Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Pampanga

For one person, living is cheaper in Pampanga: $688 a month against $943 in Manila, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

46

Cost of Living Index in Manila
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Manila Living Index
33

Cost of Living Index in Pampanga
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Pampanga Living Index

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Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$943

/mo nomad

Pampanga

🇵🇭 Philippines

$688

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manila and in Pampanga

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

A single person spends $943 per month in Manila vs $688 in Pampanga, rent included.

Manila $943
Pampanga $688

A couple spends around $1,505 per month in Manila vs $1,034 in Pampanga, rent included.

Manila $1,505
Pampanga $1,034

A family of three spends $2,067 per month in Manila vs $1,380 in Pampanga, rent included.

Manila $2,067
Pampanga $1,380

Manila costs about 37% more than Pampanga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Manila and Pampanga are more affordable than the global median – Manila 30% lower, Pampanga 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.54 ₱349

$2.70 ₱170

105.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.42 ₱1,726

$15.58 ₱981

75.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.96 ₱249

$3.15 ₱198

25.71%

Cappuccino

$2.47 ₱156

$2.27 ₱143

8.81%

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

$1.38 ₱86.9

$0.62 ₱39.06

122.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₱52.2

$0.33 ₱20.50

151.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ₱73.7

$1.16 ₱73.2

0.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱147

$1.89 ₱119

23.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 ₱118

$1.49 ₱93.6

26.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.8

$1.09 ₱68.8

31.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₱61.4

$0.84 ₱52.6

15.48%

Eggs

$2.29 ₱144

$1.50 ₱94.4

52.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ₱474

$4.04 ₱254

86.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.75 ₱299

$2.94 ₱185

61.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.77 ₱427

$6.31 ₱397

7.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 ₱211

$1.88 ₱118

78.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 ₱116

$0.98 ₱61.5

87.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 ₱190

$2.07 ₱130

45.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 ₱115

$0.99 ₱62.6

84.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 ₱140

$1.40 ₱87.9

59.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 ₱163

$1.50 ₱94.6

72.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 ₱132

$0.86 ₱54.3

144.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₱37.23

$0.60 ₱37.49

-1.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ₱197

$1.94 ₱122

60.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 ₱598

$5.85 ₱368

62.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱82.7

$0.69 ₱43.64

89.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ₱127

$1.30 ₱81.5

54.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₱29.22

$0.26 ₱16.40

76.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.78 ₱805

$11.27 ₱709

13.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.39

$0.73 ₱45.69

5.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.50

$0.21 ₱13.18

9.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₱117

$2.04 ₱128

-9.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ₱81.0

$1.04 ₱65.8

24.04%

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

$21.6K ₱1.4M

$18.9K ₱1.2M

14.51%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$17.3K ₱1.1M

12.39%

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

$125 ₱7,851

$132 ₱8,308

-5.50%

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

$15.84 ₱997

$15.21 ₱957

4.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.01 ₱1,511

$28.57 ₱1,799

-15.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.84 ₱2,634

$28.77 ₱1,812

45.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.89 ₱371

$4.65 ₱293

26.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ₱417

$5.16 ₱325

28.29%

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

$612 ₱38.6K

$134 ₱8,459

355.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,736 ₱550.0K

$7,994 ₱503.3K

9.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 ₱3,655

$26.02 ₱1,638

123.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.80 ₱1,750

$19.66 ₱1,238

41.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 ₱4,840

$71.1 ₱4,474

8.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.5 ₱3,556

$38.18 ₱2,404

47.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$538 ₱33.9K

$268 ₱16.9K

100.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 ₱17.9K

$173 ₱10.9K

64.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,933 ₱121.7K

$510 ₱32.1K

279.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$662 ₱41.7K

$365 ₱23.0K

81.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,397 ₱276.8K

$2,376 ₱149.6K

85.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,461 ₱154.9K

$1,009 ₱63.5K

143.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$478 ₱30.1K

$298 ₱18.8K

60.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

6.79

9.43%

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

Last update for Manila: October 17, 2026

Last update for Pampanga: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Manila

$285 30.2%

Pampanga

$173 25.1% 39.4% $112

Groceries & Markets

Manila

$219 23.2%

Pampanga

$145 21.1% 33.7% $74

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manila

$165 17.4%

Pampanga

$176 25.5% 6.8% $11

Eating Out

Manila

$105 11.2%

Pampanga

$72 10.4% 31.9% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Manila

$99 10.5%

Pampanga

$70 10.1% 29.3% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Manila

$55 5.8%

Pampanga

$39 5.7% 29% $16

Getting Around

Manila

$17 1.8%

Pampanga

$14 2.1% 15% $2.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $538 in Manila versus $268 in Pampanga. 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 60% 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 $16.00 in Pampanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $219 vs $145 – making Pampanga the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Manila

🇵🇭 Pampanga

🕒 Local time

02:25 2:25 AM

Same time as Manila

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,780,148 Capital

15,616

💱 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

On the map

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Between locations

Manila Pampanga 970 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Manila
Pampanga

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Pampanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $943 in Manila, $688 in Pampanga – roughly 37% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,415 per month in Manila and $1,032 in Pampanga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pampanga, 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 $688 in Pampanga. That's a gap of about 37%.

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

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Pampanga, where all-in costs run around $688, than in Manila at $943. In Pampanga 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 $688 in Pampanga 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 Pampanga. 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.