Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Tagum City

For one person, living is cheaper in Tagum City: $429 a month against $945 in Manila, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Manila
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Manila Living Index

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Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$945

/mo nomad

Tagum City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$429

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manila and in Tagum 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 Tagum City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $945 per month in Manila vs $429 in Tagum City, rent included.

Manila $945
Tagum City $429

A couple spends around $1,572 per month in Manila vs $532 in Tagum City, rent included.

Manila $1,572
Tagum City $532

A family of three spends $2,199 per month in Manila vs $635 in Tagum City, rent included.

Manila $2,199
Tagum City $635

Manila costs about 120% more than Tagum City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Manila and Tagum City are more affordable than the global median – Manila 31% lower, Tagum City 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 ₱339

$5.56 ₱353

-3.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.46 ₱1,680

$12.74 ₱809

107.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.93 ₱250

$5.00 ₱318

-21.40%

Cappuccino

$2.53 ₱161

$2.21 ₱140

14.48%

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

$1.35 ₱85.7

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 ₱51.9

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ₱72.4

$1.90 ₱121

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₱151

$1.37 ₱87.3

73.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱121

$1.65 ₱105

15.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ₱91.5

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₱59.9

Eggs

$2.30 ₱146

$1.85 ₱117

24.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 ₱470

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱293

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.65 ₱422

$7.63 ₱484

-12.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ₱209

$6.22 ₱395

-47.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱114

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 ₱191

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 ₱112

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 ₱141

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 ₱169

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 ₱136

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.91

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.06 ₱195

Wine (Bottle)

$9.57 ₱608

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱82.8

$1.36 ₱86.6

-4.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₱126

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₱25.67

$0.22 ₱13.91

81.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.75 ₱810

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 ₱45.69

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.63

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ₱117

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ₱80.5

$1.31 ₱83.1

-3.05%

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

$20.7K ₱1.3M

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

$18.7K ₱1.2M

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

$120 ₱7,595

$54.2 ₱3,440

120.77%

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

$15.69 ₱996

$7.88 ₱500

99.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.60 ₱1,499

$27.21 ₱1,728

-13.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.57 ₱2,703

$23.49 ₱1,491

81.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.65 ₱359

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ₱413

$3.25 ₱207

100.00%

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

$599 ₱38.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,818 ₱560.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 ₱3,599

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.40 ₱1,740

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 ₱4,848

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.5 ₱3,525

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 ₱33.4K

$158 ₱10.0K

232.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 ₱18.8K

$126 ₱7,971

136.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,887 ₱119.8K

$317 ₱20.1K

495.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$816 ₱51.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,968 ₱252.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,366 ₱150.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$466 ₱29.6K

$203 ₱12.9K

129.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

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

Last update for Manila: October 24, 2026

Last update for Tagum City: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Manila

$297 31.4%

Tagum City

–

Groceries & Markets

Manila

$216 22.9%

Tagum City

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manila

$159 16.8%

Tagum City

–

Eating Out

Manila

$104 11%

Tagum City

–

Clothing & Footwear

Manila

$97 10.3%

Tagum City

–

Sport & Entertainment

Manila

$56 5.9%

Tagum City

–

Getting Around

Manila

$16 1.7%

Tagum City

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $526 in Manila versus $158 in Tagum City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Manila are about 2.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26 in Manila versus $13 in Tagum City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $216 vs $85 – making Tagum City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Manila

🇵🇭 Tagum City

🕒 Local time

22:33 10:33 PM

Same time as Manila

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,780,148 Capital

296,202

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Manila Tagum City 950 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Manila
Tagum City

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 Tagum City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $945 in Manila, $429 in Tagum City – Tagum City comes out roughly 55% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,418 per month in Manila and $643 in Tagum City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tagum City, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $158 there versus $526 in Manila.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26 in Manila and $13 in Tagum City. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $945 in Manila and $429 in Tagum City. That makes Tagum City about 55% cheaper.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $945 in Manila and $429 in Tagum City, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Manila has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $429 in Tagum City to $945 in Manila. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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

If budget matters most, go with Tagum City. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Manila makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.