Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Lucena Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Lucena

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $957 per month in Manila vs $488 in Lucena, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,538 per month in Manila vs $859 in Lucena, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,118 per month in Manila vs $1,230 in Lucena, rent included.

Manila costs about 96% more than Lucena, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Manila and Lucena are more affordable than the global median – Manila 28% lower, Lucena 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.28 ₱325

$1.65 ₱102

220.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.12 ₱1,669

$8.80 ₱542

208.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.55 ₱280

$1.89 ₱116

140.74%

Cappuccino

$2.73 ₱168

$1.07 ₱65.8

155.14%

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

$0.96 ₱59.3

$0.67 ₱41.29

43.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱30.96

$0.35 ₱21.39

42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.54 ₱94.7

$0.93 ₱57.0

65.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ₱163

$1.46 ₱90.0

81.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱117

$1.67 ₱103

13.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ₱81.9

$1.27 ₱78.0

4.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱66.1

$0.88 ₱54.3

21.59%

Eggs

$2.08 ₱128

$1.99 ₱123

4.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.28 ₱572

$7.06 ₱435

31.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 ₱321

$1.38 ₱85.2

277.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.55 ₱527

$2.61 ₱161

227.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 ₱218

$0.93 ₱57.3

280.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱111

$1.07 ₱66.1

68.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 ₱221

$0.85 ₱52.5

321.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 ₱154

$0.73 ₱44.69

242.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 ₱171

$1.09 ₱67.0

155.05%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 ₱194

$1.12 ₱68.8

182.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 ₱122

$1.21 ₱74.7

63.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₱42.17

$0.73 ₱45.02

-6.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 ₱204

$3.09 ₱191

7.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 ₱585

$7.73 ₱476

22.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 ₱90.0

$1.53 ₱94.5

-4.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$0.87 ₱53.8

142.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ₱29.41

$0.29 ₱17.82

65.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.15 ₱748

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 ₱54.0

$0.78 ₱47.75

12.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₱16.65

$0.27 ₱16.75

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 ₱128

$2.18 ₱134

-4.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₱72.3

$1.15 ₱70.5

1.74%

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

$26.1K ₱1.6M

$25.4K ₱1.6M

2.72%

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

$22.8K ₱1.4M

$20.2K ₱1.2M

13.07%

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

$135 ₱8,337

$62.5 ₱3,848

116.64%

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

$21.56 ₱1,328

$7.25 ₱446

197.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.58 ₱1,698

$12.64 ₱778

118.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ₱2,549

$33.56 ₱2,066

23.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.82 ₱420

$4.49 ₱277

51.89%

Cinema Ticket

$6.92 ₱426

$7.04 ₱433

-1.70%

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

$363 ₱22.3K

$82.3 ₱5,068

341.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ₱713.4K

$2,736 ₱168.4K

323.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 ₱2,900

$31.71 ₱1,952

48.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.39 ₱2,117

$29.11 ₱1,792

18.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.9 ₱5,040

$53.5 ₱3,294

53.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.42 ₱2,919

$95.5 ₱5,882

-50.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 ₱29.9K

$131 ₱8,094

269.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 ₱16.7K

$78.8 ₱4,849

244.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,729 ₱106.5K

$591 ₱36.4K

192.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 ₱39.5K

$399 ₱24.5K

60.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,332 ₱266.7K

$2,119 ₱130.4K

104.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,602 ₱160.2K

$1,072 ₱66.0K

142.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$467 ₱28.7K

$323 ₱19.9K

44.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.52

8.13

-7.50%

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

Last update for Manila: July 11, 2026

Last update for Lucena: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $486 in Manila versus $131 in Lucena. 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 44% 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 $9.00 in Lucena. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $139 – making Lucena 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 Lucena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $957 in Manila, $488 in Lucena – roughly 96% apart. Manila costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,436 per month in Manila and $733 in Lucena. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Manila and $9.00 in Lucena. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 74% more in Manila, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $957 in Manila and $488 in Lucena, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Manila has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $488 in Lucena to $957 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 Lucena. 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.