Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Manila: $945 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

46

Cost of Living Index in Manila
Learn more

Manila Living Index
62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index

Jump to prices

Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$945

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manila and in Phuket

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

A single person spends $945 per month in Manila vs $1,278 in Phuket, rent included.

Manila $945
Phuket $1,278

A couple spends around $1,572 per month in Manila vs $2,216 in Phuket, rent included.

Manila $1,572
Phuket $2,216

A family of three spends $2,199 per month in Manila vs $3,154 in Phuket, rent included.

Manila $2,199
Phuket $3,154

Manila is about 26% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Manila and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Manila 31% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 ₱341

$4.47 ฿151

19.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.46 ₱1,691

$32.41 ฿1,094

-18.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.93 ₱251

$8.81 ฿297

-55.39%

Cappuccino

$2.53 ₱162

$2.83 ฿95.5

-10.60%

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

$1.35 ₱86.2

$0.87 ฿29.43

55.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 ₱52.2

$0.49 ฿16.67

67.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ₱72.8

$2.56 ฿86.4

-55.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₱152

$3.68 ฿124

-35.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱122

$1.66 ฿56.0

15.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ₱92.1

$1.46 ฿49.35

-1.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₱60.3

$1.50 ฿50.6

-37.33%

Eggs

$2.30 ₱147

$2.09 ฿70.5

10.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 ₱473

$19.07 ฿644

-61.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱295

$3.30 ฿111

39.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.65 ₱425

$10.91 ฿368

-39.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ₱211

$2.93 ฿99.0

12.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱115

$1.69 ฿57.1

6.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 ₱192

$2.25 ฿75.8

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 ₱112

$2.08 ฿70.1

-15.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 ₱142

$1.51 ฿51.0

47.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 ₱170

$1.38 ฿46.56

92.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 ₱137

$1.07 ฿35.99

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱34.12

$0.52 ฿17.52

1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.06 ₱196

$4.20 ฿142

-27.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.57 ₱611

$18.79 ฿634

-49.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱83.3

$1.82 ฿61.5

-28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₱127

$2.84 ฿95.9

-29.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₱25.83

$1.45 ฿49.03

-72.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.75 ₱815

$56.7 ฿1,913

-77.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 ₱45.97

$3.02 ฿102

-76.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.72

$1.02 ฿34.36

-77.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ₱117

$3.69 ฿125

-50.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ₱81.0

$1.47 ฿49.81

-13.61%

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

$20.7K ₱1.3M

$26.8K ฿904.3K

-22.65%

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

$18.7K ₱1.2M

$26.7K ฿901.3K

-30.07%

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

$120 ₱7,641

$96.4 ฿3,254

24.12%

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

$15.69 ₱1,003

$11.26 ฿380

39.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.60 ₱1,508

$16.85 ฿569

40.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.57 ₱2,720

$67.2 ฿2,270

-36.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.65 ₱361

$10.73 ฿362

-47.34%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ₱415

$7.50 ฿253

-13.33%

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

$599 ₱38.3K

$476 ฿16.1K

25.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,818 ₱563.4K

$11.3K ฿380.4K

-21.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 ₱3,621

$62.4 ฿2,106

-9.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.40 ₱1,751

$28.41 ฿959

-3.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 ₱4,878

$94.3 ฿3,184

-19.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.5 ₱3,546

$85.8 ฿2,898

-35.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 ₱33.6K

$716 ฿24.2K

-26.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 ₱19.0K

$491 ฿16.6K

-39.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,887 ₱120.5K

$1,927 ฿65.1K

-2.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$816 ₱52.1K

$1,431 ฿48.3K

-42.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,968 ₱253.5K

$4,175 ฿141.0K

-4.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,366 ₱151.2K

$3,045 ฿102.8K

-22.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$466 ₱29.8K

$502 ฿17.0K

-7.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

5.57

33.39%

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

Last update for Manila: October 24, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Manila

$297 31.4%

Phuket

$491 38.4% 65.4% $194

Groceries & Markets

Manila

$216 22.9%

Phuket

$266 20.8% 23.1% $50

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manila

$159 16.8%

Phuket

$124 9.7% 21.7% $34

Eating Out

Manila

$104 11%

Phuket

$122 9.5% 17% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Manila

$97 10.3%

Phuket

$122 9.5% 25.5% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Manila

$56 5.9%

Phuket

$82 6.4% 48% $27

Getting Around

Manila

$16 1.7%

Phuket

$71 5.5% 335% $54

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $526 in Manila versus $716 in Phuket. 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 8% higher in Phuket, 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 $26 in Manila versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $216 vs $266 – making Manila the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Manila

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

06:04 6:04 AM

05:04 5:04 AM

1 h behind Manila

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,780,148 Capital

79,308

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 63.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.13 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Manila Phuket 2,570 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Manila
Phuket

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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $945 in Manila, $1,278 in Phuket – Manila comes out roughly 26% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,418 per month in Manila and $1,917 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Manila, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $526 there versus $716 in Phuket.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $945 in Manila and $1,278 in Phuket. That makes Manila about 26% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 77% less in Manila. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Manila, where all-in costs run around $945, than in Phuket at $1,278. In Manila it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Manila costs $945 versus $1,278 in Phuket. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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