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: $959 in Manila versus $847 in Mandaluyong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,506 in Manila versus $1,373 in Mandaluyong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,052 in Manila versus $1,898 in Mandaluyong.

Living in Manila is roughly 13% more expensive than in Mandaluyong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Manila 30% lower, Mandaluyong 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.43 ₱341

$4.70 ₱295

15.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.54 ₱1,664

$16.75 ₱1,051

58.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱246

$3.53 ₱222

11.05%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$2.22 ₱139

13.06%

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

$1.39 ₱87.0

$0.96 ₱60.3

44.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₱52.3

$0.52 ₱32.64

59.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ₱73.0

$1.20 ₱75.3

-3.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ₱172

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₱118

$1.63 ₱102

15.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ₱87.8

$1.34 ₱84.0

4.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ₱62.0

$0.98 ₱61.6

1.02%

Eggs

$2.31 ₱145

$2.21 ₱139

4.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.81 ₱490

$5.14 ₱323

51.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 ₱309

$4.92 ₱308

0.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.11 ₱446

$6.83 ₱428

4.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ₱203

$3.22 ₱202

0.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 ₱119

$1.83 ₱115

3.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 ₱189

$2.95 ₱185

2.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 ₱114

$1.84 ₱115

-1.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 ₱139

$2.29 ₱144

-3.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 ₱165

$2.69 ₱169

-2.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 ₱136

$0.65 ₱40.89

233.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₱37.12

$0.53 ₱33.42

11.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ₱199

$2.96 ₱186

7.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.52 ₱597

$8.91 ₱559

6.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₱80.5

$0.99 ₱61.9

29.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₱127

$2.02 ₱126

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ₱29.25

$0.34 ₱21.60

38.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.85 ₱806

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.26

$0.82 ₱51.5

-6.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.44

$0.23 ₱14.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 ₱123

$1.92 ₱120

2.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ₱79.5

$1.16 ₱72.7

9.48%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$21.2K ₱1.3M

1.46%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$19.6K ₱1.2M

0.49%

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

$122 ₱7,639

$142 ₱8,907

-14.24%

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

$15.16 ₱951

$17.79 ₱1,116

-14.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.00 ₱1,505

$24.49 ₱1,536

-2.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.61 ₱2,673

$31.86 ₱1,998

33.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.69 ₱357

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 ₱432

$6.35 ₱398

8.35%

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

$618 ₱38.8K

$131 ₱8,226

371.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,864 ₱555.9K

$8,803 ₱552.1K

0.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 ₱3,658

$28.81 ₱1,807

102.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.91 ₱1,751

$27.08 ₱1,698

3.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 ₱4,881

$72.3 ₱4,537

7.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.5 ₱3,667

$56.2 ₱3,523

4.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$545 ₱34.2K

$603 ₱37.8K

-9.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 ₱17.9K

$235 ₱14.7K

21.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,928 ₱120.9K

$1,208 ₱75.7K

59.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 ₱42.2K

$725 ₱45.5K

-7.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,397 ₱275.8K

$2,863 ₱179.6K

53.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,528 ₱158.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$477 ₱29.9K

$541 ₱33.9K

-11.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

6.75

10.07%

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

Last update for Manila: September 12, 2026

Last update for Mandaluyong: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $545 in Manila and $603 in Mandaluyong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mandaluyong pays 14% 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 $221 vs $199 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 ($959 vs $847 including rent). Mandaluyong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 14% lower in Mandaluyong. 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: $545 in Manila versus $603 in Mandaluyong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $618 in Manila versus $131 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 $847 in Mandaluyong versus $959 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.