Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Maasin City

For one person, living is cheaper in Maasin City: $731 a month against $922 in Manila, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Manila
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Manila Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Maasin City
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Maasin City Living Index

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Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$922

/mo nomad

Maasin City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$731

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $922 in Manila versus $731 in Maasin City.

Manila $922
Maasin City $731

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,531 in Manila versus $1,126 in Maasin City.

Manila $1,531
Maasin City $1,126

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,140 in Manila versus $1,521 in Maasin City.

Manila $2,140
Maasin City $1,521

Living in Manila is roughly 26% more expensive than in Maasin City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Manila 32% lower, Maasin City 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ₱296

$3.94 ₱251

18.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.32 ₱1,673

$23.11 ₱1,469

13.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.02 ₱256

$3.86 ₱245

4.15%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱159

$2.53 ₱161

-0.79%

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

$1.37 ₱87.2

$0.63 ₱39.98

117.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 ₱56.5

$0.50 ₱31.81

78.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 ₱76.1

$1.67 ₱106

-28.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱149

$2.14 ₱136

9.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ₱119

$1.89 ₱120

-1.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ₱89.6

$1.13 ₱71.9

24.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.6

$0.82 ₱52.0

24.39%

Eggs

$2.19 ₱139

$1.83 ₱117

19.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.47 ₱475

$4.76 ₱303

56.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 ₱309

$4.30 ₱273

13.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.98 ₱444

$7.42 ₱472

-5.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ₱208

$1.54 ₱97.7

112.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₱115

$0.61 ₱38.80

196.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 ₱185

$1.60 ₱102

81.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 ₱122

$1.52 ₱96.3

25.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 ₱146

$2.36 ₱150

-2.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 ₱171

$1.95 ₱124

37.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 ₱139

$1.10 ₱70.1

98.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₱36.47

$0.59 ₱37.46

-3.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 ₱195

$2.82 ₱179

8.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.34 ₱594

$6.17 ₱392

51.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₱81.0

$1.21 ₱76.6

4.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₱130

$1.65 ₱105

24.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 ₱21.01

$0.24 ₱15.27

37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.80 ₱814

$12.16 ₱773

5.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱49.28

$0.75 ₱47.56

4.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 ₱12.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₱118

$1.86 ₱118

-0.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱83.3

$1.36 ₱86.7

-3.68%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

0.55%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$18.9K ₱1.2M

2.95%

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

$109 ₱6,946

$119 ₱7,566

-8.19%

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

$15.71 ₱999

$15.32 ₱974

2.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.58 ₱1,563

$27.59 ₱1,754

-10.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.75 ₱2,655

$31.54 ₱2,005

32.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.84 ₱372

$5.33 ₱339

9.57%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ₱408

$5.54 ₱352

15.88%

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

$606 ₱38.5K

$132 ₱8,362

360.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,674 ₱487.9K

$7,821 ₱497.3K

-1.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ₱3,550

$32.36 ₱2,058

72.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.57 ₱1,817

$19.28 ₱1,226

48.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 ₱4,381

$75.8 ₱4,820

-9.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 ₱3,706

$57.8 ₱3,677

0.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$533 ₱33.9K

$253 ₱16.1K

110.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ₱18.4K

$170 ₱10.8K

70.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,916 ₱121.8K

$480 ₱30.5K

299.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₱49.6K

$351 ₱22.3K

122.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,078 ₱259.3K

$2,608 ₱165.8K

56.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,432 ₱154.6K

$1,117 ₱71.0K

117.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ₱32.1K

$125 ₱7,923

305.48%

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: November 2, 2026

Last update for Maasin City: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Manila

$289 31.4%

Maasin City

$170 23.2% 41.3% $119

Groceries & Markets

Manila

$219 23.7%

Maasin City

$168 23% 23% $50

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manila

$150 16.2%

Maasin City

$162 22.1% 8.3% $12

Eating Out

Manila

$99 10.8%

Maasin City

$91 12.4% 8.6% $8.5

Clothing & Footwear

Manila

$95 10.3%

Maasin City

$83 11.4% 12.4% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Manila

$55 5.9%

Maasin City

$43 5.8% 21.9% $12

Getting Around

Manila

$16 1.7%

Maasin City

$15 2% 6.4% $1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $533 in Manila and $253 in Maasin City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manila pays about 4.1 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $26 in Manila vs $23 in Maasin City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $168 per month, with Maasin City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Manila

🇵🇭 Maasin City

🕒 Local time

07:55 7:55 AM

Same time as Manila

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,780,148 Capital

85,560

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.4 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Manila Maasin City 650 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Maasin City is about 21% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay in Manila is about 4.1 times higher, 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: $533 in Manila versus $253 in Maasin City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% 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 versus $26 in Manila. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Maasin City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Manila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.