Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Laoag City Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Laoag City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $957 per month in Manila vs $807 in Laoag City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,538 per month in Manila vs $1,230 in Laoag City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,118 per month in Manila vs $1,653 in Laoag City, rent included.

Manila costs about 19% more than Laoag City, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Manila and Laoag City are more affordable than the global median – Manila 28% lower, Laoag City 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.28 ₱325

$3.59 ₱221

47.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.12 ₱1,669

$14.91 ₱918

81.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.55 ₱280

$3.23 ₱199

40.87%

Cappuccino

$2.73 ₱168

$2.42 ₱149

12.81%

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

$0.96 ₱59.2

$0.84 ₱51.6

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱30.96

$0.37 ₱22.53

35.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.54 ₱94.7

$1.30 ₱80.0

18.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ₱163

$2.08 ₱128

27.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱117

$1.91 ₱117

-0.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ₱81.9

$1.23 ₱75.6

8.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱66.1

$0.99 ₱60.8

8.08%

Eggs

$2.08 ₱128

$2.25 ₱138

-7.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.28 ₱572

$8.00 ₱493

16.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 ₱321

$7.73 ₱476

-32.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.55 ₱526

$7.76 ₱478

10.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 ₱218

$2.85 ₱175

24.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱111

$1.54 ₱94.6

16.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.70 ₱166

32.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 ₱154

$1.57 ₱96.4

59.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 ₱171

$2.24 ₱138

24.11%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 ₱194

$2.52 ₱155

25.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 ₱122

$1.06 ₱65.4

86.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₱42.17

$0.72 ₱44.39

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 ₱204

$3.09 ₱190

7.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 ₱585

$8.04 ₱495

18.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 ₱90.0

$0.96 ₱58.8

52.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$1.99 ₱123

6.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ₱29.41

$0.26 ₱15.97

84.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.15 ₱748

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 ₱54.0

$0.84 ₱51.5

4.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₱16.65

$0.24 ₱14.75

12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 ₱128

$2.14 ₱132

-2.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₱72.3

$1.11 ₱68.6

5.41%

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

$26.1K ₱1.6M

$26.8K ₱1.7M

-2.81%

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

$22.8K ₱1.4M

$20.2K ₱1.2M

12.87%

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

$135 ₱8,337

$114 ₱7,020

18.77%

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

$21.56 ₱1,327

$33.21 ₱2,045

-35.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.58 ₱1,698

$26.54 ₱1,634

3.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ₱2,549

$15.11 ₱930

174.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.82 ₱420

$4.49 ₱276

51.89%

Cinema Ticket

$6.92 ₱426

$6.03 ₱371

14.76%

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

$363 ₱22.3K

$154 ₱9,464

136.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ₱713.4K

$4,390 ₱270.3K

163.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 ₱2,900

$45.83 ₱2,822

2.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.39 ₱2,117

$26.79 ₱1,650

28.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.9 ₱5,040

$74.0 ₱4,554

10.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.42 ₱2,919

$53.5 ₱3,295

-11.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 ₱29.9K

$266 ₱16.4K

82.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 ₱16.7K

$200 ₱12.3K

35.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,729 ₱106.5K

$421 ₱25.9K

310.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 ₱39.5K

$401 ₱24.7K

59.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,332 ₱266.7K

$2,361 ₱145.4K

83.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,602 ₱160.2K

$916 ₱56.4K

184.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$467 ₱28.7K

$164 ₱10.1K

184.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.52

6.67

12.74%

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

Last update for Manila: July 11, 2026

Last update for Laoag City: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $486 in Manila versus $266 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 run about 185% 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 Laoag City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $222 – making Laoag City 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 Laoag City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manila costs about 19% more than Laoag City, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,436 per month in Manila and $1,210 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $957 in Manila and $807 in Laoag City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $363 per month in Manila and $154 in Laoag City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $957 in Manila and $807 in Laoag City, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Laoag City costs $807 versus $957 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 Laoag 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.