Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Naga Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Naga

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $959 per month in Manila vs $549 in Naga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,506 per month in Manila vs $862 in Naga, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,052 per month in Manila vs $1,175 in Naga, rent included.

Manila costs about 75% more than Naga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Manila and Naga are more affordable than the global median – Manila 30% lower, Naga 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.43 ₱341

$5.07 ₱318

7.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.54 ₱1,664

$13.27 ₱833

100.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱246

$2.72 ₱171

44.12%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$2.66 ₱167

-5.64%

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

$1.39 ₱87.0

$0.75 ₱47.22

85.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₱52.3

$0.25 ₱15.72

232.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ₱73.0

$1.33 ₱83.3

-12.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ₱172

$3.19 ₱200

-14.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₱118

$1.88 ₱118

0.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ₱87.8

$0.79 ₱49.77

77.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ₱62.0

$0.83 ₱52.3

19.28%

Eggs

$2.31 ₱145

$1.69 ₱106

36.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.81 ₱490

$10.17 ₱638

-23.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 ₱309

$4.12 ₱258

19.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.11 ₱446

$7.19 ₱451

-1.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ₱203

$1.94 ₱122

66.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 ₱119

$1.66 ₱104

13.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 ₱189

$2.34 ₱147

28.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 ₱114

$2.33 ₱146

-21.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 ₱139

$2.56 ₱160

-13.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 ₱165

$2.33 ₱146

12.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 ₱136

$4.90 ₱307

-55.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₱37.12

$0.61 ₱38.55

-3.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ₱199

$2.91 ₱183

9.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.52 ₱597

$3.79 ₱238

151.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₱80.5

$1.61 ₱101

-20.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₱127

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ₱29.25

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.85 ₱806

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.26

$0.58 ₱36.39

32.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.44

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 ₱123

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ₱79.5

$1.13 ₱71.0

12.39%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

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

$122 ₱7,639

$99.1 ₱6,215

22.91%

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

$15.16 ₱951

$24.16 ₱1,516

-37.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.00 ₱1,505

$26.88 ₱1,686

-10.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.61 ₱2,673

$8.14 ₱510

423.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.69 ₱357

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 ₱432

$4.74 ₱297

45.15%

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

$618 ₱38.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,864 ₱555.9K

$8,005 ₱502.1K

10.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 ₱3,658

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.91 ₱1,751

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 ₱4,881

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.5 ₱3,667

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$545 ₱34.2K

$157 ₱9,870

246.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 ₱17.9K

$87.2 ₱5,469

226.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,928 ₱120.9K

$251 ₱15.7K

669.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 ₱42.2K

$194 ₱12.2K

247.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,397 ₱275.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,528 ₱158.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$477 ₱29.9K

$143 ₱8,994

232.35%

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: September 12, 2026

Last update for Naga: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $545 in Manila versus $157 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 run about 232% higher in Manila, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Manila versus $13.00 in Naga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $205 – making Naga the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $959 in Manila, $549 in Naga – roughly 75% apart. Manila costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,439 per month in Manila and $824 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Manila and $13.00 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 $959 in Manila and $549 in Naga. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Naga, where all-in costs run around $549, than in Manila at $959. In Naga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manila it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Manila has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $549 in Naga to $959 in Manila. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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