Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Panglao Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Panglao

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $959 per month in Manila vs $822 in Panglao, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,506 per month in Manila vs $1,139 in Panglao, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,052 per month in Manila vs $1,456 in Panglao, rent included.

Manila costs about 17% more than Panglao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Manila and Panglao are more affordable than the global median – Manila 30% lower, Panglao 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.43 ₱341

$3.10 ₱194

75.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.54 ₱1,664

$23.19 ₱1,454

14.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱246

$4.00 ₱251

-2.00%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$2.16 ₱136

16.20%

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

$1.39 ₱87.0

$0.61 ₱38.14

127.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₱52.3

$0.48 ₱30.41

72.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ₱73.0

$1.61 ₱101

-27.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ₱172

$1.92 ₱121

42.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₱118

$1.61 ₱101

17.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ₱87.8

$1.10 ₱69.2

27.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ₱62.0

$0.98 ₱61.5

1.02%

Eggs

$2.31 ₱145

$1.76 ₱111

31.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.81 ₱490

$8.55 ₱536

-8.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 ₱309

$4.38 ₱275

12.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.11 ₱446

$7.66 ₱481

-7.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ₱203

$1.89 ₱118

70.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 ₱119

$1.44 ₱90.1

31.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 ₱189

$1.86 ₱117

61.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 ₱114

$1.52 ₱95.4

19.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 ₱139

$2.36 ₱148

-5.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 ₱165

$1.88 ₱118

39.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 ₱136

$1.18 ₱74.0

83.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₱37.11

$0.49 ₱30.85

20.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ₱199

$2.80 ₱175

13.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.52 ₱597

$5.75 ₱361

65.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₱80.5

$0.80 ₱50.1

60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₱127

$1.63 ₱102

23.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ₱29.24

$0.24 ₱15.04

95.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.85 ₱806

$9.55 ₱599

34.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.25

$0.79 ₱49.30

-2.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.44

$0.22 ₱13.80

4.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 ₱123

$1.94 ₱121

1.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ₱79.5

$0.90 ₱56.2

41.11%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$21.4K ₱1.3M

0.46%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$19.2K ₱1.2M

2.36%

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

$122 ₱7,637

$59.8 ₱3,749

103.73%

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

$15.16 ₱950

$6.83 ₱428

121.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.00 ₱1,505

$24.22 ₱1,519

-0.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.61 ₱2,672

$21.00 ₱1,317

102.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.69 ₱357

$4.69 ₱294

21.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 ₱432

$3.88 ₱243

77.32%

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

$618 ₱38.8K

$130 ₱8,159

375.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,864 ₱555.8K

$8,008 ₱502.1K

10.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 ₱3,658

$32.21 ₱2,020

81.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.91 ₱1,750

$19.23 ₱1,206

45.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 ₱4,880

$68.6 ₱4,299

13.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.5 ₱3,667

$56.3 ₱3,528

3.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$545 ₱34.2K

$279 ₱17.5K

94.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 ₱17.9K

$347 ₱21.8K

-17.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,928 ₱120.9K

$564 ₱35.4K

241.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 ₱42.2K

$398 ₱25.0K

69.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,397 ₱275.7K

$971 ₱60.9K

353.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,528 ₱158.5K

$844 ₱52.9K

199.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$477 ₱29.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

7.2

3.19%

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

Last update for Manila: September 12, 2026

Last update for Panglao: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $545 in Manila versus $279 in Panglao. 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 $27.00 in Manila versus $23.00 in Panglao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $182 – making Panglao 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 Panglao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $959 in Manila, $822 in Panglao – roughly 17% apart. Manila costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,439 per month in Manila and $1,232 in Panglao. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Panglao, 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 $959 in Manila and $822 in Panglao. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 35% less in Panglao. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Panglao, where all-in costs run around $822, than in Manila at $959. In Panglao 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 $822 in Panglao 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 Panglao. 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.