Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Imus Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Imus

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $959 per month in Manila vs $644 in Imus, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,506 per month in Manila vs $968 in Imus, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,052 per month in Manila vs $1,292 in Imus, rent included.

Manila costs about 49% more than Imus, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Manila and Imus are more affordable than the global median – Manila 30% lower, Imus 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.43 ₱341

$3.91 ₱246

38.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.54 ₱1,667

$16.67 ₱1,047

59.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱246

$2.77 ₱174

41.52%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$1.88 ₱118

33.51%

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

$1.39 ₱87.1

$0.60 ₱37.46

131.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₱52.4

$0.33 ₱20.96

151.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ₱73.2

$1.03 ₱64.5

12.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ₱172

$1.63 ₱102

68.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₱119

$1.65 ₱104

14.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ₱87.9

$1.11 ₱69.5

26.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ₱62.1

$1.03 ₱64.8

-3.88%

Eggs

$2.31 ₱145

$2.01 ₱126

14.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.81 ₱491

$5.13 ₱323

52.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 ₱310

$3.31 ₱208

48.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.11 ₱447

$8.02 ₱504

-11.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ₱203

$2.31 ₱145

39.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 ₱119

$1.53 ₱96.2

23.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 ₱189

$2.39 ₱150

25.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 ₱115

$1.85 ₱116

-1.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 ₱139

$1.74 ₱109

27.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 ₱165

$1.79 ₱112

46.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 ₱136

$0.65 ₱40.93

233.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₱37.18

$0.49 ₱30.88

20.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ₱200

$3.12 ₱196

1.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.52 ₱598

$8.66 ₱544

9.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₱80.6

$1.10 ₱69.1

16.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₱127

$2.09 ₱131

-3.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ₱29.30

$0.27 ₱17.15

74.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.85 ₱807

$9.94 ₱625

29.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.34

$0.83 ₱52.1

-7.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.47

$0.23 ₱14.45

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 ₱123

$1.94 ₱122

1.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ₱79.7

$1.19 ₱74.5

6.72%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$21.0K ₱1.3M

2.24%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$19.1K ₱1.2M

2.78%

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

$122 ₱7,651

$121 ₱7,629

0.29%

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

$15.16 ₱952

$15.14 ₱951

0.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.00 ₱1,508

$23.27 ₱1,462

3.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.61 ₱2,677

$32.28 ₱2,028

32.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.69 ₱358

$4.32 ₱271

31.71%

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 ₱433

$5.31 ₱333

29.57%

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

$618 ₱38.8K

$133 ₱8,330

366.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,864 ₱556.9K

$8,841 ₱555.4K

0.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 ₱3,665

$29.09 ₱1,828

100.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.91 ₱1,754

$19.58 ₱1,230

42.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 ₱4,889

$72.0 ₱4,521

8.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.5 ₱3,674

$56.7 ₱3,559

3.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$545 ₱34.2K

$119 ₱7,453

359.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 ₱17.9K

$97.5 ₱6,125

192.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,928 ₱121.1K

$198 ₱12.4K

875.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 ₱42.3K

$164 ₱10.3K

309.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,397 ₱276.2K

$2,457 ₱154.4K

78.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,528 ₱158.8K

$1,091 ₱68.6K

131.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$477 ₱29.9K

$170 ₱10.7K

180.82%

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 Imus: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $545 in Manila versus $119 in Imus. 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 181% 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 $17.00 in Imus. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $180 – making Imus 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 Imus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $959 in Manila, $644 in Imus – roughly 49% apart. Manila costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,439 per month in Manila and $966 in Imus. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 23% more in Manila, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Manila and $17.00 in Imus. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Imus, where all-in costs run around $644, than in Manila at $959. In Imus 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 $644 in Imus to $959 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 Imus. 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.