Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Palawan Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Palawan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $927 per month in Manila vs $798 in Palawan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,501 per month in Manila vs $1,222 in Palawan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,074 per month in Manila vs $1,646 in Palawan, rent included.

Manila costs about 16% more than Palawan, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Manila and Palawan are more affordable than the global median – Manila 33% lower, Palawan 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.16 ₱322

$3.46 ₱216

49.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.86 ₱1,613

$19.76 ₱1,232

30.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.93 ₱245

$3.41 ₱213

15.25%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱157

$2.57 ₱160

-1.95%

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

$1.36 ₱84.6

$0.78 ₱48.76

74.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₱51.8

$0.40 ₱24.68

107.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ₱70.4

$1.29 ₱80.5

-12.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ₱171

$2.08 ₱130

31.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱118

$1.86 ₱116

2.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.1

$1.23 ₱76.6

16.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₱61.1

$0.94 ₱58.9

4.26%

Eggs

$2.23 ₱139

$2.09 ₱130

6.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 ₱498

$8.09 ₱505

-1.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 ₱292

$4.30 ₱268

9.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.81 ₱424

$7.92 ₱494

-14.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 ₱207

$2.99 ₱186

11.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₱114

$1.57 ₱97.9

16.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 ₱186

$2.63 ₱164

13.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 ₱116

$1.56 ₱97.2

19.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 ₱141

$2.25 ₱140

0.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 ₱168

$2.61 ₱163

3.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 ₱131

$1.11 ₱69.4

89.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.65

$0.75 ₱47.07

-25.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 ₱200

$2.80 ₱175

14.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.61 ₱599

$6.71 ₱419

43.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₱82.6

$1.14 ₱71.4

15.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₱131

$2.03 ₱127

3.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₱28.89

$0.28 ₱17.51

64.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.68 ₱791

$11.34 ₱707

11.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱52.1

$0.76 ₱47.64

9.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.39

$0.22 ₱13.70

4.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ₱116

$2.12 ₱132

-12.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱77.1

$1.14 ₱71.3

8.77%

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

$21.3K ₱1.3M

$26.1K ₱1.6M

-18.13%

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

$19.3K ₱1.2M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

-6.39%

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

$122 ₱7,607

$113 ₱7,076

7.50%

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

$14.83 ₱925

$33.33 ₱2,079

-55.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.95 ₱1,494

$27.41 ₱1,709

-12.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.46 ₱2,648

$34.18 ₱2,131

24.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 ₱361

$4.51 ₱281

28.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 ₱429

$5.78 ₱361

19.03%

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

$621 ₱38.7K

$151 ₱9,394

312.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,865 ₱552.8K

$4,317 ₱269.2K

105.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 ₱3,586

$46.70 ₱2,912

23.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.04 ₱1,749

$26.76 ₱1,669

4.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 ₱4,840

$75.9 ₱4,736

2.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.9 ₱3,609

$53.0 ₱3,308

9.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$534 ₱33.3K

$264 ₱16.5K

102.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ₱17.9K

$174 ₱10.9K

64.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,928 ₱120.2K

$576 ₱35.9K

234.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$664 ₱41.4K

$396 ₱24.7K

67.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,356 ₱271.6K

$2,362 ₱147.3K

84.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,555 ₱159.3K

$1,024 ₱63.9K

149.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$473 ₱29.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

6.67

11.39%

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

Last update for Manila: September 8, 2026

Last update for Palawan: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $534 in Manila versus $264 in Palawan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Manila versus $20.00 in Palawan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $220 vs $204 – making Palawan 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 Palawan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $927 in Manila, $798 in Palawan – roughly 16% apart. Manila costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,391 per month in Manila and $1,198 in Palawan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Palawan, 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 $927 in Manila and $798 in Palawan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 12% less in Palawan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Palawan, where all-in costs run around $798, than in Manila at $927. In Palawan 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 $798 in Palawan to $927 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 Palawan. 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.