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 $959 per month in Manila vs $625 in General Trias, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,506 per month in Manila vs $983 in General Trias, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,052 per month in Manila vs $1,341 in General Trias, rent included.

Manila costs about 53% more than General Trias, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Manila and General Trias are more affordable than the global median – Manila 30% lower, General Trias 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.43 ₱341

$3.92 ₱246

38.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.54 ₱1,667

$16.65 ₱1,046

59.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱246

$2.56 ₱161

53.12%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$1.80 ₱113

39.44%

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

$1.39 ₱87.1

$0.41 ₱25.77

239.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₱52.4

$0.33 ₱21.03

151.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ₱73.2

$1.02 ₱64.1

13.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ₱172

$1.55 ₱97.4

76.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₱119

$1.63 ₱102

15.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ₱87.9

$1.12 ₱70.1

25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ₱62.1

$0.99 ₱62.4

Eggs

$2.31 ₱145

$2.05 ₱129

12.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.81 ₱491

$5.21 ₱327

49.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 ₱310

$3.46 ₱217

42.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.11 ₱447

$7.87 ₱495

-9.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ₱203

$2.29 ₱144

41.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 ₱119

$1.56 ₱98.0

21.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 ₱189

$2.33 ₱146

29.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 ₱115

$1.07 ₱66.9

70.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 ₱139

$1.66 ₱105

33.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 ₱165

$1.71 ₱107

53.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 ₱136

$0.66 ₱41.19

228.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₱37.18

$0.52 ₱32.74

13.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ₱200

$3.01 ₱189

5.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.52 ₱598

$8.53 ₱536

11.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₱80.6

$0.99 ₱62.0

29.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₱127

$1.97 ₱124

2.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ₱29.30

$0.28 ₱17.75

67.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.85 ₱807

$9.69 ₱609

32.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.34

$0.75 ₱47.43

2.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.47

$0.25 ₱15.80

-8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 ₱123

$1.95 ₱122

0.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ₱79.7

$1.20 ₱75.2

5.83%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$11.4K ₱719.1K

87.60%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

1.65%

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

$122 ₱7,651

$32.01 ₱2,011

280.47%

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

$15.16 ₱952

$17.66 ₱1,110

-14.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.00 ₱1,508

$21.11 ₱1,326

13.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.61 ₱2,677

$30.13 ₱1,893

41.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.69 ₱358

$5.12 ₱321

11.13%

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 ₱433

$5.21 ₱327

32.05%

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

$618 ₱38.8K

$133 ₱8,358

364.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,864 ₱556.9K

$10.5K ₱661.7K

-15.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 ₱3,665

$29.32 ₱1,842

98.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.91 ₱1,754

$19.64 ₱1,234

42.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 ₱4,889

$72.3 ₱4,543

7.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.5 ₱3,674

$56.4 ₱3,545

3.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$545 ₱34.2K

$96.8 ₱6,079

463.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 ₱17.9K

$145 ₱9,134

95.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,928 ₱121.1K

$503 ₱31.6K

283.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 ₱42.3K

$328 ₱20.6K

105.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,397 ₱276.2K

$2,496 ₱156.8K

76.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,528 ₱158.8K

$993 ₱62.4K

154.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$477 ₱29.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

6.75

10.07%

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

Last update for Manila: September 12, 2026

Last update for General Trias: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $545 in Manila versus $96.8 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 $27.00 in Manila versus $17.00 in General Trias. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $175 – 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 53% more than General Trias, 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 $1,439 per month in Manila and $938 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.

Public transport costs about 33% less in General Trias. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $618 per month in Manila and $133 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 $625, than in Manila at $959. 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 $625 versus $959 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.