Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Mandaluyong Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Mandaluyong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $963 in Manila versus $855 in Mandaluyong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,522 in Manila versus $1,315 in Mandaluyong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,081 in Manila versus $1,775 in Mandaluyong.

Living in Manila is roughly 13% more expensive than Mandaluyong, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Manila 28% lower, Mandaluyong 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.39 ₱330

$5.37 ₱329

0.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.79 ₱1,639

$17.41 ₱1,065

53.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.54 ₱278

$3.33 ₱203

36.34%

Cappuccino

$2.62 ₱160

$2.37 ₱145

10.55%

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

$0.98 ₱60.2

$0.90 ₱55.2

8.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₱32.93

$0.50 ₱30.78

8.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 ₱90.8

$1.53 ₱93.9

-3.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 ₱167

$2.69 ₱165

1.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ₱120

$1.89 ₱115

3.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ₱85.4

$1.34 ₱82.2

4.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱63.2

$1.06 ₱64.7

-2.83%

Eggs

$2.07 ₱127

$2.27 ₱139

-8.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.11 ₱557

$8.99 ₱550

1.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.20 ₱318

$5.16 ₱316

0.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.70 ₱533

$8.69 ₱532

0.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 ₱208

$3.50 ₱214

-2.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₱111

Oranges (1kg)

$3.66 ₱224

$3.53 ₱216

3.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 ₱154

$2.48 ₱152

1.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 ₱172

$2.78 ₱170

1.08%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 ₱189

$3.13 ₱191

-1.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 ₱122

$0.67 ₱40.69

197.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ₱41.97

$0.65 ₱39.81

6.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 ₱210

$3.23 ₱198

6.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.98 ₱611

$8.85 ₱541

12.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₱91.4

$1.52 ₱93.1

-1.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱134

$2.11 ₱129

3.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ₱29.54

$0.37 ₱22.39

29.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.83 ₱724

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 ₱56.7

$0.93 ₱57.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₱16.58

$0.27 ₱16.56

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ₱132

$2.10 ₱129

2.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ₱68.2

$1.15 ₱70.3

-2.61%

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

$26.6K ₱1.6M

$26.8K ₱1.6M

-0.76%

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

$23.0K ₱1.4M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

10.69%

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

$135 ₱8,238

$136 ₱8,344

-1.27%

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

$22.00 ₱1,346

$35.15 ₱2,151

-37.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.98 ₱1,712

$26.71 ₱1,634

4.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.05 ₱2,573

$34.51 ₱2,111

21.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.00 ₱428

$4.41 ₱270

58.73%

Cinema Ticket

$6.73 ₱411

$6.72 ₱411

0.15%

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

$365 ₱22.3K

$151 ₱9,256

141.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ₱707.4K

$4,679 ₱286.3K

147.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.97 ₱2,874

$47.36 ₱2,898

-0.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.01 ₱2,142

$34.30 ₱2,098

2.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.7 ₱5,000

$74.2 ₱4,541

10.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.98 ₱2,813

$46.64 ₱2,853

-1.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$489 ₱29.9K

$525 ₱32.1K

-6.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 ₱16.5K

$180 ₱11.0K

50.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,687 ₱103.2K

$594 ₱36.3K

184.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 ₱38.5K

$388 ₱23.8K

62.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,325 ₱264.6K

$2,980 ₱182.3K

45.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,640 ₱161.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$452 ₱27.7K

$623 ₱38.1K

-27.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.52

4.5

67.11%

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

Last update for Manila: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mandaluyong: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $489 in Manila and $525 in Mandaluyong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mandaluyong pays 38% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Manila vs $17.00 in Mandaluyong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $234 per month, with Mandaluyong 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 Mandaluyong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manila and Mandaluyong differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($963 vs $855 including rent). Mandaluyong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mandaluyong earns 38% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $489 in Manila versus $525 in Mandaluyong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $365 in Manila versus $151 in Mandaluyong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mandaluyong – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $27.00 in Manila. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $855 in Mandaluyong versus $963 in Manila, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mandaluyong but tight or insufficient in Manila. The gap between the two cities makes Mandaluyong 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 Mandaluyong 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 Mandaluyong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Manila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.