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: $959 in Manila versus $701 in General Santos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,528 in Manila versus $1,078 in General Santos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,097 in Manila versus $1,455 in General Santos.

Living in Manila is roughly 37% more expensive than General Santos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Manila 28% lower, General Santos 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.38 ₱332

$4.45 ₱275

20.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.83 ₱1,655

$10.55 ₱650

154.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.34 ₱267

$2.84 ₱175

52.82%

Cappuccino

$2.75 ₱169

$2.06 ₱127

33.50%

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

$0.96 ₱58.9

$0.36 ₱21.95

166.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱30.56

$0.30 ₱18.33

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.49 ₱92.0

$1.13 ₱69.5

31.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 ₱161

$0.91 ₱56.2

186.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₱116

$1.40 ₱86.2

35.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 ₱85.3

$0.93 ₱57.3

48.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ₱64.7

$0.85 ₱52.3

23.53%

Eggs

$2.18 ₱135

$2.06 ₱127

5.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.61 ₱593

$6.15 ₱379

56.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.19 ₱320

$3.01 ₱185

72.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.32 ₱513

$6.38 ₱394

30.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 ₱216

$2.96 ₱183

18.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱111

$1.14 ₱70.6

57.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.30 ₱142

55.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 ₱154

$0.43 ₱26.29

479.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 ₱170

$0.92 ₱56.9

200.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 ₱187

$3.14 ₱193

-3.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 ₱124

$1.03 ₱63.7

95.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₱39.57

$0.60 ₱36.94

6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 ₱205

$2.17 ₱134

53.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.74 ₱601

$8.18 ₱504

19.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₱92.1

$1.09 ₱67.0

36.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₱133

$1.50 ₱92.6

43.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ₱31.91

$0.34 ₱20.82

52.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.00 ₱740

$8.93 ₱550

34.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 ₱53.2

$0.82 ₱50.6

4.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.37

$0.16 ₱9.83

56.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ₱133

$1.31 ₱81.0

64.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₱71.8

$1.10 ₱67.7

5.45%

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

$26.2K ₱1.6M

$20.6K ₱1.3M

27.32%

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

$22.7K ₱1.4M

$20.5K ₱1.3M

10.81%

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

$138 ₱8,529

$74.6 ₱4,601

85.37%

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

$22.24 ₱1,371

$34.23 ₱2,111

-35.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.71 ₱1,709

$36.19 ₱2,231

-23.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ₱2,554

$33.55 ₱2,069

23.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ₱425

$1.75 ₱108

293.71%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ₱406

$3.11 ₱192

111.58%

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

$357 ₱22.0K

$58.8 ₱3,628

506.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ₱707.3K

$1,404 ₱86.5K

717.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.42 ₱2,862

$44.99 ₱2,774

3.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.12 ₱2,166

$16.05 ₱990

118.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 ₱5,081

$69.6 ₱4,293

18.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.78 ₱2,823

$68.7 ₱4,234

-33.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱30.8K

$271 ₱16.7K

84.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 ₱16.3K

$179 ₱11.0K

47.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,684 ₱103.8K

$584 ₱36.0K

188.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 ₱39.2K

$389 ₱24.0K

63.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,370 ₱269.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,544 ₱156.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$481 ₱29.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.52

6.5

15.69%

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

Last update for Manila: May 30, 2026

Last update for General Santos: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Manila and $271 in General Santos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Manila vs $11.00 in General Santos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $166 per month, with General Santos cheaper across the board.

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 37% 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 $1,438 in Manila and $1,052 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: $500 in Manila versus $271 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 $11.00 versus $27.00 in Manila. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $959 per month in Manila versus $701 in General Santos – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $701 in General Santos versus $959 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 $701 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 37% less than in Manila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.