Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Lipa Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Lipa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $959 per month in Manila vs $598 in Lipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,506 per month in Manila vs $935 in Lipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,052 per month in Manila vs $1,273 in Lipa, rent included.

Manila costs about 60% more than Lipa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Manila and Lipa are more affordable than the global median – Manila 30% lower, Lipa 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.43 ₱341

$3.11 ₱195

74.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.54 ₱1,664

$16.07 ₱1,008

65.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱246

$2.72 ₱171

44.12%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$1.78 ₱112

41.01%

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

$1.39 ₱87.0

$0.46 ₱28.57

202.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₱52.3

$0.33 ₱20.91

151.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ₱73.0

$0.95 ₱59.3

22.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ₱172

$1.63 ₱103

68.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₱118

$1.47 ₱92.1

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ₱87.8

$1.10 ₱69.2

27.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ₱62.0

$0.85 ₱53.5

16.47%

Eggs

$2.31 ₱145

$1.69 ₱106

36.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.81 ₱490

$5.14 ₱322

51.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 ₱309

$3.50 ₱219

40.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.11 ₱446

$7.70 ₱483

-7.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ₱203

$2.27 ₱143

42.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 ₱119

$1.61 ₱101

17.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 ₱189

$2.29 ₱144

31.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 ₱114

$1.07 ₱67.0

70.09%

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

$0.61 ₱38.34

255.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₱37.12

$0.49 ₱31.02

20.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ₱199

$2.96 ₱185

7.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.52 ₱597

$8.59 ₱539

10.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₱80.5

$0.97 ₱60.7

31.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₱127

$1.98 ₱124

2.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ₱29.25

$0.25 ₱15.64

88.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.85 ₱806

$4.63 ₱290

177.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.26

$0.70 ₱44.09

10.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.44

$0.23 ₱14.31

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 ₱123

$1.87 ₱117

4.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ₱79.5

$1.10 ₱69.1

15.45%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$21.2K ₱1.3M

1.10%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$15.7K ₱985.1K

25.18%

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

$122 ₱7,639

$139 ₱8,688

-12.08%

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

$15.16 ₱951

$17.67 ₱1,108

-14.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.00 ₱1,505

$23.60 ₱1,480

1.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.61 ₱2,673

$32.31 ₱2,026

31.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.69 ₱357

$4.00 ₱251

42.25%

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 ₱432

$5.11 ₱320

34.64%

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

$618 ₱38.8K

$132 ₱8,297

367.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,864 ₱555.9K

$10.6K ₱662.9K

-16.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 ₱3,658

$28.93 ₱1,815

101.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.91 ₱1,751

$19.58 ₱1,228

42.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 ₱4,881

$72.4 ₱4,539

7.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.5 ₱3,667

$55.7 ₱3,493

4.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$545 ₱34.2K

$79.8 ₱5,005

582.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 ₱17.9K

$61.2 ₱3,837

365.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,928 ₱120.9K

$244 ₱15.3K

690.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 ₱42.2K

$184 ₱11.5K

265.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,397 ₱275.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,528 ₱158.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$477 ₱29.9K

$220 ₱13.8K

116.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

23.83%

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

Last update for Manila: September 12, 2026

Last update for Lipa: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $545 in Manila versus $79.8 in Lipa. 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 116% 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 $16.00 in Lipa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $171 – making Lipa 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 Lipa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $959 in Manila, $598 in Lipa – roughly 60% 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 $897 in Lipa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 178% less in Lipa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $618 per month in Manila and $132 in Lipa. 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 Lipa, where all-in costs run around $598, than in Manila at $959. In Lipa 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 $598 in Lipa 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 Lipa. 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.