Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Calbayog Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Calbayog

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $963 per month in Manila vs $695 in Calbayog, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,522 per month in Manila vs $1,060 in Calbayog, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,081 per month in Manila vs $1,425 in Calbayog, rent included.

Manila costs about 39% more than Calbayog, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Manila and Calbayog are more affordable than the global median – Manila 28% lower, Calbayog 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.39 ₱330

$3.61 ₱221

49.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.79 ₱1,639

$18.04 ₱1,104

48.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.54 ₱278

$3.36 ₱206

35.12%

Cappuccino

$2.62 ₱160

$2.47 ₱151

6.07%

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

$0.98 ₱60.2

$0.79 ₱48.07

24.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₱32.93

$0.37 ₱22.41

45.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 ₱90.8

$1.36 ₱83.2

8.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 ₱167

$2.10 ₱128

30.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ₱120

$1.35 ₱82.7

45.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ₱85.4

$1.27 ₱77.6

10.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱63.2

$1.00 ₱61.2

3.00%

Eggs

$2.07 ₱127

$2.10 ₱128

-1.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.11 ₱557

$7.84 ₱480

16.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.20 ₱318

$3.84 ₱235

35.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.70 ₱533

$7.61 ₱465

14.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 ₱208

$1.66 ₱102

104.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₱111

$0.93 ₱56.7

94.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.66 ₱224

$2.59 ₱158

41.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 ₱154

$1.55 ₱95.0

62.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 ₱172

$2.28 ₱140

23.25%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 ₱189

$2.64 ₱161

17.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 ₱122

$1.12 ₱68.6

77.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ₱41.97

$0.70 ₱43.11

-1.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 ₱210

$4.36 ₱266

-21.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.98 ₱611

$5.77 ₱353

72.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₱91.4

$0.77 ₱46.81

93.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱134

$1.00 ₱61.2

119.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ₱29.54

$0.26 ₱15.87

84.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.83 ₱724

$20.88 ₱1,278

-43.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 ₱56.7

$0.79 ₱48.13

17.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₱16.58

$0.24 ₱14.77

12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ₱132

$2.15 ₱131

0.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ₱68.2

$1.54 ₱94.2

-27.27%

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

$26.6K ₱1.6M

$26.2K ₱1.6M

1.25%

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

$23.0K ₱1.4M

$20.2K ₱1.2M

13.48%

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

$135 ₱8,238

$111 ₱6,806

21.04%

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

$22.00 ₱1,346

$32.40 ₱1,982

-32.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.98 ₱1,712

$27.85 ₱1,704

0.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.05 ₱2,573

$33.69 ₱2,061

24.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.00 ₱428

$4.56 ₱279

53.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.73 ₱411

$6.05 ₱370

11.24%

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

$365 ₱22.3K

$154 ₱9,423

137.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ₱707.4K

$4,233 ₱259.0K

173.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.97 ₱2,874

$45.05 ₱2,756

4.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.01 ₱2,142

$26.15 ₱1,600

33.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.7 ₱5,000

$74.4 ₱4,549

9.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.98 ₱2,813

$52.3 ₱3,200

-12.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$489 ₱29.9K

$176 ₱10.8K

177.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 ₱16.5K

$106 ₱6,512

153.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,687 ₱103.2K

$341 ₱20.8K

395.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 ₱38.5K

$187 ₱11.4K

237.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,325 ₱264.6K

$525 ₱32.1K

724.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,640 ₱161.5K

$502 ₱30.7K

425.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$452 ₱27.7K

$154 ₱9,442

193.07%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Calbayog: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $489 in Manila versus $176 in Calbayog. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 193% higher in Manila, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27 in Manila versus $18 in Calbayog. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $179 – making Calbayog the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Calbayog: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Manila is pricier by about 39%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,444 per month in Manila and $1,042 in Calbayog. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Calbayog, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Manila, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Manila and $18.00 in Calbayog. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Calbayog, where all-in costs run around $695, than in Manila at $963. In Calbayog it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manila it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Calbayog – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Calbayog. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Manila makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.