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: $927 in Manila versus $579 in Butuan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,501 in Manila versus $903 in Butuan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,074 in Manila versus $1,227 in Butuan.

Living in Manila is roughly 60% more expensive than in Butuan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Manila 33% lower, Butuan 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.16 ₱322

$4.69 ₱292

10.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.86 ₱1,613

$26.84 ₱1,674

-3.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.93 ₱245

$2.33 ₱145

68.67%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱157

$2.12 ₱132

18.87%

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

$1.36 ₱84.6

$0.31 ₱19.11

338.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₱51.8

$0.23 ₱14.27

260.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ₱70.4

$1.56 ₱97.1

-27.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ₱171

$2.33 ₱145

17.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱118

$1.95 ₱122

-2.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.1

$1.09 ₱68.2

31.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₱61.1

$0.94 ₱58.5

4.26%

Eggs

$2.23 ₱139

$1.93 ₱120

15.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 ₱498

$6.79 ₱423

17.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 ₱292

$4.30 ₱268

9.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.81 ₱424

$8.69 ₱542

-21.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 ₱207

$2.59 ₱162

28.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₱114

$1.08 ₱67.2

69.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 ₱186

$2.28 ₱142

30.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 ₱116

$1.20 ₱75.0

55.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 ₱141

$2.10 ₱131

7.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 ₱168

$3.61 ₱225

-25.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 ₱131

$1.19 ₱74.1

76.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.65

$0.66 ₱41.22

-15.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 ₱200

$2.50 ₱156

28.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.61 ₱599

$7.90 ₱492

21.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₱82.6

$1.24 ₱77.3

6.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₱131

$1.53 ₱95.7

37.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₱28.89

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.68 ₱791

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱52.1

$0.83 ₱51.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.39

$0.25 ₱15.69

-8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ₱116

$1.94 ₱121

-4.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱77.1

$1.09 ₱67.8

13.76%

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

$21.3K ₱1.3M

$21.1K ₱1.3M

1.20%

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

$19.3K ₱1.2M

$19.1K ₱1.2M

1.31%

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

$122 ₱7,607

$106 ₱6,632

14.71%

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

$14.83 ₱925

$19.04 ₱1,187

-22.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.95 ₱1,494

$31.42 ₱1,959

-23.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.46 ₱2,648

$24.08 ₱1,501

76.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 ₱361

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 ₱429

$4.37 ₱273

57.44%

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

$621 ₱38.7K

$108 ₱6,746

474.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,865 ₱552.8K

$7,486 ₱466.8K

18.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 ₱3,586

$61.6 ₱3,843

-6.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.04 ₱1,749

$27.03 ₱1,686

3.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 ₱4,840

$72.6 ₱4,524

6.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.9 ₱3,609

$60.7 ₱3,784

-4.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$534 ₱33.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ₱17.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,928 ₱120.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$664 ₱41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,356 ₱271.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,555 ₱159.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$473 ₱29.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

8.31

-10.59%

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

Last update for Manila: September 8, 2026

Last update for Butuan: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $26.00 in Manila vs $27.00 in Butuan. Groceries flip the comparison at $220 vs $196, with Butuan cheaper for home cooking.

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 60% 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 $1,391 in Manila and $869 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.

Childcare runs $621 in Manila versus $108 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 $27.00 versus $26.00 in Manila. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $579 in Butuan versus $927 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 $579 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 60% less than in Manila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.