Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Caloocan

For one person, living is cheaper in Caloocan: $496 a month against $945 in Manila, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

46

Cost of Living Index in Manila
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Manila Living Index
24

Cost of Living Index in Caloocan
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Caloocan Living Index

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Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$945

/mo nomad

Caloocan

🇵🇭 Philippines

$496

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manila and in Caloocan

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 Caloocan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $945 per month in Manila vs $496 in Caloocan, rent included.

Manila $945
Caloocan $496

A couple spends around $1,572 per month in Manila vs $665 in Caloocan, rent included.

Manila $1,572
Caloocan $665

A family of three spends $2,199 per month in Manila vs $834 in Caloocan, rent included.

Manila $2,199
Caloocan $834

Manila costs about 91% more than Caloocan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Manila and Caloocan are more affordable than the global median – Manila 31% lower, Caloocan 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 ₱340

$2.70 ₱172

97.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.46 ₱1,685

$16.45 ₱1,047

60.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.93 ₱251

$2.26 ₱144

73.89%

Cappuccino

$2.53 ₱161

$0.84 ₱53.3

201.19%

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

$1.35 ₱86.0

$0.39 ₱25.06

246.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 ₱52.1

$0.32 ₱20.69

156.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ₱72.6

$1.01 ₱64.2

12.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₱152

$1.59 ₱101

49.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱121

$1.65 ₱105

15.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ₱91.8

$1.11 ₱70.7

29.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₱60.1

$0.99 ₱63.1

-5.05%

Eggs

$2.30 ₱147

$1.79 ₱114

28.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 ₱472

$4.93 ₱314

50.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱294

$3.32 ₱211

38.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.65 ₱423

$7.69 ₱490

-13.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ₱210

$2.23 ₱142

47.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱114

$0.97 ₱61.5

85.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 ₱191

$2.34 ₱149

28.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 ₱112

$1.04 ₱66.6

69.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 ₱141

$1.06 ₱67.8

109.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 ₱169

$1.77 ₱113

50.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 ₱136

$0.65 ₱41.37

229.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱34.01

$0.46 ₱29.14

15.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.06 ₱195

$2.82 ₱180

8.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.57 ₱609

$4.82 ₱307

98.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱83.0

$0.96 ₱61.2

35.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₱127

$2.02 ₱129

-1.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₱25.75

$0.20 ₱12.68

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.75 ₱812

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 ₱45.82

$0.77 ₱48.99

-6.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.67

$0.22 ₱13.96

4.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ₱117

$1.85 ₱118

-0.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ₱80.8

$1.07 ₱67.9

18.69%

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

$20.7K ₱1.3M

$21.4K ₱1.4M

-3.04%

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

$18.7K ₱1.2M

$19.2K ₱1.2M

-2.63%

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

$120 ₱7,617

$53.6 ₱3,414

123.12%

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

$15.69 ₱999

$9.42 ₱600

66.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.60 ₱1,503

$22.59 ₱1,439

4.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.57 ₱2,711

$4.82 ₱307

783.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.65 ₱360

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ₱414

$5.12 ₱326

26.95%

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

$599 ₱38.1K

$130 ₱8,275

360.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,818 ₱561.6K

$10.6K ₱672.9K

-16.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 ₱3,609

$28.20 ₱1,796

100.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.40 ₱1,745

$19.52 ₱1,243

40.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 ₱4,863

$53.9 ₱3,431

41.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.5 ₱3,535

$47.64 ₱3,034

16.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 ₱33.5K

$209 ₱13.3K

152.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 ₱18.9K

$118 ₱7,488

152.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,887 ₱120.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$816 ₱52.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,968 ₱252.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,366 ₱150.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$466 ₱29.7K

$307 ₱19.6K

51.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

6.75

10.07%

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

Last update for Manila: October 24, 2026

Last update for Caloocan: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Manila

$297 31.4%

Caloocan

$118 23.7% 60.4% $179

Groceries & Markets

Manila

$216 22.9%

Caloocan

$158 31.9% 27% $58

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manila

$159 16.8%

Caloocan

$86 17.3% 46.1% $73

Eating Out

Manila

$104 11%

Caloocan

$50 10% 52.4% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Manila

$97 10.3%

Caloocan

$67 13.6% 30.9% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Manila

$56 5.9%

Caloocan

$15 3% 72.9% $41

Getting Around

Manila

$16 1.7%

Caloocan

$2.7 * 0.5% 83.6% $14

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $526 in Manila versus $209 in Caloocan. 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 52% 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 $26 in Manila versus $16 in Caloocan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $216 vs $158 – making Caloocan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Manila

🇵🇭 Caloocan

🕒 Local time

08:57 8:57 AM

Same time as Manila

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,780,148 Capital

1,661,584

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Manila Caloocan 7 km

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Manila
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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 Caloocan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manila costs about 91% more than Caloocan, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,418 per month in Manila and $743 in Caloocan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Caloocan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $209 there versus $526 in Manila.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26 in Manila and $16 in Caloocan. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% more in Manila, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Caloocan, where all-in costs run around $496, than in Manila at $945. In Caloocan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manila it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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