Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Dagupan Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Dagupan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $957 per month in Manila vs $785 in Dagupan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,543 per month in Manila vs $1,180 in Dagupan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,130 per month in Manila vs $1,574 in Dagupan, rent included.

Manila costs about 22% more than Dagupan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Manila and Dagupan are more affordable than the global median – Manila 28% lower, Dagupan 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.22 ₱316

$3.20 ₱194

63.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.52 ₱1,605

$13.43 ₱813

97.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.38 ₱265

$4.97 ₱301

-11.87%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ₱164

$2.74 ₱166

-0.73%

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

$0.93 ₱56.1

$0.51 ₱30.81

82.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₱30.79

$0.26 ₱15.59

96.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 ₱92.2

$1.30 ₱78.5

16.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ₱164

$2.98 ₱181

-9.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱118

$2.19 ₱133

-10.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱82.3

$1.49 ₱90.2

-8.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 ₱65.9

$0.89 ₱54.1

22.47%

Eggs

$2.10 ₱127

$2.17 ₱131

-3.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.46 ₱573

$6.28 ₱380

50.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.24 ₱318

$4.61 ₱279

13.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.78 ₱532

$7.66 ₱464

14.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 ₱206

$4.42 ₱267

-23.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₱107

$1.92 ₱116

-7.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.48 ₱211

$2.72 ₱165

27.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 ₱146

$1.32 ₱79.9

82.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 ₱162

$3.10 ₱188

-13.87%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 ₱191

$2.84 ₱172

10.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 ₱123

$1.10 ₱66.3

83.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ₱41.77

$0.61 ₱36.76

13.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₱203

$2.65 ₱160

26.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.03 ₱607

$5.94 ₱360

68.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 ₱88.4

$0.95 ₱57.5

53.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₱129

$2.11 ₱128

1.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ₱31.19

$0.22 ₱13.30

136.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.01 ₱727

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 ₱55.4

$0.69 ₱41.70

33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₱16.41

$0.24 ₱14.55

12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.18 ₱132

$3.56 ₱216

-38.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₱69.9

$1.12 ₱67.5

3.57%

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

$26.8K ₱1.6M

$33.8K ₱2.0M

-20.72%

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

$23.1K ₱1.4M

$21.6K ₱1.3M

6.89%

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

$134 ₱8,101

$113 ₱6,864

18.02%

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

$22.30 ₱1,350

$27.59 ₱1,670

-19.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.94 ₱1,631

$29.56 ₱1,790

-8.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.13 ₱2,550

$37.43 ₱2,266

12.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.77 ₱410

$4.55 ₱276

48.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.57 ₱398

$5.61 ₱340

17.11%

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

$354 ₱21.4K

$114 ₱6,896

210.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K ₱678.6K

$4,399 ₱266.3K

154.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.31 ₱2,864

$59.5 ₱3,601

-20.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.90 ₱2,113

$9.07 ₱549

284.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.5 ₱4,992

$85.3 ₱5,161

-3.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.21 ₱2,798

$50.5 ₱3,055

-8.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱30.3K

$225 ₱13.6K

122.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 ₱16.5K

$176 ₱10.7K

54.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,716 ₱103.9K

$523 ₱31.7K

228.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 ₱38.2K

$300 ₱18.2K

110.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,360 ₱264.0K

$2,653 ₱160.6K

64.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,599 ₱157.4K

$1,019 ₱61.7K

155.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$516 ₱31.2K

$247 ₱15.0K

108.72%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Dagupan: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $500 in Manila versus $225 in Dagupan. 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 109% 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 $27.00 in Manila versus $13.00 in Dagupan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $213 – making Dagupan 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 Dagupan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Manila is pricier by about 22%, 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 $1,436 per month in Manila and $1,178 in Dagupan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Manila and $13.00 in Dagupan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dagupan, where all-in costs run around $785, than in Manila at $957. In Dagupan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manila it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dagupan – 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 Dagupan. 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.