Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Cape Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Cape Town

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $959 per month in Manila vs $1,273 in Cape Town, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,528 per month in Manila vs $1,983 in Cape Town, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,097 per month in Manila vs $2,693 in Cape Town, rent included.

Manila is about 25% cheaper than Cape Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Manila and Cape Town are more affordable than the global median – Manila 28% lower, Cape Town 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.38 ₱332

$11.02 R 180

-51.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.83 ₱1,656

$44.99 R 736

-40.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.34 ₱268

$4.91 R 80.3

-11.61%

Cappuccino

$2.75 ₱169

$2.00 R 32.68

37.50%

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

$0.96 ₱59.0

$1.10 R 18.05

-12.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱30.58

$0.83 R 13.51

-39.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.49 ₱92.1

$2.87 R 46.84

-48.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 ₱161

$2.48 R 40.59

5.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₱117

$1.15 R 18.72

64.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 ₱85.4

$1.08 R 17.69

27.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ₱64.7

$1.87 R 30.56

-43.85%

Eggs

$2.18 ₱135

$2.47 R 40.35

-11.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.61 ₱593

$8.57 R 140

12.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.19 ₱320

$5.14 R 84.0

0.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.32 ₱513

$7.66 R 125

8.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 ₱216

$1.49 R 24.38

134.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱111

$1.49 R 24.41

20.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 ₱221

$1.49 R 24.42

140.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 ₱154

$1.59 R 26.00

56.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 ₱170

$1.08 R 17.64

155.56%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 ₱187

$1.24 R 20.28

144.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 ₱124

$1.10 R 17.93

82.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₱39.60

$0.96 R 15.66

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 ₱205

$3.04 R 49.62

9.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.74 ₱601

$6.18 R 101

57.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₱92.1

$1.41 R 23.10

5.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₱133

$1.68 R 27.39

27.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ₱31.93

$0.93 R 15.26

-44.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.00 ₱741

$47.91 R 783

-74.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 ₱53.2

$1.38 R 22.56

-37.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.38

$0.93 R 15.23

-73.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ₱133

$4.36 R 71.4

-50.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₱71.9

$1.25 R 20.45

-7.20%

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

$26.2K ₱1.6M

$21.3K R 348.9K

22.75%

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

$22.7K ₱1.4M

$24.5K R 399.8K

-7.10%

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

$138 ₱8,535

$98.3 R 1,607

40.71%

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

$22.24 ₱1,372

$33.19 R 543

-32.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.71 ₱1,710

$40.75 R 666

-32.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ₱2,555

$41.68 R 681

-0.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ₱425

$8.15 R 133

-15.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ₱406

$6.55 R 107

0.46%

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

$357 ₱22.0K

$211 R 3,456

68.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ₱707.8K

$5,300 R 86.6K

116.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.42 ₱2,864

$55.7 R 911

-16.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.12 ₱2,167

$32.78 R 536

7.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 ₱5,084

$115 R 1,880

-28.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.78 ₱2,825

$84.5 R 1,382

-45.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱30.8K

$765 R 12.5K

-34.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 ₱16.3K

$520 R 8,503

-49.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,684 ₱103.9K

$1,430 R 23.4K

17.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 ₱39.2K

$1,014 R 16.6K

-37.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,370 ₱269.6K

$2,344 R 38.3K

86.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,544 ₱157.0K

$1,506 R 24.6K

68.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$481 ₱29.7K

$1,683 R 27.5K

-71.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.52

11.77

-36.11%

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

Last update for Manila: May 30, 2026

Last update for Cape Town: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $500 in Manila versus $765 in Cape Town. 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 250% higher in Cape Town, 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 $27.00 in Manila versus $45.00 in Cape Town. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Manila vs $189 in Cape Town – so Cape Town wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Cape Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cape Town costs about 33% more than Manila, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,438 per month in Manila and $1,909 in Cape Town. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $959 in Manila and $1,273 in Cape Town. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 299% less in Manila. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Manila, where all-in costs run around $959, than in Cape Town at $1,273. In Manila it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cape Town it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Manila costs $959 versus $1,273 in Cape Town. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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