Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and San Fernando, La Union

For one person, living is cheaper in San Fernando, La Union: $721 a month against $922 in Manila, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Manila
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Manila Living Index
34

Cost of Living Index in San Fernando, La Union
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San Fernando, La Union Living Index

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Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$922

/mo nomad

San Fernando, La Union

🇵🇭 Philippines

$721

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manila and in San Fernando, La Union

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 San Fernando, La Union actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $922 per month in Manila vs $721 in San Fernando, La Union, rent included.

Manila $922
San Fernando, La Union $721

A couple spends around $1,531 per month in Manila vs $1,102 in San Fernando, La Union, rent included.

Manila $1,531
San Fernando, La Union $1,102

A family of three spends $2,140 per month in Manila vs $1,484 in San Fernando, La Union, rent included.

Manila $2,140
San Fernando, La Union $1,484

Manila costs about 28% more than San Fernando, La Union, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Manila and San Fernando, La Union are more affordable than the global median – Manila 32% lower, San Fernando, La Union 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ₱296

$3.97 ₱253

17.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.32 ₱1,673

$16.71 ₱1,062

57.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.02 ₱256

$2.69 ₱171

49.44%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱159

$2.14 ₱136

17.29%

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

$1.37 ₱87.2

$0.69 ₱43.67

98.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 ₱56.5

$0.33 ₱21.23

169.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 ₱76.1

$1.19 ₱75.4

0.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱149

$2.06 ₱131

13.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ₱119

$1.65 ₱105

13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ₱89.6

$1.09 ₱69.6

29.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.6

$0.89 ₱56.7

14.61%

Eggs

$2.19 ₱139

$1.90 ₱121

15.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.47 ₱475

$5.52 ₱351

35.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 ₱309

$4.09 ₱260

18.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.98 ₱444

$7.11 ₱452

-1.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ₱208

$2.39 ₱152

37.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₱115

$1.57 ₱99.6

15.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 ₱185

$2.33 ₱148

24.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 ₱122

$1.17 ₱74.6

63.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 ₱146

$2.06 ₱131

11.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 ₱171

$2.30 ₱146

16.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 ₱139

$1.08 ₱68.8

101.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₱36.47

$0.53 ₱33.65

7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 ₱195

$2.82 ₱180

8.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.34 ₱594

$7.54 ₱479

23.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₱81.0

$0.99 ₱62.9

28.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₱130

$1.93 ₱122

6.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 ₱21.01

$0.22 ₱13.92

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.80 ₱814

$12.52 ₱796

2.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱49.28

$0.80 ₱51.0

-2.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 ₱12.70

$0.20 ₱12.72

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₱118

$1.91 ₱122

-3.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱83.3

$1.03 ₱65.7

27.18%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

-0.14%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$19.1K ₱1.2M

2.03%

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

$109 ₱6,946

$119 ₱7,589

-8.46%

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

$15.71 ₱999

$15.64 ₱994

0.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.58 ₱1,563

$23.84 ₱1,515

3.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.75 ₱2,655

$31.64 ₱2,012

31.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.84 ₱372

$5.16 ₱328

13.18%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ₱408

$5.22 ₱332

22.99%

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

$606 ₱38.5K

$130 ₱8,240

367.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,674 ₱487.9K

$7,895 ₱501.9K

-2.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ₱3,550

$33.12 ₱2,106

68.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.57 ₱1,817

$19.07 ₱1,213

49.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 ₱4,381

$69.2 ₱4,402

-0.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 ₱3,706

$55.4 ₱3,520

5.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$533 ₱33.9K

$251 ₱16.0K

112.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ₱18.4K

$167 ₱10.6K

73.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,916 ₱121.8K

$490 ₱31.1K

291.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₱49.6K

$350 ₱22.3K

122.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,078 ₱259.3K

$2,657 ₱168.9K

53.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,432 ₱154.6K

$1,125 ₱71.5K

116.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ₱32.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

6.92

7.37%

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

Last update for Manila: November 2, 2026

Last update for San Fernando, La Union: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Manila

$289 31.4%

San Fernando, La Union

$167 23.2% 42.2% $122

Groceries & Markets

Manila

$219 23.7%

San Fernando, La Union

$179 24.8% 18.2% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manila

$150 16.2%

San Fernando, La Union

$159 22% 6.2% $9.3

Eating Out

Manila

$99 10.8%

San Fernando, La Union

$80 11.1% 19.6% $19

Clothing & Footwear

Manila

$95 10.3%

San Fernando, La Union

$80 11% 16.4% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Manila

$55 5.9%

San Fernando, La Union

$42 5.8% 22.9% $12

Getting Around

Manila

$16 1.7%

San Fernando, La Union

$15 2.1% 4.4% $0.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $533 in Manila versus $251 in San Fernando, La Union. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26 in Manila versus $17 in San Fernando, La Union. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $219 vs $179 – making San Fernando, La Union the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Manila

🇵🇭 San Fernando, La Union

🕒 Local time

04:23 4:23 AM

Same time as Manila

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,780,148 Capital

83,003

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.4 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Manila San Fernando, La Union 240 km

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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 San Fernando, La Union: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $922 in Manila, $721 in San Fernando, La Union – San Fernando, La Union comes out roughly 22% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,383 per month in Manila and $1,082 in San Fernando, La Union. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Fernando, La Union, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $251 there versus $533 in Manila.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $922 in Manila and $721 in San Fernando, La Union. That makes San Fernando, La Union about 22% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $606 per month in Manila and $130 in San Fernando, La Union. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Families tend to lean toward San Fernando, La Union – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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