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 $903 in Porto Alegre, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,528 per month in Manila vs $1,438 in Porto Alegre, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,097 per month in Manila vs $1,973 in Porto Alegre, rent included.

Manila costs about 6% more than Porto Alegre, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Manila and Porto Alegre are more affordable than the global median – Manila 28% lower, Porto Alegre 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.38 ₱332

$6.22 R$31.13

-13.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.83 ₱1,655

$26.66 R$133

0.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.34 ₱267

$6.20 R$31.01

-30.00%

Cappuccino

$2.75 ₱169

$1.94 R$9.71

41.75%

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

$0.96 ₱58.9

$1.12 R$5.61

-14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱30.56

$0.81 R$4.07

-38.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.49 ₱92.0

$2.19 R$10.97

-31.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 ₱161

$3.65 R$18.28

-28.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₱116

$0.84 R$4.23

125.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 ₱85.3

$1.39 R$6.97

-0.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ₱64.7

$1.09 R$5.48

-3.67%

Eggs

$2.18 ₱135

$2.08 R$10.39

4.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.61 ₱593

$11.02 R$55.2

-12.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.19 ₱320

$4.51 R$22.58

15.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.32 ₱513

$9.63 R$48.20

-13.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 ₱216

$1.99 R$9.96

75.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱111

$1.32 R$6.62

36.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 ₱221

$1.32 R$6.63

171.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 ₱154

$1.44 R$7.20

72.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 ₱170

$1.14 R$5.70

142.11%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 ₱187

$1.06 R$5.32

185.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 ₱124

$0.73 R$3.66

175.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₱39.57

$0.61 R$3.05

4.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 ₱205

$1.95 R$9.77

70.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.74 ₱601

$7.97 R$39.88

22.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₱92.1

$1.02 R$5.09

46.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₱133

$1.86 R$9.29

15.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ₱31.91

$0.89 R$4.47

-41.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.00 ₱740

$65.5 R$328

-81.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 ₱53.2

$1.64 R$8.23

-47.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.37

$1.01 R$5.07

-75.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ₱133

$5.49 R$27.46

-60.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₱71.8

$1.07 R$5.34

8.41%

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

$26.2K ₱1.6M

$24.6K R$123.0K

6.57%

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

$22.7K ₱1.4M

$28.1K R$140.5K

-19.08%

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

$138 ₱8,529

$60.6 R$303

128.29%

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

$22.24 ₱1,371

$14.41 R$72.1

54.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.71 ₱1,709

$19.81 R$99.1

39.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ₱2,554

$26.91 R$135

53.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ₱425

$20.59 R$103

-66.54%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ₱406

$6.12 R$30.62

7.52%

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

$357 ₱22.0K

$312 R$1,563

14.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ₱707.3K

$7,219 R$36.1K

58.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.42 ₱2,862

$48.27 R$242

-3.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.12 ₱2,166

$56.1 R$281

-37.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 ₱5,081

$80.3 R$402

2.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.78 ₱2,823

$63.5 R$318

-27.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₱30.8K

$301 R$1,505

66.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 ₱16.3K

$274 R$1,371

-3.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,684 ₱103.8K

$633 R$3,169

165.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 ₱39.2K

$568 R$2,844

11.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,370 ₱269.4K

$1,665 R$8,330

162.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,544 ₱156.9K

$1,263 R$6,322

101.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$481 ₱29.7K

$543 R$2,717

-11.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.52

-24.80%

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

Last update for Manila: May 30, 2026

Last update for Porto Alegre: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $500 in Manila versus $301 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 13% higher in Porto Alegre, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Manila versus $27.00 in Porto Alegre. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Manila vs $191 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, $903 in Porto Alegre – roughly 6% apart. Manila costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,438 per month in Manila and $1,355 in Porto Alegre. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Porto Alegre, 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 $903 in Porto Alegre. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 446% less in Porto Alegre. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Porto Alegre, where all-in costs run around $903, than in Manila at $959. In Porto Alegre 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 $903 in Porto Alegre 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 Porto Alegre. 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.