Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Polomolok Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Polomolok

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $957 per month in Manila vs $667 in Polomolok, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,538 per month in Manila vs $1,034 in Polomolok, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,118 per month in Manila vs $1,401 in Polomolok, rent included.

Manila costs about 44% more than Polomolok, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Manila and Polomolok are more affordable than the global median – Manila 28% lower, Polomolok 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.28 ₱325

$1.76 ₱108

200.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.12 ₱1,669

$13.27 ₱817

104.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.55 ₱280

$2.33 ₱144

95.28%

Cappuccino

$2.73 ₱168

$2.15 ₱132

26.98%

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

$0.96 ₱59.2

$0.45 ₱27.79

113.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱30.96

$0.52 ₱32.10

-3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.54 ₱94.7

$1.18 ₱72.7

30.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ₱163

$1.57 ₱96.6

68.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱117

$1.68 ₱104

13.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ₱81.9

$0.93 ₱57.3

43.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱66.1

$0.73 ₱45.16

46.58%

Eggs

$2.08 ₱128

$1.98 ₱122

5.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.28 ₱572

$6.13 ₱377

51.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 ₱321

$3.03 ₱187

71.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.55 ₱526

$6.26 ₱385

36.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 ₱218

$2.81 ₱173

25.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱111

$0.60 ₱36.95

200.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.39 ₱147

49.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 ₱154

$0.88 ₱54.0

184.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 ₱171

$1.34 ₱82.7

107.46%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 ₱194

$3.11 ₱191

1.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 ₱122

$0.92 ₱56.8

115.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₱42.17

$0.56 ₱34.32

21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 ₱204

$2.58 ₱159

28.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 ₱585

$7.47 ₱460

27.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 ₱90.0

$1.10 ₱67.6

32.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$1.49 ₱91.6

41.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ₱29.41

$0.28 ₱17.26

71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.15 ₱748

$13.98 ₱861

-13.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 ₱54.0

$0.93 ₱57.3

-5.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₱16.65

$0.23 ₱14.11

17.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 ₱128

$2.15 ₱132

-3.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₱72.3

$0.96 ₱59.2

21.87%

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

$26.1K ₱1.6M

$17.8K ₱1.1M

46.27%

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

$22.8K ₱1.4M

$19.2K ₱1.2M

18.64%

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

$135 ₱8,337

$58.6 ₱3,609

131.01%

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

$21.56 ₱1,327

$12.59 ₱775

71.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.58 ₱1,698

$28.91 ₱1,780

-4.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ₱2,549

$33.91 ₱2,087

22.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.82 ₱420

$4.45 ₱274

53.26%

Cinema Ticket

$6.92 ₱426

$4.30 ₱265

60.93%

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

$363 ₱22.3K

$118 ₱7,272

207.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ₱713.4K

$1,485 ₱91.4K

680.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 ₱2,900

$45.59 ₱2,807

3.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.39 ₱2,117

$26.46 ₱1,629

29.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.9 ₱5,040

$72.1 ₱4,437

13.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.42 ₱2,919

$68.2 ₱4,198

-30.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 ₱29.9K

$270 ₱16.6K

80.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 ₱16.7K

$178 ₱11.0K

52.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,729 ₱106.5K

$592 ₱36.4K

192.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 ₱39.5K

$402 ₱24.7K

59.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,332 ₱266.7K

$2,379 ₱146.5K

82.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,602 ₱160.2K

$985 ₱60.7K

164.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$467 ₱28.7K

$246 ₱15.2K

89.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.52

25.33%

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

Last update for Manila: July 11, 2026

Last update for Polomolok: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $486 in Manila versus $270 in Polomolok. 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 90% 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 $13.00 in Polomolok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $165 – making Polomolok 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 Polomolok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $957 in Manila, $667 in Polomolok – roughly 44% apart. Manila costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,436 per month in Manila and $1,001 in Polomolok. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Polomolok, 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 $957 in Manila and $667 in Polomolok. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 15% less in Polomolok. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $957 in Manila and $667 in Polomolok, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Manila has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $667 in Polomolok to $957 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 Polomolok. 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.