Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Calamba Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Calamba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $968 in Manila versus $708 in Calamba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,526 in Manila versus $1,184 in Calamba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,085 in Manila versus $1,660 in Calamba.

Living in Manila is roughly 37% more expensive than in Calamba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Manila 27% lower, Calamba 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.40 ₱331

$3.63 ₱222

48.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.20 ₱1,604

$13.32 ₱815

96.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.32 ₱264

$2.63 ₱161

64.26%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₱162

$2.35 ₱144

12.77%

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

$0.96 ₱58.6

$0.64 ₱39.48

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₱33.24

$0.40 ₱24.72

35.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ₱93.4

$1.01 ₱61.6

51.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 ₱167

$1.91 ₱117

42.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱116

$1.85 ₱113

2.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ₱81.5

$1.19 ₱73.0

11.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 ₱66.6

$1.06 ₱65.1

2.83%

Eggs

$2.11 ₱129

$2.28 ₱140

-7.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.09 ₱556

$8.95 ₱548

1.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.12 ₱313

$3.88 ₱238

31.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.32 ₱509

$8.36 ₱512

-0.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 ₱213

$2.73 ₱167

27.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₱112

$1.79 ₱109

2.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.65 ₱224

$2.34 ₱143

55.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.48 ₱152

$1.16 ₱71.1

113.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 ₱164

$1.82 ₱111

47.25%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 ₱189

$2.26 ₱139

36.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 ₱122

$0.67 ₱40.87

197.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₱42.73

$0.77 ₱47.13

-9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ₱206

$3.20 ₱196

5.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.94 ₱609

$8.88 ₱544

11.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 ₱88.6

$1.06 ₱65.0

36.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₱131

$2.25 ₱138

-4.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.48

$0.28 ₱17.17

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.06 ₱738

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₱53.1

$0.87 ₱53.2

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₱16.66

$0.24 ₱14.73

12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 ₱128

$2.43 ₱149

-13.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₱69.0

$1.11 ₱68.0

1.80%

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

$26.5K ₱1.6M

$31.5K ₱1.9M

-15.81%

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

$23.0K ₱1.4M

$20.2K ₱1.2M

13.91%

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

$136 ₱8,317

$145 ₱8,878

-6.32%

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

$22.22 ₱1,360

$34.59 ₱2,118

-35.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.60 ₱1,690

$26.09 ₱1,597

5.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.74 ₱2,616

$33.25 ₱2,035

28.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.04 ₱431

$4.39 ₱269

60.36%

Cinema Ticket

$6.67 ₱408

$5.61 ₱344

18.89%

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

$363 ₱22.2K

$149 ₱9,119

143.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K ₱694.8K

$4,757 ₱291.2K

138.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.97 ₱2,875

$48.74 ₱2,983

-3.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.66 ₱2,122

$27.48 ₱1,682

26.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 ₱5,084

$75.7 ₱4,631

9.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.23 ₱2,830

$47.08 ₱2,882

-1.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$488 ₱29.9K

$122 ₱7,479

299.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 ₱16.1K

$78.8 ₱4,821

234.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,705 ₱104.4K

$594 ₱36.4K

187.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 ₱38.4K

$391 ₱24.0K

60.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,414 ₱270.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,526 ₱154.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 ₱30.1K

$257 ₱15.7K

91.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.52

4.5

67.11%

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

Last update for Manila: July 25, 2026

Last update for Calamba: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $488 in Manila and $122 in Calamba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manila pays 91% 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: $26.00 in Manila vs $13.00 in Calamba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $204 per month, with Calamba 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 Calamba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calamba wins on cost – living expenses run 37% lower than in Manila. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Calamba the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 91% higher in Manila, 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: $488 in Manila versus $122 in Calamba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Manila. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $968 per month in Manila versus $708 in Calamba – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $708 in Calamba versus $968 in Manila, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Calamba but tight or insufficient in Manila. The gap between the two cities makes Calamba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Calamba delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $708 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Calamba hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Manila and Calamba 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 Calamba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Manila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.