Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Laoag City

For one person, living is cheaper in Laoag City: $720 a month against $922 in Manila, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Manila
Learn more

Manila Living Index
34

Cost of Living Index in Laoag City
Learn more

Laoag City Living Index

Jump to prices

Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$922

/mo nomad

Laoag City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$720

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manila and in Laoag 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 Laoag City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $922 per month in Manila vs $720 in Laoag City, rent included.

Manila $922
Laoag City $720

A couple spends around $1,531 per month in Manila vs $1,097 in Laoag City, rent included.

Manila $1,531
Laoag City $1,097

A family of three spends $2,140 per month in Manila vs $1,475 in Laoag City, rent included.

Manila $2,140
Laoag City $1,475

Manila costs about 28% more than Laoag City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Manila and Laoag City are more affordable than the global median – Manila 32% lower, Laoag City 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ₱295

$3.95 ₱250

17.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.32 ₱1,670

$16.69 ₱1,059

57.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.02 ₱255

$2.79 ₱177

44.09%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱159

$2.13 ₱135

17.84%

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

$1.37 ₱87.0

$0.69 ₱43.62

98.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 ₱56.4

$0.31 ₱19.58

187.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 ₱75.9

$1.19 ₱75.4

0.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱149

$2.04 ₱130

14.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ₱119

$1.65 ₱105

13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ₱89.4

$1.15 ₱72.9

22.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.5

$0.90 ₱56.9

13.33%

Eggs

$2.19 ₱139

$1.92 ₱122

14.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.47 ₱474

$5.43 ₱344

37.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 ₱308

$4.18 ₱265

16.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.98 ₱443

$6.94 ₱440

0.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ₱208

$2.39 ₱152

37.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₱115

$1.59 ₱101

13.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 ₱184

$2.40 ₱152

20.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 ₱121

$1.11 ₱70.3

72.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 ₱146

$2.04 ₱129

12.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 ₱171

$2.19 ₱139

22.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 ₱138

$1.04 ₱66.0

109.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₱36.39

$0.53 ₱33.68

7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 ₱195

$2.92 ₱185

5.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.34 ₱593

$7.50 ₱476

24.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₱80.8

$0.97 ₱61.3

30.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₱130

$1.93 ₱122

6.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 ₱20.96

$0.22 ₱13.95

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.80 ₱812

$12.26 ₱778

4.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱49.18

$0.75 ₱47.81

4.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 ₱12.67

$0.23 ₱14.62

-13.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₱118

$1.91 ₱121

-3.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱83.1

$1.00 ₱63.2

31.00%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$21.0K ₱1.3M

-1.22%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$18.8K ₱1.2M

3.41%

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

$109 ₱6,931

$119 ₱7,553

-8.23%

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

$15.71 ₱997

$15.64 ₱992

0.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.58 ₱1,560

$23.94 ₱1,519

2.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.75 ₱2,649

$31.30 ₱1,986

33.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.84 ₱371

$5.11 ₱324

14.29%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ₱407

$5.06 ₱321

26.88%

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

$606 ₱38.4K

$131 ₱8,335

361.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,674 ₱486.9K

$7,744 ₱491.3K

-0.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ₱3,543

$32.77 ₱2,079

70.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.57 ₱1,813

$19.23 ₱1,220

48.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 ₱4,372

$69.8 ₱4,429

-1.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 ₱3,698

$55.0 ₱3,490

5.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$533 ₱33.8K

$247 ₱15.6K

115.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ₱18.3K

$167 ₱10.6K

73.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,916 ₱121.6K

$497 ₱31.5K

285.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₱49.5K

$344 ₱21.8K

126.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,078 ₱258.7K

$2,674 ₱169.7K

52.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,432 ₱154.3K

$1,094 ₱69.4K

122.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ₱32.1K

$159 ₱10.1K

217.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

6.92

7.37%

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

Last update for Manila: November 2, 2026

Last update for Laoag City: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Manila

$289 31.4%

Laoag City

$167 23.2% 42.2% $122

Groceries & Markets

Manila

$219 23.7%

Laoag City

$179 24.8% 18.3% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manila

$150 16.2%

Laoag City

$159 22% 6.1% $9.1

Eating Out

Manila

$99 10.8%

Laoag City

$80 11.1% 19.8% $20

Clothing & Footwear

Manila

$95 10.3%

Laoag City

$80 11.1% 16.4% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Manila

$55 5.9%

Laoag City

$41 5.8% 24.1% $13

Getting Around

Manila

$16 1.7%

Laoag City

$15 2.1% 5.3% $0.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $533 in Manila versus $247 in Laoag City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Manila are about 3.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26 in Manila versus $17 in Laoag City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $219 vs $179 – making Laoag City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Manila

🇵🇭 Laoag City

🕒 Local time

06:29 6:29 AM

Same time as Manila

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,780,148 Capital

112,117

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.58 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.58 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Manila Laoag City 400 km

From you

Manila
Laoag 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 Laoag City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manila costs about 28% more than Laoag City, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,383 per month in Manila and $1,080 in Laoag City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Laoag City, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $247 there versus $533 in Manila.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $922 in Manila and $720 in Laoag City. That makes Laoag City about 22% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 4% less in Laoag City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Laoag City, where all-in costs run around $720, than in Manila at $922. In Laoag City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manila it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Laoag City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Laoag City. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Manila makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.