Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Sorsogon City

For one person, living is cheaper in Sorsogon City: $735 a month against $948 in Manila, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

46

Cost of Living Index in Manila
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Manila Living Index
36

Cost of Living Index in Sorsogon City
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Sorsogon City Living Index

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Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$948

/mo nomad

Sorsogon City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$735

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manila and in Sorsogon City

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 Sorsogon City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $948 per month in Manila vs $735 in Sorsogon City, rent included.

Manila $948
Sorsogon City $735

A couple spends around $1,508 per month in Manila vs $1,140 in Sorsogon City, rent included.

Manila $1,508
Sorsogon City $1,140

A family of three spends $2,068 per month in Manila vs $1,545 in Sorsogon City, rent included.

Manila $2,068
Sorsogon City $1,545

Manila costs about 29% more than Sorsogon City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Manila and Sorsogon City are more affordable than the global median – Manila 30% lower, Sorsogon City 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.46 ₱344

$3.93 ₱247

38.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.93 ₱1,695

$16.79 ₱1,057

60.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.90 ₱246

$2.72 ₱171

43.38%

Cappuccino

$2.62 ₱165

$2.28 ₱143

14.91%

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

$1.36 ₱85.5

$0.66 ₱41.37

106.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₱52.3

$0.33 ₱21.07

151.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ₱76.9

$1.21 ₱75.9

0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱146

$1.99 ₱125

16.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ₱123

$1.67 ₱105

17.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ₱89.1

$1.09 ₱68.8

30.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 ₱65.4

$0.95 ₱60.0

9.47%

Eggs

$2.23 ₱140

$1.87 ₱118

19.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 ₱485

$5.12 ₱323

50.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.91 ₱309

$4.07 ₱257

20.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.12 ₱448

$7.24 ₱456

-1.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ₱204

$2.54 ₱160

27.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱121

$1.79 ₱113

7.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 ₱184

$2.48 ₱156

18.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 ₱113

$1.13 ₱71.4

58.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 ₱146

$2.26 ₱143

2.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 ₱172

$2.15 ₱135

26.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 ₱133

$0.91 ₱57.5

132.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₱37.25

$0.54 ₱34.05

9.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ₱200

$3.24 ₱204

-1.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.81 ₱618

$7.42 ₱467

32.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 ₱84.1

$0.99 ₱62.1

35.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 ₱126

$1.95 ₱123

2.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ₱29.47

$0.25 ₱15.48

88.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.56 ₱791

$9.63 ₱606

30.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 ₱46.07

$0.84 ₱52.8

-13.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.20

$0.19 ₱11.96

10.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₱118

$2.17 ₱137

-13.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ₱80.6

$1.04 ₱65.6

23.08%

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

$21.4K ₱1.3M

$20.0K ₱1.3M

6.58%

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

$19.3K ₱1.2M

$19.8K ₱1.2M

-2.37%

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

$124 ₱7,822

$138 ₱8,683

-9.91%

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

$15.73 ₱990

$14.19 ₱894

10.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 ₱1,536

$24.78 ₱1,560

-1.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.31 ₱2,727

$32.25 ₱2,031

34.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 ₱365

$5.13 ₱323

12.87%

Cinema Ticket

$6.76 ₱425

$5.86 ₱369

15.36%

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

$630 ₱39.7K

$128 ₱8,088

390.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,004 ₱566.9K

$7,096 ₱446.8K

26.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 ₱3,668

$30.34 ₱1,910

92.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.34 ₱1,721

$20.27 ₱1,277

34.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 ₱4,758

$72.7 ₱4,576

3.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.6 ₱3,564

$60.9 ₱3,837

-7.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$536 ₱33.8K

$228 ₱14.4K

135.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 ₱17.9K

$157 ₱9,913

80.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,874 ₱118.0K

$526 ₱33.1K

256.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 ₱41.2K

$382 ₱24.0K

71.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,438 ₱279.4K

$2,397 ₱150.9K

85.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₱159.3K

$1,110 ₱69.9K

127.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$467 ₱29.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

6.79

9.43%

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

Last update for Manila: October 11, 2026

Last update for Sorsogon City: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Manila

$284 29.9%

Sorsogon City

$157 21.4% 44.5% $126

Groceries & Markets

Manila

$222 23.5%

Sorsogon City

$180 24.5% 18.9% $42

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manila

$164 17.3%

Sorsogon City

$177 24.1% 7.6% $13

Eating Out

Manila

$106 11.2%

Sorsogon City

$81 11% 24% $25

Clothing & Footwear

Manila

$98 10.3%

Sorsogon City

$83 11.3% 15.4% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Manila

$57 6%

Sorsogon City

$44 6% 22.6% $13

Getting Around

Manila

$16 1.7%

Sorsogon City

$12 1.7% 23.5% $3.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $536 in Manila versus $228 in Sorsogon City. 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 $27.00 in Manila versus $17.00 in Sorsogon City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $180 – making Sorsogon City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Manila

🇵🇭 Sorsogon City

🕒 Local time

23:52 11:52 PM

Same time as Manila

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,780,148 Capital

168,110

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Manila Sorsogon City 370 km

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Manila
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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 Sorsogon City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $948 in Manila, $735 in Sorsogon City – roughly 29% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,422 per month in Manila and $1,102 in Sorsogon City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sorsogon City, 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 $948 in Manila and $735 in Sorsogon City. That's a gap of about 29%.

Public transport costs about 30% less in Sorsogon City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sorsogon City, where all-in costs run around $735, than in Manila at $948. In Sorsogon City 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 $735 in Sorsogon City to $948 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 Sorsogon City. 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.