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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $958 per month in Manila vs $729 in General Trias, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,515 per month in Manila vs $1,191 in General Trias, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,073 per month in Manila vs $1,654 in General Trias, rent included.

Manila costs about 31% more than General Trias, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Manila and General Trias are more affordable than the global median – Manila 29% lower, General Trias 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.45 ₱331

$4.49 ₱273

21.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.28 ₱1,596

$20.00 ₱1,214

31.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.32 ₱263

$2.83 ₱172

52.65%

Cappuccino

$2.71 ₱164

$2.10 ₱128

29.05%

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

$0.91 ₱55.0

$0.43 ₱26.07

111.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱30.58

$0.33 ₱20.29

51.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.50 ₱91.0

$1.27 ₱77.1

18.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 ₱160

$1.69 ₱103

55.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₱115

$2.06 ₱125

-8.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 ₱83.8

$1.24 ₱75.3

11.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱65.9

$1.04 ₱63.4

3.85%

Eggs

$2.14 ₱130

$2.03 ₱123

5.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.52 ₱578

$6.93 ₱421

37.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.33 ₱324

$4.20 ₱255

26.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.37 ₱508

$7.35 ₱446

13.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ₱206

$4.38 ₱266

-22.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 ₱111

$1.52 ₱92.6

19.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.66 ₱222

$3.01 ₱183

21.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 ₱151

$1.63 ₱98.8

52.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 ₱169

$2.85 ₱173

-2.46%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 ₱185

$4.07 ₱247

-25.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 ₱124

$1.64 ₱99.7

24.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ₱39.71

$1.02 ₱61.9

-36.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.42 ₱208

$3.28 ₱199

4.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 ₱577

$9.01 ₱547

5.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ₱87.5

$1.61 ₱97.6

-10.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₱130

$2.06 ₱125

3.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.13

$0.26 ₱15.69

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.85 ₱719

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 ₱55.5

$0.79 ₱47.70

15.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.18

$0.24 ₱14.61

4.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 ₱126

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₱70.3

$1.15 ₱70.0

0.87%

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

$26.3K ₱1.6M

$12.8K ₱774.8K

105.82%

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

$22.4K ₱1.4M

$20.3K ₱1.2M

10.07%

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

$136 ₱8,261

$35.61 ₱2,162

282.06%

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

$22.24 ₱1,350

$32.66 ₱1,983

-31.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.14 ₱1,648

$23.70 ₱1,439

14.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ₱2,559

$33.28 ₱2,021

26.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ₱418

$4.52 ₱275

52.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ₱400

$7.23 ₱439

-8.99%

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

$362 ₱22.0K

$81.4 ₱4,945

343.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K ₱681.7K

$2,750 ₱167.0K

308.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.99 ₱2,853

$31.72 ₱1,926

48.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.37 ₱2,148

$29.26 ₱1,777

20.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 ₱5,001

$97.4 ₱5,912

-15.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.51 ₱2,824

$94.8 ₱5,758

-50.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 ₱29.8K

$109 ₱6,628

349.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 ₱16.3K

$177 ₱10.7K

51.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,726 ₱104.8K

$179 ₱10.8K

866.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 ₱37.7K

$392 ₱23.8K

58.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,269 ₱259.2K

$2,175 ₱132.1K

96.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,574 ₱156.3K

$883 ₱53.6K

191.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$487 ₱29.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.52

8.13

-7.50%

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

Last update for Manila: June 7, 2026

Last update for General Trias: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $491 in Manila versus $109 in General Trias. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Manila versus $20.00 in General Trias. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $226 – making General Trias 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 General Trias: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manila costs about 31% more than General Trias, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,437 per month in Manila and $1,093 in General Trias. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in General Trias, 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 $958 in Manila and $729 in General Trias. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $362 per month in Manila and $81.4 in General Trias. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in General Trias, where all-in costs run around $729, than in Manila at $958. In General Trias it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manila it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. General Trias costs $729 versus $958 in Manila. 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 General Trias. 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.