.2

29.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.5

$0.90 ₱57.2

13.33%

Eggs

$2.19 ₱139

$1.53 ₱97.3

43.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.47 ₱474

$2.36 ₱150

216.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 ₱308

$3.16 ₱200

53.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.98 ₱443

$6.63 ₱421

5.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ₱208

$2.18 ₱139

50.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₱115

$1.70 ₱108

6.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 ₱184

$2.22 ₱141

30.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 ₱121

$1.27 ₱80.8

50.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 ₱146

$1.55 ₱98.6

48.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 ₱171

$1.76 ₱111

52.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 ₱139

$0.61 ₱38.78

257.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₱36.41

$0.35 ₱22.25

62.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 ₱195

$3.82 ₱243

-19.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.34 ₱593

$3.48 ₱221

168.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₱80.9

$1.01 ₱64.2

25.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₱130

$1.37 ₱86.9

49.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 ₱20.98

$0.20 ₱12.77

65.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.80 ₱812

$6.73 ₱427

90.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱49.21

$0.73 ₱46.40

6.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 ₱12.68

$0.18 ₱11.13

11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₱118

$1.84 ₱117

0.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱83.2

$1.20 ₱76.5

9.17%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$20.9K ₱1.3M

-0.60%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$19.5K ₱1.2M

-0.29%

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

$109 ₱6,936

$115 ₱7,292

-4.88%

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

$15.71 ₱997

$17.51 ₱1,112

-10.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.58 ₱1,561

$31.15 ₱1,977

-21.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.75 ₱2,651

$47.30 ₱3,003

-11.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.84 ₱371

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ₱407

$4.82 ₱306

33.20%

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

$606 ₱38.5K

$78.2 ₱4,964

675.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,674 ₱487.2K

$932 ₱59.2K

723.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ₱3,545

$30.99 ₱1,967

80.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.57 ₱1,814

$32.20 ₱2,044

-11.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 ₱4,375

$62.4 ₱3,963

10.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 ₱3,701

$62.6 ₱3,972

-6.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$533 ₱33.8K

$181 ₱11.5K

194.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ₱18.4K

$116 ₱7,340

150.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,916 ₱121.6K

$252 ₱16.0K

661.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₱49.5K

$155 ₱9,855

402.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,078 ₱258.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,432 ₱154.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ₱32.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

6.14%

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

Last update for Manila: November 2, 2026

Last update for Bulacan: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Manila

$289 31.4%

Bulacan

$116 18.4% 60% $174

Groceries & Markets

Manila

$219 23.7%

Bulacan

$143 22.8% 34.5% $75

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manila

$150 16.2%

Bulacan

$164 26% 9.3% $14

Eating Out

Manila

$99 10.8%

Bulacan

$55 8.8% 44.2% $44

Clothing & Footwear

Manila

$95 10.3%

Bulacan

$85 13.5% 11.1% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Manila

$55 5.9%

Bulacan

$57 9.1% 4.3% $2.4

Getting Around

Manila

$16 1.7%

Bulacan

$9.1 1.5% 42.5% $6.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $533 in Manila versus $181 in Bulacan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26 in Manila versus $14 in Bulacan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $219 vs $143 – making Bulacan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Manila

🇵🇭 Bulacan

🕒 Local time

18:10 6:10 PM

Same time as Manila

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,780,148 Capital

3,700,000

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.58 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.58 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 47% more than Bulacan, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,383 per month in Manila and $943 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $181 there versus $533 in Manila.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $922 in Manila and $628 in Bulacan. That makes Bulacan about 32% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 47% less in Bulacan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Bulacan, where all-in costs run around $628, than in Manila at $922. In Bulacan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manila it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bulacan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Bulacan is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 32% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.