Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Surigao

For one person, living is cheaper in Surigao: $733 a month against $922 in Manila, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 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
35

Cost of Living Index in Surigao
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Surigao Living Index

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Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$922

/mo nomad

Surigao

🇵🇭 Philippines

$733

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manila and in Surigao

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

A single person spends $922 per month in Manila vs $733 in Surigao, rent included.

Manila $922
Surigao $733

A couple spends around $1,531 per month in Manila vs $1,113 in Surigao, rent included.

Manila $1,531
Surigao $1,113

A family of three spends $2,140 per month in Manila vs $1,492 in Surigao, rent included.

Manila $2,140
Surigao $1,492

Manila costs about 26% more than Surigao, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Manila and Surigao are more affordable than the global median – Manila 32% lower, Surigao 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ₱295

$3.95 ₱251

17.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.32 ₱1,670

$16.72 ₱1,061

57.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.02 ₱255

$2.82 ₱179

42.55%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱159

$2.13 ₱135

17.84%

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

$1.37 ₱87.0

$0.67 ₱42.80

104.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 ₱56.4

$0.31 ₱19.58

187.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 ₱75.9

$1.16 ₱73.4

3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱149

$2.01 ₱128

16.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ₱119

$1.60 ₱101

16.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ₱89.4

$1.14 ₱72.3

23.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.5

$0.97 ₱61.3

5.15%

Eggs

$2.19 ₱139

$1.85 ₱118

18.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.47 ₱474

$5.62 ₱357

32.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 ₱308

$4.15 ₱263

17.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.98 ₱443

$6.87 ₱436

1.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ₱208

$2.42 ₱153

35.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₱115

$1.58 ₱100.0

14.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 ₱184

$2.32 ₱147

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 ₱121

$1.13 ₱71.6

69.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 ₱146

$2.12 ₱134

8.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 ₱171

$2.26 ₱143

19.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 ₱138

$1.09 ₱69.4

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₱36.39

$0.57 ₱36.45

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 ₱195

$2.95 ₱187

4.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.34 ₱593

$7.34 ₱466

27.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₱80.8

$0.91 ₱57.6

39.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₱130

$1.92 ₱122

6.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 ₱20.96

$0.22 ₱13.93

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.80 ₱812

$12.28 ₱779

4.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱49.18

$0.76 ₱48.01

2.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 ₱12.67

$0.22 ₱13.98

-9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₱118

$1.90 ₱120

-2.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱83.1

$1.22 ₱77.5

7.38%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$21.3K ₱1.3M

-2.39%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

0.99%

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

$109 ₱6,931

$120 ₱7,601

-8.81%

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

$15.71 ₱997

$15.80 ₱1,002

-0.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.58 ₱1,560

$34.90 ₱2,214

-29.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.75 ₱2,649

$31.82 ₱2,019

31.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.84 ₱371

$5.07 ₱322

15.19%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ₱407

$5.06 ₱321

26.88%

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

$606 ₱38.4K

$128 ₱8,111

374.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,674 ₱486.9K

$7,715 ₱489.5K

-0.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ₱3,543

$32.90 ₱2,087

69.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.57 ₱1,813

$19.32 ₱1,226

47.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 ₱4,372

$71.4 ₱4,532

-3.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 ₱3,698

$53.7 ₱3,406

8.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$533 ₱33.8K

$250 ₱15.9K

113.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ₱18.3K

$168 ₱10.6K

72.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,916 ₱121.6K

$485 ₱30.8K

294.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₱49.5K

$348 ₱22.1K

124.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,078 ₱258.7K

$2,651 ₱168.2K

53.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,432 ₱154.3K

$1,124 ₱71.3K

116.47%

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 Surigao: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Manila

$289 31.4%

Surigao

$168 22.9% 42% $121

Groceries & Markets

Manila

$219 23.7%

Surigao

$179 24.4% 18.3% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manila

$150 16.2%

Surigao

$171 23.3% 14% $21

Eating Out

Manila

$99 10.8%

Surigao

$79 10.8% 19.9% $20

Clothing & Footwear

Manila

$95 10.3%

Surigao

$80 10.9% 16.2% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Manila

$55 5.9%

Surigao

$42 5.7% 23.2% $13

Getting Around

Manila

$16 1.7%

Surigao

$15 2.1% 5.5% $0.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $533 in Manila versus $250 in Surigao. 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 Surigao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $219 vs $179 – making Surigao the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Manila

🇵🇭 Surigao

🕒 Local time

12:03 12:03 PM

Same time as Manila

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,780,148 Capital

171,107

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.58 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.58 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Manila Surigao 720 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Manila
Surigao

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 Surigao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $922 in Manila, $733 in Surigao – Surigao comes out roughly 21% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,383 per month in Manila and $1,100 in Surigao. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Surigao, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $250 there versus $533 in Manila.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $922 in Manila and $733 in Surigao. That makes Surigao about 21% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 4% less in Surigao. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Families tend to lean toward Surigao – 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.

For expats, Surigao is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 21% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.