Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Naga

For one person, living is cheaper in Naga: $552 a month against $945 in Manila, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Manila
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Manila Living Index

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Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$945

/mo nomad

Naga

🇵🇭 Philippines

$552

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manila and in Naga

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 Naga actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $945 per month in Manila vs $552 in Naga, rent included.

Manila $945
Naga $552

A couple spends around $1,572 per month in Manila vs $845 in Naga, rent included.

Manila $1,572
Naga $845

A family of three spends $2,199 per month in Manila vs $1,138 in Naga, rent included.

Manila $2,199
Naga $1,138

Manila costs about 71% more than Naga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Manila and Naga are more affordable than the global median – Manila 31% lower, Naga 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 ₱340

$5.10 ₱325

4.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.46 ₱1,685

$13.37 ₱851

97.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.93 ₱251

$2.77 ₱176

41.88%

Cappuccino

$2.53 ₱161

$2.74 ₱174

-7.66%

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

$1.35 ₱86.0

$0.67 ₱42.76

101.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 ₱52.1

$0.22 ₱13.99

272.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ₱72.6

$1.31 ₱83.2

-12.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₱152

$3.09 ₱197

-22.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱121

$1.95 ₱124

-2.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ₱91.8

$0.80 ₱50.9

80.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₱60.1

$0.77 ₱49.12

22.08%

Eggs

$2.30 ₱147

$1.68 ₱107

36.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 ₱472

$10.06 ₱641

-26.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱294

$4.12 ₱263

11.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.65 ₱423

$6.84 ₱436

-2.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ₱210

$1.90 ₱121

73.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱114

$1.66 ₱106

8.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 ₱191

$2.41 ₱154

24.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 ₱112

$2.37 ₱151

-25.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 ₱141

$2.53 ₱161

-12.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 ₱169

$2.21 ₱141

20.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 ₱136

$4.63 ₱295

-53.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱34.01

$0.60 ₱38.26

-11.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.06 ₱195

$2.76 ₱176

10.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.57 ₱609

$3.77 ₱240

153.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱83.0

$1.53 ₱97.3

-15.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₱127

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₱25.75

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.75 ₱812

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 ₱45.82

$0.58 ₱36.71

24.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ₱117

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ₱80.8

$1.19 ₱75.8

6.72%

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

$20.7K ₱1.3M

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

$18.7K ₱1.2M

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

$120 ₱7,617

$97.7 ₱6,223

22.39%

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

$15.69 ₱999

$23.84 ₱1,518

-34.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.60 ₱1,503

$25.59 ₱1,630

-7.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.57 ₱2,711

$7.73 ₱492

450.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.65 ₱360

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ₱414

$4.80 ₱306

35.42%

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

$599 ₱38.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,818 ₱561.6K

$7,801 ₱496.8K

13.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 ₱3,609

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.40 ₱1,745

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 ₱4,863

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.5 ₱3,535

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 ₱33.5K

$158 ₱10.1K

232.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 ₱18.9K

$85.9 ₱5,470

245.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,887 ₱120.2K

$240 ₱15.3K

685.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$816 ₱52.0K

$195 ₱12.4K

318.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,968 ₱252.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,366 ₱150.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$466 ₱29.7K

$138 ₱8,815

236.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

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

Last update for Manila: October 24, 2026

Last update for Naga: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Manila

$297 31.4%

Naga

–

Groceries & Markets

Manila

$216 22.9%

Naga

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manila

$159 16.8%

Naga

–

Eating Out

Manila

$104 11%

Naga

–

Clothing & Footwear

Manila

$97 10.3%

Naga

–

Sport & Entertainment

Manila

$56 5.9%

Naga

–

Getting Around

Manila

$16 1.7%

Naga

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $526 in Manila versus $158 in Naga. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Manila are about 3.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26 in Manila versus $13 in Naga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $216 vs $202 – making Naga the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Manila

🇵🇭 Naga

🕒 Local time

14:08 2:08 PM

Same time as Manila

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,780,148 Capital

115,750

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Manila Naga 260 km

From you

Manila
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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 Naga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $945 in Manila, $552 in Naga – Naga comes out roughly 42% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,418 per month in Manila and $828 in Naga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Naga, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $158 there versus $526 in Manila.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26 in Manila and $13 in Naga. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $945 in Manila and $552 in Naga. That makes Naga about 42% cheaper.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $945 in Manila and $552 in Naga, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Manila has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $552 in Naga to $945 in Manila. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Naga. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Manila makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.