Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Negros

For one person, living is cheaper in Negros: $739 a month against $943 in Manila, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

46

Cost of Living Index in Manila
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Manila Living Index
36

Cost of Living Index in Negros
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Negros Living Index

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Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$943

/mo nomad

Negros

🇵🇭 Philippines

$739

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manila and in Negros

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

A single person spends $943 per month in Manila vs $739 in Negros, rent included.

Manila $943
Negros $739

A couple spends around $1,505 per month in Manila vs $1,121 in Negros, rent included.

Manila $1,505
Negros $1,121

A family of three spends $2,067 per month in Manila vs $1,503 in Negros, rent included.

Manila $2,067
Negros $1,503

Manila costs about 28% more than Negros, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Manila and Negros are more affordable than the global median – Manila 30% lower, Negros 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.54 ₱349

$2.94 ₱185

88.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.42 ₱1,726

$11.99 ₱755

128.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.96 ₱249

$2.77 ₱175

42.96%

Cappuccino

$2.47 ₱156

$1.40 ₱88.2

76.43%

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

$1.38 ₱86.9

$0.67 ₱41.96

105.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₱52.2

$0.42 ₱26.27

97.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ₱73.7

$1.21 ₱76.1

-3.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱147

$1.96 ₱123

19.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 ₱118

$1.93 ₱121

-2.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.8

$1.11 ₱69.7

28.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₱61.4

$0.96 ₱60.6

1.04%

Eggs

$2.29 ₱144

$1.96 ₱123

16.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ₱474

$9.83 ₱619

-23.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.75 ₱299

$4.51 ₱284

5.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.77 ₱427

$7.35 ₱463

-7.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 ₱211

$3.32 ₱209

0.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 ₱116

$1.41 ₱88.6

30.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 ₱190

$2.41 ₱152

25.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 ₱115

$1.53 ₱96.4

19.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 ₱140

$2.42 ₱152

-7.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 ₱163

$1.89 ₱119

37.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 ₱132

$1.14 ₱71.7

84.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₱37.23

$0.64 ₱40.01

-7.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ₱197

$2.91 ₱183

7.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 ₱598

$6.11 ₱385

55.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱82.7

$1.23 ₱77.4

6.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ₱127

$1.74 ₱110

15.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₱29.22

$0.26 ₱16.37

76.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.78 ₱805

$11.32 ₱713

12.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.39

$0.79 ₱49.77

-2.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.50

$0.23 ₱14.53

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₱117

$1.89 ₱119

-2.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ₱81.0

$1.33 ₱83.9

-3.01%

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

$21.6K ₱1.4M

$21.1K ₱1.3M

2.34%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

0.72%

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

$125 ₱7,851

$120 ₱7,531

4.24%

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

$15.84 ₱997

$14.43 ₱908

9.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.01 ₱1,511

$27.86 ₱1,754

-13.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.84 ₱2,634

$32.58 ₱2,051

28.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.89 ₱371

$4.62 ₱291

27.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ₱417

$5.44 ₱342

21.69%

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

$612 ₱38.6K

$130 ₱8,211

369.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,736 ₱550.0K

$8,096 ₱509.8K

7.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 ₱3,655

$32.81 ₱2,066

76.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.80 ₱1,750

$19.16 ₱1,206

45.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 ₱4,840

$76.9 ₱4,843

-0.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.5 ₱3,556

$57.8 ₱3,638

-2.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$538 ₱33.9K

$269 ₱17.0K

99.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 ₱17.9K

$169 ₱10.6K

68.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,933 ₱121.7K

$511 ₱32.2K

278.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$662 ₱41.7K

$358 ₱22.5K

85.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,397 ₱276.8K

$2,453 ₱154.4K

79.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,461 ₱154.9K

$992 ₱62.5K

147.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$478 ₱30.1K

$241 ₱15.2K

98.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

6.14%

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

Last update for Manila: October 17, 2026

Last update for Negros: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Manila

$285 30.2%

Negros

$169 22.9% 40.6% $116

Groceries & Markets

Manila

$219 23.2%

Negros

$204 27.5% 6.9% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manila

$165 17.4%

Negros

$162 21.9% 1.6% $2.6

Eating Out

Manila

$105 11.2%

Negros

$63 8.5% 40.2% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Manila

$99 10.5%

Negros

$84 11.4% 14.8% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Manila

$55 5.8%

Negros

$43 5.9% 21.1% $12

Getting Around

Manila

$17 1.8%

Negros

$14 1.9% 13.6% $2.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $538 in Manila versus $269 in Negros. 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 98% 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 $12.00 in Negros. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $219 vs $204 – making Negros the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Manila

🇵🇭 Negros

🕒 Local time

23:34 11:34 PM

Same time as Manila

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,780,148 Capital

4,414,131

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Manila vs Negros: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $943 in Manila, $739 in Negros – roughly 28% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,415 per month in Manila and $1,109 in Negros. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Negros, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $943 in Manila and $739 in Negros. That's a gap of about 28%.

Public transport costs about 13% less in Negros. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Negros, where all-in costs run around $739, than in Manila at $943. In Negros 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 $739 in Negros to $943 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 Negros. 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.