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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $959 in Manila versus $743 in Maasin City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,506 in Manila versus $1,135 in Maasin City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,052 in Manila versus $1,527 in Maasin City.

Living in Manila is roughly 29% more expensive than in Maasin City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Manila 30% lower, Maasin City 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.43 ₱341

$3.03 ₱190

79.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.54 ₱1,667

$23.37 ₱1,468

13.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱246

$4.00 ₱251

-2.00%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$2.57 ₱161

-2.33%

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

$1.39 ₱87.1

$0.59 ₱36.98

135.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₱52.4

$0.50 ₱31.16

66.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ₱73.2

$1.72 ₱108

-32.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ₱172

$2.20 ₱138

24.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₱119

$1.99 ₱125

-5.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ₱87.9

$1.10 ₱69.3

27.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ₱62.1

$0.91 ₱57.0

8.79%

Eggs

$2.31 ₱145

$1.95 ₱123

18.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.81 ₱491

$9.99 ₱628

-21.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 ₱310

$4.43 ₱278

11.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.11 ₱447

$7.48 ₱470

-4.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ₱203

$1.62 ₱102

99.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 ₱119

$0.62 ₱38.96

204.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 ₱189

$1.60 ₱101

88.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 ₱115

$1.54 ₱96.6

18.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 ₱139

$2.37 ₱149

-6.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 ₱165

$1.94 ₱122

35.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 ₱136

$1.23 ₱77.3

76.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₱37.18

$0.64 ₱40.19

-7.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ₱200

$2.91 ₱183

9.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.52 ₱598

$6.08 ₱382

56.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₱80.6

$1.27 ₱80.0

0.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₱127

$1.74 ₱109

16.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ₱29.30

$0.29 ₱17.92

62.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.85 ₱807

$12.01 ₱754

6.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.34

$0.78 ₱48.93

-1.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.47

$0.22 ₱13.84

4.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 ₱123

$1.95 ₱122

0.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ₱79.7

$1.26 ₱79.0

0.79%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$21.5K ₱1.4M

-0.36%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

1.99%

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

$122 ₱7,651

$122 ₱7,694

-0.56%

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

$15.16 ₱952

$14.86 ₱934

2.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.00 ₱1,508

$27.25 ₱1,712

-11.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.61 ₱2,677

$28.89 ₱1,815

47.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.69 ₱358

$4.12 ₱259

38.11%

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 ₱433

$5.65 ₱355

21.77%

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

$618 ₱38.8K

$131 ₱8,218

372.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,864 ₱556.9K

$8,110 ₱509.5K

9.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 ₱3,665

$31.56 ₱1,983

84.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.91 ₱1,754

$19.48 ₱1,224

43.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 ₱4,889

$75.8 ₱4,765

2.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.5 ₱3,674

$54.8 ₱3,440

6.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$545 ₱34.2K

$269 ₱16.9K

102.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 ₱17.9K

$165 ₱10.4K

72.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,928 ₱121.1K

$529 ₱33.2K

264.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 ₱42.3K

$312 ₱19.6K

115.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,397 ₱276.2K

$2,421 ₱152.1K

81.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,528 ₱158.8K

$1,037 ₱65.1K

143.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$477 ₱29.9K

$128 ₱8,056

271.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

7.2

3.19%

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

Last update for Manila: September 12, 2026

Last update for Maasin City: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $545 in Manila and $269 in Maasin City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manila pays 272% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $27.00 in Manila vs $23.00 in Maasin City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $188 per month, with Maasin City cheaper across the board.

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 Maasin City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maasin City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 272% higher in Manila, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $545 in Manila versus $269 in Maasin City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Manila. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Maasin City – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $27.00 in Manila. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $743 in Maasin City versus $959 in Manila, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Maasin City but tight or insufficient in Manila. The gap between the two cities makes Maasin City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Maasin City is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Manila, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Manila and Maasin City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Maasin City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Manila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.