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: $957 in Manila versus $734 in Butuan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,538 in Manila versus $1,121 in Butuan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,118 in Manila versus $1,507 in Butuan.

Living in Manila is roughly 30% more expensive than in Butuan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.28 ₱325

$4.51 ₱278

17.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.12 ₱1,669

$16.09 ₱991

68.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.55 ₱280

$2.37 ₱146

91.98%

Cappuccino

$2.73 ₱168

$1.62 ₱99.8

68.52%

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

$0.96 ₱59.2

$0.33 ₱20.25

190.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱30.96

$0.31 ₱19.13

61.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.54 ₱94.7

$1.22 ₱75.1

26.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ₱163

$1.80 ₱111

47.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱117

$1.67 ₱103

13.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ₱81.9

$1.07 ₱66.0

24.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱66.1

$0.92 ₱56.9

16.30%

Eggs

$2.08 ₱128

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.28 ₱572

$5.74 ₱353

61.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 ₱321

$3.62 ₱223

43.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.55 ₱526

$7.28 ₱448

17.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 ₱218

$1.45 ₱89.1

144.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱111

$0.52 ₱31.95

246.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 ₱221

$0.90 ₱55.6

297.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 ₱154

$1.41 ₱87.0

77.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 ₱171

$2.18 ₱134

27.52%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 ₱194

$3.16 ₱195

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 ₱122

$1.32 ₱81.1

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₱42.17

$0.57 ₱35.24

19.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 ₱204

$2.41 ₱149

37.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 ₱585

$7.92 ₱488

19.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 ₱90.0

$0.72 ₱44.55

102.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$0.92 ₱56.8

129.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ₱29.41

$0.26 ₱15.84

84.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.15 ₱748

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 ₱54.0

$0.70 ₱43.24

25.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₱16.65

$0.25 ₱15.46

8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 ₱128

$2.14 ₱132

-2.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₱72.3

$1.15 ₱70.5

1.74%

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

$26.1K ₱1.6M

$21.9K ₱1.3M

19.25%

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

$22.8K ₱1.4M

$21.0K ₱1.3M

8.93%

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

$135 ₱8,337

$105 ₱6,457

29.12%

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

$21.56 ₱1,327

$33.60 ₱2,069

-35.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.58 ₱1,698

$36.43 ₱2,243

-24.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ₱2,549

$34.40 ₱2,118

20.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.82 ₱420

$4.46 ₱275

52.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.92 ₱426

$4.46 ₱275

55.16%

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

$363 ₱22.3K

$69.6 ₱4,283

421.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ₱713.4K

$1,787 ₱110.0K

548.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 ₱2,900

$45.25 ₱2,786

4.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.39 ₱2,117

$10.00 ₱615

243.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.9 ₱5,040

$71.1 ₱4,380

15.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.42 ₱2,919

$69.4 ₱4,274

-31.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 ₱29.9K

$269 ₱16.6K

80.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 ₱16.7K

$174 ₱10.7K

55.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,729 ₱106.5K

$592 ₱36.5K

192.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 ₱39.5K

$394 ₱24.2K

62.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,332 ₱266.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,602 ₱160.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$467 ₱28.7K

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Butuan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $486 in Manila and $269 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 $241 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 30% 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 $1,436 in Manila and $1,102 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: $486 in Manila versus $269 in Butuan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $363 in Manila versus $69.6 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.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Butuan gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Butuan delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $734 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 30% less than in Manila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.