Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Malaybalay Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Malaybalay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Manila versus $740 in Malaybalay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,491 in Manila versus $1,139 in Malaybalay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,048 in Manila versus $1,537 in Malaybalay.

Living in Manila is roughly 26% more expensive than in Malaybalay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.70 ₱356

$4.94 ₱309

15.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.88 ₱1,618

$16.64 ₱1,041

55.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.11 ₱257

$3.64 ₱228

12.91%

Cappuccino

$2.49 ₱155

$2.24 ₱140

11.16%

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

$1.37 ₱85.5

$0.46 ₱28.66

197.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 ₱52.4

$0.31 ₱19.18

170.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ₱71.6

$1.15 ₱72.2

-0.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 ₱167

$1.91 ₱120

39.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₱118

$2.03 ₱127

-6.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ₱91.3

$1.13 ₱70.8

29.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ₱61.7

$0.86 ₱53.8

15.12%

Eggs

$2.32 ₱145

$1.88 ₱118

23.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 ₱491

$6.62 ₱414

18.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.96 ₱310

$4.32 ₱270

14.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.07 ₱442

$8.48 ₱530

-16.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ₱212

$2.70 ₱169

25.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 ₱121

$1.12 ₱70.0

72.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 ₱188

$2.23 ₱139

34.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 ₱111

$1.16 ₱72.6

53.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 ₱140

$2.07 ₱130

8.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 ₱162

$3.61 ₱226

-28.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 ₱133

$1.22 ₱76.5

73.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.90

$0.66 ₱41.35

-15.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 ₱190

$2.51 ₱157

20.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.84 ₱616

$8.02 ₱502

22.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₱80.0

$1.31 ₱81.6

-2.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱132

$1.58 ₱98.5

33.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ₱29.23

$0.29 ₱18.35

62.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.73 ₱796

$9.77 ₱611

30.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱52.1

$0.83 ₱51.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.42

$0.25 ₱15.73

-8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 ₱124

$1.90 ₱119

4.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱77.4

$1.14 ₱71.5

8.77%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$21.1K ₱1.3M

3.02%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$18.6K ₱1.2M

5.75%

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

$121 ₱7,597

$110 ₱6,881

10.40%

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

$15.06 ₱942

$19.06 ₱1,192

-20.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.90 ₱1,495

$31.68 ₱1,981

-24.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.84 ₱2,741

$28.91 ₱1,808

51.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.97 ₱374

$5.35 ₱335

11.59%

Cinema Ticket

$7.03 ₱440

$4.69 ₱293

49.89%

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

$629 ₱39.3K

$109 ₱6,823

476.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,036 ₱565.0K

$7,551 ₱472.2K

19.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 ₱3,698

$31.95 ₱1,998

85.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.07 ₱1,756

$20.00 ₱1,251

40.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 ₱4,724

$72.6 ₱4,542

4.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.9 ₱3,620

$62.8 ₱3,929

-7.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 ₱33.6K

$267 ₱16.7K

101.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 ₱17.7K

$174 ₱10.9K

62.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,898 ₱118.7K

$432 ₱27.0K

338.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 ₱41.9K

$394 ₱24.6K

70.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,351 ₱272.1K

$2,800 ₱175.1K

55.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,494 ₱156.0K

$1,036 ₱64.8K

140.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$484 ₱30.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

8.31

-10.59%

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

Last update for Manila: August 31, 2026

Last update for Malaybalay: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $537 in Manila and $267 in Malaybalay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $26.00 in Manila vs $17.00 in Malaybalay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $196 per month, with Malaybalay 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 Malaybalay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manila and Malaybalay differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($934 vs $740 including rent). Malaybalay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,401 in Manila and $1,110 in Malaybalay to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $537 in Manila versus $267 in Malaybalay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Manila. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Malaybalay – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $26.00 in Manila. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $740 in Malaybalay versus $934 in Manila, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Malaybalay but tight or insufficient in Manila. The gap between the two cities makes Malaybalay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Manila and Malaybalay 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 Malaybalay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Manila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.