Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and General Santos Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and General Santos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Manila versus $618 in General Santos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,491 in Manila versus $1,007 in General Santos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,048 in Manila versus $1,396 in General Santos.

Living in Manila is roughly 51% more expensive than in General Santos, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Manila 32% lower, General Santos 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.70 ₱356

$3.42 ₱214

66.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.88 ₱1,618

$27.30 ₱1,707

-5.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.11 ₱257

$2.76 ₱173

48.91%

Cappuccino

$2.49 ₱155

$2.61 ₱163

-4.60%

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

$1.37 ₱85.5

$0.30 ₱18.85

356.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 ₱52.4

$0.25 ₱15.70

236.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ₱71.6

$1.58 ₱99.1

-27.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 ₱167

$2.36 ₱147

13.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₱118

$2.01 ₱126

-5.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ₱91.3

$1.13 ₱70.9

29.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ₱61.7

$0.88 ₱54.9

12.50%

Eggs

$2.32 ₱145

$1.94 ₱121

19.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 ₱491

$6.62 ₱414

18.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.96 ₱310

$4.15 ₱260

19.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.07 ₱442

$8.73 ₱546

-19.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ₱212

$2.69 ₱168

26.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 ₱121

$1.12 ₱70.0

72.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 ₱188

$2.33 ₱146

29.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 ₱111

$1.21 ₱75.7

47.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 ₱140

$2.08 ₱130

7.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 ₱162

$3.10 ₱194

-16.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 ₱133

$1.20 ₱74.7

76.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.90

$0.66 ₱41.43

-15.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 ₱190

$2.41 ₱151

25.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.84 ₱616

$8.05 ₱503

22.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₱80.0

$1.26 ₱78.8

1.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱132

$1.60 ₱99.9

31.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ₱29.23

$0.41 ₱25.86

14.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.73 ₱796

$8.20 ₱513

55.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱52.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.42

$0.23 ₱14.37

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 ₱124

$0.83 ₱52.0

138.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱77.4

$1.07 ₱66.7

15.89%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

4.51%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$18.7K ₱1.2M

5.46%

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

$121 ₱7,597

$75.1 ₱4,696

61.77%

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

$15.06 ₱942

$6.50 ₱406

131.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.90 ₱1,495

$31.86 ₱1,992

-24.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.84 ₱2,741

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.97 ₱374

Cinema Ticket

$7.03 ₱440

$4.73 ₱296

48.63%

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

$629 ₱39.3K

$108 ₱6,772

481.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,036 ₱565.0K

$7,671 ₱479.7K

17.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 ₱3,698

$62.3 ₱3,896

-5.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.07 ₱1,756

$26.97 ₱1,686

4.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 ₱4,724

$71.2 ₱4,454

6.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.9 ₱3,620

$61.1 ₱3,822

-5.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 ₱33.6K

$178 ₱11.1K

201.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 ₱17.7K

$112 ₱6,973

153.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,898 ₱118.7K

$367 ₱23.0K

416.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 ₱41.9K

$241 ₱15.1K

178.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,351 ₱272.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,494 ₱156.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$484 ₱30.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

8.31

-10.59%

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

Last update for Manila: August 31, 2026

Last update for General Santos: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $537 in Manila and $178 in General Santos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $26.00 in Manila vs $27.00 in General Santos. Groceries flip the comparison at $223 vs $196, with General Santos cheaper for home cooking.

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 General Santos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

General Santos wins on cost – living expenses run 51% lower than in Manila. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making General Santos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,401 in Manila and $927 in General Santos to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $537 in Manila versus $178 in General Santos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in General Santos – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $26.00 in Manila. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $934 per month in Manila versus $618 in General Santos – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $618 in General Santos versus $934 in Manila, a $1,000 budget is realistic in General Santos but tight or insufficient in Manila. The gap between the two cities makes General Santos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but General Santos delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $618 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes General Santos hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Manila and General Santos are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find General Santos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Manila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.