Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Cagayan de Oro City Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Cagayan de Oro City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $959 in Manila versus $750 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,528 in Manila versus $1,121 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,097 in Manila versus $1,493 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Living in Manila is roughly 28% more expensive than Cagayan de Oro City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Manila 28% lower, Cagayan de Oro City 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.38 ₱332

$3.67 ₱226

46.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.83 ₱1,655

$14.04 ₱866

91.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.34 ₱267

$3.44 ₱212

26.16%

Cappuccino

$2.75 ₱169

$2.62 ₱162

4.96%

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

$0.96 ₱58.9

$0.96 ₱59.2

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱30.56

$0.36 ₱22.11

38.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.49 ₱92.0

$1.45 ₱89.4

2.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 ₱161

$2.47 ₱152

5.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₱116

$1.66 ₱102

13.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 ₱85.3

$0.98 ₱60.3

40.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ₱64.7

$0.98 ₱60.2

7.14%

Eggs

$2.18 ₱135

$2.40 ₱148

-9.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.61 ₱593

$6.08 ₱375

58.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.19 ₱320

$3.48 ₱215

49.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.32 ₱513

$6.43 ₱397

29.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 ₱216

$2.24 ₱138

56.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱111

$1.13 ₱69.9

59.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.29 ₱141

56.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 ₱154

$1.22 ₱75.2

104.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 ₱170

$2.26 ₱139

22.12%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 ₱187

$2.79 ₱172

8.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 ₱124

$0.85 ₱52.3

136.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₱39.57

$0.51 ₱31.16

25.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 ₱205

$2.40 ₱148

38.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.74 ₱601

$3.95 ₱244

146.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₱92.1

$1.34 ₱82.9

11.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₱133

$1.56 ₱96.3

37.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ₱31.91

$0.41 ₱25.24

26.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.00 ₱740

$8.72 ₱538

37.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 ₱53.2

$0.68 ₱41.72

26.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.37

$0.22 ₱13.49

13.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ₱133

$2.18 ₱134

-0.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₱71.8

$1.14 ₱70.3

1.75%

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

$26.2K ₱1.6M

$20.2K ₱1.2M

29.67%

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

$22.7K ₱1.4M

$18.9K ₱1.2M

20.43%

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

$138 ₱8,529

$105 ₱6,471

31.80%

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

$22.24 ₱1,371

$40.33 ₱2,487

-44.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.71 ₱1,709

$33.47 ₱2,064

-17.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ₱2,554

$22.08 ₱1,362

87.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ₱425

$3.27 ₱202

110.70%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ₱406

$4.62 ₱285

42.42%

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

$357 ₱22.0K

$190 ₱11.7K

87.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ₱707.3K

$2,462 ₱151.8K

365.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.42 ₱2,862

$35.46 ₱2,187

30.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.12 ₱2,166

$14.51 ₱895

142.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 ₱5,081

$58.7 ₱3,621

40.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.78 ₱2,823

$42.85 ₱2,642

6.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱30.8K

$362 ₱22.3K

38.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 ₱16.3K

$214 ₱13.2K

23.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,684 ₱103.8K

$581 ₱35.8K

190.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 ₱39.2K

$383 ₱23.6K

65.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,370 ₱269.4K

$1,668 ₱102.8K

162.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,544 ₱156.9K

$994 ₱61.3K

155.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$481 ₱29.7K

$313 ₱19.3K

53.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.52

6.67

12.74%

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

Last update for Manila: May 30, 2026

Last update for Cagayan de Oro City: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Manila and $362 in Cagayan de Oro City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manila pays 53% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $27.00 in Manila vs $14.00 in Cagayan de Oro City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $168 per month, with Cagayan de Oro City 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 Cagayan de Oro City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manila and Cagayan de Oro City differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($959 vs $750 including rent). Cagayan de Oro City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Manila pays 53% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Manila versus $362 in Cagayan de Oro City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Manila. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cagayan de Oro City – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $27.00 in Manila. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $750 in Cagayan de Oro City versus $959 in Manila, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cagayan de Oro City but tight or insufficient in Manila. The gap between the two cities makes Cagayan de Oro City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Manila and Cagayan de Oro City 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 Cagayan de Oro City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Manila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.