Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Porto Alegre Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Porto Alegre

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $959 per month in Manila vs $988 in Porto Alegre, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,506 per month in Manila vs $1,515 in Porto Alegre, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,052 per month in Manila vs $2,042 in Porto Alegre, rent included.

Manila is about 3% cheaper than Porto Alegre, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Manila and Porto Alegre are more affordable than the global median – Manila 30% lower, Porto Alegre 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.43 ₱341

$7.72 R$39.78

-29.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.54 ₱1,664

$39.29 R$202

-32.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ₱246

$6.69 R$34.46

-41.41%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱158

$2.66 R$13.73

-5.64%

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

$1.39 ₱87.0

$1.36 R$7.00

2.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₱52.3

$1.03 R$5.33

-19.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ₱73.0

$2.39 R$12.30

-51.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ₱172

$2.85 R$14.70

-3.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₱118

$0.96 R$4.93

96.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ₱87.8

$1.59 R$8.21

-11.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ₱62.0

$1.08 R$5.55

-8.33%

Eggs

$2.31 ₱145

$2.43 R$12.53

-4.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.81 ₱490

$10.12 R$52.2

-22.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 ₱309

$4.66 R$23.99

5.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.11 ₱446

$9.63 R$49.63

-26.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ₱203

$2.32 R$11.95

39.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 ₱119

$1.43 R$7.36

32.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 ₱189

$1.41 R$7.29

113.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 ₱114

$1.58 R$8.14

15.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 ₱139

$1.21 R$6.26

83.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 ₱165

$1.09 R$5.63

140.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 ₱136

$0.84 R$4.31

158.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₱37.12

$0.81 R$4.16

-27.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ₱199

$2.46 R$12.66

29.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.52 ₱597

$7.67 R$39.53

24.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₱80.5

$1.13 R$5.81

13.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₱127

$2.11 R$10.85

-4.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ₱29.25

$1.01 R$5.18

-53.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.85 ₱806

$57.2 R$295

-77.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.26

$1.28 R$6.58

-39.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.44

$0.85 R$4.38

-72.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 ₱123

$7.83 R$40.35

-74.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ₱79.5

$1.31 R$6.76

-3.05%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$23.6K R$121.5K

-8.93%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$33.0K R$169.9K

-40.39%

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

$122 ₱7,639

$72.7 R$375

67.52%

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

$15.16 ₱951

$12.30 R$63.4

23.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.00 ₱1,505

$21.80 R$112

10.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.61 ₱2,673

$29.71 R$153

43.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.69 ₱357

$30.52 R$157

-81.36%

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 ₱432

$7.07 R$36.42

-2.69%

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

$618 ₱38.8K

$549 R$2,826

12.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,864 ₱555.9K

$25.6K R$131.8K

-65.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 ₱3,658

$49.36 R$254

18.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.91 ₱1,751

$57.4 R$296

-51.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 ₱4,881

$100 R$517

-22.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.5 ₱3,667

$76.1 R$392

-23.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$545 ₱34.2K

$472 R$2,430

15.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 ₱17.9K

$282 R$1,452

1.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,928 ₱120.9K

$803 R$4,137

140.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 ₱42.2K

$449 R$2,311

50.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,397 ₱275.8K

$1,675 R$8,631

162.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,528 ₱158.5K

$1,244 R$6,408

103.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$477 ₱29.9K

$530 R$2,731

-10.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

11.5

-35.39%

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

Last update for Manila: September 12, 2026

Last update for Porto Alegre: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $545 in Manila versus $472 in Porto Alegre. 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 11% higher in Porto Alegre, 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 $39.00 in Porto Alegre. Groceries tell a different story – $221 in Manila vs $200 in Porto Alegre – so Porto Alegre wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Porto Alegre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $959 in Manila, $988 in Porto Alegre – roughly 3% apart. Porto Alegre costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,439 per month in Manila and $1,482 in Porto Alegre. 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. 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 $988 in Porto Alegre. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 345% less in Manila. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Manila, where all-in costs run around $959, than in Porto Alegre at $988. In Manila it covers expenses comfortably, while in Porto Alegre 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 $959 in Manila to $988 in Porto Alegre. 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 Manila. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Porto Alegre makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.