Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Iligan City

For one person, living is cheaper in Iligan City: $744 a month against $943 in Manila, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

46

Cost of Living Index in Manila
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Manila Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Iligan City
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Iligan City Living Index

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Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$943

/mo nomad

Iligan City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$744

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manila and in Iligan City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Manila and in Iligan City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $943 per month in Manila vs $744 in Iligan City, rent included.

Manila $943
Iligan City $744

A couple spends around $1,505 per month in Manila vs $1,121 in Iligan City, rent included.

Manila $1,505
Iligan City $1,121

A family of three spends $2,067 per month in Manila vs $1,498 in Iligan City, rent included.

Manila $2,067
Iligan City $1,498

Manila costs about 27% more than Iligan City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Manila and Iligan City are more affordable than the global median – Manila 30% lower, Iligan City 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.54 ₱349

$3.82 ₱241

45.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.42 ₱1,726

$14.87 ₱936

84.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.96 ₱249

$2.74 ₱172

44.53%

Cappuccino

$2.47 ₱156

$2.44 ₱154

1.23%

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

$1.38 ₱86.9

$0.67 ₱42.23

105.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₱52.2

$0.33 ₱21.02

151.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ₱73.7

$1.13 ₱71.1

3.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱147

$1.99 ₱126

17.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 ₱118

$1.92 ₱121

-2.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.8

$1.11 ₱69.8

28.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₱61.4

$0.93 ₱58.3

4.30%

Eggs

$2.29 ₱144

$1.94 ₱122

18.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ₱474

$5.55 ₱349

35.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.75 ₱299

$4.24 ₱267

12.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.77 ₱427

$7.03 ₱443

-3.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 ₱211

$2.44 ₱154

37.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 ₱116

$1.59 ₱100

15.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 ₱190

$2.41 ₱152

25.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 ₱115

$1.18 ₱74.4

55.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 ₱140

$1.98 ₱125

12.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 ₱163

$1.97 ₱124

31.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 ₱132

$1.00 ₱62.7

110.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₱37.23

$0.54 ₱33.96

9.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ₱197

$3.33 ₱209

-6.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 ₱598

$7.75 ₱488

22.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱82.7

$0.98 ₱61.9

33.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ₱127

$1.94 ₱122

3.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₱29.22

$0.24 ₱14.97

91.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.78 ₱805

$10.68 ₱673

19.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.39

$0.73 ₱45.73

5.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.50

$0.24 ₱15.09

-4.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₱117

$2.05 ₱129

-9.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ₱81.0

$1.27 ₱79.7

1.57%

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

$21.6K ₱1.4M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

4.19%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$20.6K ₱1.3M

-5.42%

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

$125 ₱7,851

$127 ₱7,992

-1.78%

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

$15.84 ₱997

$15.20 ₱957

4.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.01 ₱1,511

$24.59 ₱1,548

-2.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.84 ₱2,634

$32.05 ₱2,018

30.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.89 ₱371

$4.84 ₱305

21.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ₱417

$5.09 ₱321

30.06%

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

$612 ₱38.6K

$146 ₱9,209

318.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,736 ₱550.0K

$6,850 ₱431.3K

27.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 ₱3,655

$32.15 ₱2,024

80.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.80 ₱1,750

$21.34 ₱1,344

30.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 ₱4,840

$70.8 ₱4,455

8.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.5 ₱3,556

$61.7 ₱3,884

-8.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$538 ₱33.9K

$111 ₱7,004

383.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 ₱17.9K

$173 ₱10.9K

64.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,933 ₱121.7K

$507 ₱31.9K

281.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$662 ₱41.7K

$347 ₱21.9K

90.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,397 ₱276.8K

$2,447 ₱154.1K

79.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,461 ₱154.9K

$866 ₱54.5K

184.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$478 ₱30.1K

$194 ₱12.2K

146.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

6.79

9.43%

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

Last update for Manila: October 17, 2026

Last update for Iligan City: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Manila

$285 30.2%

Iligan City

$173 23.3% 39.2% $112

Groceries & Markets

Manila

$219 23.2%

Iligan City

$183 24.6% 16.5% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manila

$165 17.4%

Iligan City

$167 22.4% 1.3% $2.2

Eating Out

Manila

$105 11.2%

Iligan City

$82 11% 22.3% $23

Clothing & Footwear

Manila

$99 10.5%

Iligan City

$84 11.3% 15.2% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Manila

$55 5.8%

Iligan City

$42 5.7% 23.3% $13

Getting Around

Manila

$17 1.8%

Iligan City

$14 1.8% 18.1% $3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $538 in Manila versus $111 in Iligan City. 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 146% 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 $15.00 in Iligan City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $219 vs $183 – making Iligan City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Manila

🇵🇭 Iligan City

🕒 Local time

00:12 12:12 AM

Same time as Manila

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,780,148 Capital

342,618

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Manila Iligan City 790 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Manila
Iligan City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Iligan City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $943 in Manila, $744 in Iligan City – roughly 27% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,415 per month in Manila and $1,115 in Iligan City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 20% less in Iligan City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $612 per month in Manila and $146 in Iligan City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Iligan City, where all-in costs run around $744, than in Manila at $943. In Iligan City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manila it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Manila has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $744 in Iligan City to $943 in Manila. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Iligan City. 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.