Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Calbayog

For one person, living is cheaper in Calbayog: $723 a month against $922 in Manila, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Manila
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Manila Living Index
34

Cost of Living Index in Calbayog
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Calbayog Living Index

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Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$922

/mo nomad

Calbayog

🇵🇭 Philippines

$723

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manila and in Calbayog

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Manila and in Calbayog actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $922 per month in Manila vs $723 in Calbayog, rent included.

Manila $922
Calbayog $723

A couple spends around $1,531 per month in Manila vs $1,104 in Calbayog, rent included.

Manila $1,531
Calbayog $1,104

A family of three spends $2,140 per month in Manila vs $1,484 in Calbayog, rent included.

Manila $2,140
Calbayog $1,484

Manila costs about 28% more than Calbayog, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Manila and Calbayog are more affordable than the global median – Manila 32% lower, Calbayog 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ₱295

$4.02 ₱255

15.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.32 ₱1,667

$16.24 ₱1,029

62.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.02 ₱255

$2.76 ₱175

45.65%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱159

$2.15 ₱136

16.74%

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

$1.37 ₱86.9

$0.68 ₱43.26

101.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 ₱56.3

$0.31 ₱19.53

187.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 ₱75.8

$1.14 ₱72.3

5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱149

$2.12 ₱134

10.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ₱118

$1.61 ₱102

16.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ₱89.3

$1.14 ₱72.2

23.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.4

$0.97 ₱61.2

5.15%

Eggs

$2.19 ₱139

$1.92 ₱122

14.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.47 ₱473

$5.63 ₱357

32.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 ₱308

$4.15 ₱263

17.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.98 ₱442

$7.08 ₱449

-1.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ₱208

$2.31 ₱146

41.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₱114

$1.56 ₱99.0

16.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 ₱184

$2.30 ₱146

26.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 ₱121

$1.16 ₱73.6

64.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 ₱146

$2.03 ₱129

13.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 ₱171

$2.22 ₱141

21.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 ₱138

$1.10 ₱69.5

98.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₱36.34

$0.54 ₱33.91

5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 ₱195

$2.88 ₱182

6.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.34 ₱592

$7.54 ₱478

23.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₱80.7

$0.94 ₱59.4

35.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₱130

$1.89 ₱120

8.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 ₱20.93

$0.24 ₱15.27

37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.80 ₱811

$12.58 ₱797

1.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱49.11

$0.78 ₱49.67

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 ₱12.66

$0.22 ₱13.94

-9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₱117

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱83.0

$1.16 ₱73.3

12.93%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$20.6K ₱1.3M

0.77%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$19.0K ₱1.2M

2.59%

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

$109 ₱6,922

$118 ₱7,494

-7.64%

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

$15.71 ₱995

$15.41 ₱976

1.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.58 ₱1,558

$23.86 ₱1,512

3.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.75 ₱2,645

$31.71 ₱2,009

31.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.84 ₱370

$5.15 ₱327

13.40%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ₱407

$5.22 ₱331

22.99%

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

$606 ₱38.4K

$130 ₱8,226

366.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,674 ₱486.2K

$7,709 ₱488.4K

-0.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ₱3,538

$32.11 ₱2,034

73.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.57 ₱1,810

$19.07 ₱1,208

49.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 ₱4,366

$71.6 ₱4,539

-3.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 ₱3,693

$55.3 ₱3,503

5.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$533 ₱33.7K

$250 ₱15.8K

113.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ₱18.3K

$169 ₱10.7K

71.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,916 ₱121.4K

$487 ₱30.8K

293.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₱49.4K

$352 ₱22.3K

121.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,078 ₱258.4K

$2,619 ₱165.9K

55.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,432 ₱154.1K

$1,124 ₱71.2K

116.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ₱32.0K

$149 ₱9,466

238.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

6.92

7.37%

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

Last update for Manila: November 2, 2026

Last update for Calbayog: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Manila

$289 31.4%

Calbayog

$169 23.4% 41.5% $120

Groceries & Markets

Manila

$219 23.7%

Calbayog

$179 24.7% 18.2% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manila

$150 16.2%

Calbayog

$158 21.8% 5.4% $8

Eating Out

Manila

$99 10.8%

Calbayog

$80 11.1% 19.2% $19

Clothing & Footwear

Manila

$95 10.3%

Calbayog

$80 11.1% 15.8% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Manila

$55 5.9%

Calbayog

$42 5.8% 22.8% $12

Getting Around

Manila

$16 1.7%

Calbayog

$15 2.1% 3% $0.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $533 in Manila versus $250 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 in Manila are about 3.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26 in Manila versus $16 in Calbayog. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $219 vs $179 – making Calbayog the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Manila

🇵🇭 Calbayog

🕒 Local time

10:10 10:10 AM

Same time as Manila

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,780,148 Capital

183,851

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.58 USD

100 PHP = 1.4 EUR

100 PHP = 1.58 USD

100 PHP = 1.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 28%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,383 per month in Manila and $1,085 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $250 there versus $533 in Manila.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $922 in Manila and $723 in Calbayog. That makes Calbayog about 22% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $606 per month in Manila and $130 in Calbayog. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

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.

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