Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Porto Alegre

For one person, living costs are similar in Manila and in Porto Alegre: $945 and $965 a month, rent and utilities included.

Manila, Philippines
Porto Alegre, Brazil
Manila
🇵🇭 Philippines
$945
/mo nomad
Porto Alegre
🇧🇷 Brazil
$965
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manila and in Porto Alegre

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

A single person spends $945 per month in Manila vs $965 in Porto Alegre, rent included.

  • Manila $945
  • Porto Alegre $965

A couple spends around $1,572 per month in Manila vs $1,487 in Porto Alegre, rent included.

  • Manila $1,572
  • Porto Alegre $1,487

A family of three spends $2,199 per month in Manila vs $2,009 in Porto Alegre, rent included.

  • Manila $2,199
  • Porto Alegre $2,009

Manila and Porto Alegre have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Manila and Porto Alegre are more affordable than the global median – Manila 31% lower, Porto Alegre 29% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Manila
Porto Alegre
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.34 ₱341
$7.55 R$41.09
-29.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$26.46 ₱1,686
$37.17 R$202
-28.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.93 ₱251
$6.43 R$35.00
-38.88%
Cappuccino
$2.53 ₱161
$2.42 R$13.16
4.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 ₱86.0
$1.26 R$6.83
7.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 ₱52.1
$1.03 R$5.60
-20.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.14 ₱72.6
$2.28 R$12.42
-50.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 ₱152
$2.73 R$14.83
-12.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Manila
Porto Alegre
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.91 ₱121
$0.96 R$5.24
98.96%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 ₱91.8
$1.57 R$8.51
-8.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.94 ₱60.1
$1.04 R$5.67
-9.62%
Eggs
$2.30 ₱147
$2.35 R$12.81
-2.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.41 ₱472
$9.78 R$53.2
-24.23%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.61 ₱294
$4.57 R$24.87
0.88%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.65 ₱424
$9.43 R$51.3
-29.48%
Apples (1kg)
$3.29 ₱210
$2.29 R$12.47
43.67%
Banana (1kg)
$1.80 ₱114
$1.35 R$7.35
33.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.00 ₱191
$1.32 R$7.20
127.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.76 ₱112
$1.54 R$8.35
14.29%
Potato (1kg)
$2.22 ₱141
$1.13 R$6.17
96.46%
Onion (1kg)
$2.66 ₱169
$1.05 R$5.73
153.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.14 ₱136
$0.86 R$4.70
148.84%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ₱34.03
$0.77 R$4.18
-31.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.06 ₱195
$2.36 R$12.86
29.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.57 ₱610
$7.26 R$39.47
31.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30 ₱83.1
$1.04 R$5.66
25.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 ₱127
$2.03 R$11.07
-1.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Manila
Porto Alegre
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.40 ₱25.76
$0.95 R$5.17
-57.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.75 ₱812
$56.3 R$306
-77.35%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.72 ₱45.85
$1.19 R$6.47
-39.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.23 ₱14.68
$0.79 R$4.31
-70.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.84 ₱117
$7.50 R$40.80
-75.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 ₱80.8
$1.25 R$6.79
1.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K ₱1.3M
$22.1K R$120.3K
-6.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.7K ₱1.2M
$31.7K R$172.2K
-41.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Manila
Porto Alegre
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$120 ₱7,620
$72.6 R$395
64.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.69 ₱1,000
$11.86 R$64.5
32.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.60 ₱1,504
$20.42 R$111
15.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Manila
Porto Alegre
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.57 ₱2,713
$27.19 R$148
56.56%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.65 ₱360
$29.04 R$158
-80.54%
Cinema Ticket
$6.50 ₱414
$6.89 R$37.45
-5.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Manila
Porto Alegre
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$599 ₱38.2K
$516 R$2,806
16.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,818 ₱561.9K
$23.5K R$127.8K
-62.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Manila
Porto Alegre
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.7 ₱3,611
$47.70 R$259
18.81%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.40 ₱1,746
$54.6 R$297
-49.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.4 ₱4,865
$94.6 R$515
-19.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$55.5 ₱3,537
$73.5 R$400
-24.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Manila
Porto Alegre
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$526 ₱33.5K
$425 R$2,311
23.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$297 ₱18.9K
$304 R$1,654
-2.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,887 ₱120.2K
$707 R$3,847
166.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$816 ₱52.0K
$474 R$2,576
72.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,968 ₱252.9K
$1,456 R$7,920
172.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,366 ₱150.8K
$1,127 R$6,129
109.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Manila
Porto Alegre
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$466 ₱29.7K
$521 R$2,833
-10.49%
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: October 24, 2026

Last update for Porto Alegre: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Manila
$297
Porto Alegre
$304 2.5% $7.3
Groceries & Markets
Manila
$216
Porto Alegre
$194 10.4% $22
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Manila
$159
Porto Alegre
$105 34% $54
Eating Out
Manila
$104
Porto Alegre
$135 29.5% $31
Clothing & Footwear
Manila
$97
Porto Alegre
$122 25.2% $25
Sport & Entertainment
Manila
$56
Porto Alegre
$41 26.3% $15
Getting Around
Manila
$16
Porto Alegre
$65 302% $49

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $526 in Manila versus $425 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 12% higher in Porto Alegre. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26 in Manila versus $37 in Porto Alegre. Groceries tell a different story – $216 in Manila vs $194 in Porto Alegre – so Porto Alegre wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Manila
🇧🇷 Porto Alegre
🕒 Local time
17:27 5:27 PM
06:27 6:27 AM
11 h behind Manila
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,780,148 Capital
1,332,833
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 63.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.15 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 5.44 BRL (1 BRL = 0.184 USD). 1 EUR = 6.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.165 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Manila Porto Alegre 18,120 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Manila
  • Porto Alegre

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 Porto Alegre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What salary covers living expenses in Manila compared to Porto Alegre?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,418 per month in Manila and $1,448 in Porto Alegre. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Manila and Porto Alegre?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Porto Alegre, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $425 there versus $526 in Manila.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Porto Alegre – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Manila and Porto Alegre?
Kindergarten costs $599 per month in Manila and $516 in Porto Alegre. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How far does $1,200 go in Manila compared to Porto Alegre?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $945 in Manila and $965 in Porto Alegre, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should digital nomads live: Manila or Porto Alegre?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Manila costs $945 versus $965 in Porto Alegre. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How do I decide between Manila and Porto Alegre?
If budget matters most, go with Manila. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Porto Alegre makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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