Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Butuan Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Butuan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $959 in Manila versus $731 in Butuan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,528 in Manila versus $1,129 in Butuan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,097 in Manila versus $1,527 in Butuan.

Living in Manila is roughly 31% more expensive than Butuan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Manila 28% lower, Butuan 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.38 ₱332

$4.41 ₱272

22.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.83 ₱1,655

$16.09 ₱992

66.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.34 ₱267

$2.33 ₱144

86.27%

Cappuccino

$2.75 ₱169

$1.63 ₱100

68.71%

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

$0.96 ₱58.9

$0.33 ₱20.25

190.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱30.56

$0.31 ₱19.22

61.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.49 ₱92.0

$1.16 ₱71.8

28.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 ₱161

$1.81 ₱112

44.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₱116

$1.65 ₱102

14.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 ₱85.3

$1.03 ₱63.8

33.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ₱64.7

$0.99 ₱61.1

6.06%

Eggs

$2.18 ₱135

$1.98 ₱122

10.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.61 ₱593

$5.73 ₱353

67.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.19 ₱320

$3.62 ₱223

43.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.32 ₱513

$7.37 ₱454

12.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 ₱216

$1.38 ₱85.1

153.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱111

$0.55 ₱33.96

227.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 ₱221

$0.87 ₱53.8

311.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 ₱154

$1.40 ₱86.6

77.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 ₱170

$2.20 ₱136

25.45%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 ₱187

$3.19 ₱197

-5.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 ₱124

$1.38 ₱85.3

45.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₱39.57

$0.52 ₱32.27

23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 ₱205

$2.44 ₱150

36.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.74 ₱601

$8.29 ₱511

17.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₱92.1

$0.72 ₱44.55

106.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₱133

$0.87 ₱53.5

147.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ₱31.91

$0.28 ₱17.34

85.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.00 ₱740

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 ₱53.2

$0.76 ₱46.67

13.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.37

$0.25 ₱15.46

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ₱133

$2.15 ₱132

0.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₱71.8

$1.14 ₱70.2

1.75%

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

$26.2K ₱1.6M

$22.3K ₱1.4M

17.41%

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

$22.7K ₱1.4M

$20.9K ₱1.3M

8.87%

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

$138 ₱8,529

$106 ₱6,539

30.44%

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

$22.24 ₱1,371

$33.91 ₱2,091

-34.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.71 ₱1,709

$35.49 ₱2,188

-21.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ₱2,554

$33.79 ₱2,084

22.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ₱425

$4.32 ₱266

59.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ₱406

$4.38 ₱270

50.23%

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

$357 ₱22.0K

$72.1 ₱4,443

395.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ₱707.3K

$1,766 ₱108.9K

549.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.42 ₱2,862

$45.95 ₱2,834

1.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.12 ₱2,166

$10.10 ₱623

247.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 ₱5,081

$70.9 ₱4,370

16.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.78 ₱2,823

$68.0 ₱4,191

-32.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱30.8K

$262 ₱16.2K

90.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 ₱16.3K

$176 ₱10.8K

50.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,684 ₱103.8K

$591 ₱36.5K

184.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 ₱39.2K

$397 ₱24.5K

60.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,370 ₱269.4K

$2,749 ₱169.5K

58.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,544 ₱156.9K

$1,070 ₱66.0K

137.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$481 ₱29.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.52

9.56

-21.34%

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

Last update for Manila: May 30, 2026

Last update for Butuan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Manila and $262 in Butuan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Manila vs $16.00 in Butuan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $164 per month, with Butuan 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 Butuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Butuan wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Manila. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Butuan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,438 in Manila and $1,097 in Butuan to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Manila versus $262 in Butuan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $357 in Manila versus $72.1 in Butuan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Butuan – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $27.00 in Manila. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $731 in Butuan versus $959 in Manila, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Butuan but tight or insufficient in Manila. The gap between the two cities makes Butuan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Butuan delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $731 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Butuan hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Manila and Butuan 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 Butuan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Manila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.