Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Taytay Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Taytay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $957 per month in Manila vs $853 in Taytay, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,538 per month in Manila vs $1,326 in Taytay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,118 per month in Manila vs $1,800 in Taytay, rent included.

Manila costs about 12% more than Taytay, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Manila and Taytay are more affordable than the global median – Manila 28% lower, Taytay 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.28 ₱325

$5.30 ₱326

-0.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.12 ₱1,669

$21.58 ₱1,328

25.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.55 ₱280

$3.44 ₱212

32.27%

Cappuccino

$2.73 ₱168

$2.61 ₱161

4.60%

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

$0.96 ₱59.2

$0.90 ₱55.6

6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱30.96

$0.54 ₱33.52

-7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.54 ₱94.7

$1.48 ₱90.8

4.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ₱163

$2.69 ₱165

-1.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱117

$1.89 ₱117

0.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ₱81.9

$1.40 ₱86.5

-5.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱66.1

$1.07 ₱66.0

Eggs

$2.08 ₱128

$2.06 ₱127

0.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.28 ₱572

$9.54 ₱587

-2.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 ₱321

$5.31 ₱327

-1.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.55 ₱526

$8.44 ₱519

1.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 ₱218

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱111

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 ₱221

$3.51 ₱216

1.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 ₱154

$2.44 ₱150

2.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 ₱171

$2.80 ₱173

-0.71%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 ₱194

$3.02 ₱186

4.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 ₱122

$1.97 ₱121

0.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₱42.17

$0.69 ₱42.36

-1.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 ₱204

$3.44 ₱212

-3.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 ₱585

$9.03 ₱556

5.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 ₱90.0

$1.50 ₱92.5

-2.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$2.19 ₱135

-3.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ₱29.41

$0.28 ₱17.26

71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.15 ₱748

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 ₱54.0

$0.86 ₱53.1

2.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₱16.65

$0.24 ₱14.79

12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 ₱128

$2.14 ₱132

-2.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₱72.3

$1.13 ₱69.4

3.54%

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

$26.1K ₱1.6M

$26.2K ₱1.6M

-0.67%

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

$22.8K ₱1.4M

$22.3K ₱1.4M

2.27%

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

$135 ₱8,337

$136 ₱8,401

-0.75%

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

$21.56 ₱1,327

$22.26 ₱1,370

-3.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.58 ₱1,698

$26.95 ₱1,659

2.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ₱2,549

$33.36 ₱2,054

24.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.82 ₱420

$4.30 ₱265

58.60%

Cinema Ticket

$6.92 ₱426

$6.56 ₱404

5.49%

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

$363 ₱22.3K

$151 ₱9,306

140.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ₱713.4K

$4,295 ₱264.4K

169.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 ₱2,900

$47.17 ₱2,904

-0.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.39 ₱2,117

$35.09 ₱2,160

-1.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.9 ₱5,040

$82.4 ₱5,072

-0.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.42 ₱2,919

$47.46 ₱2,922

-0.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 ₱29.9K

$265 ₱16.3K

83.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 ₱16.7K

$176 ₱10.8K

54.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,729 ₱106.5K

$582 ₱35.8K

197.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 ₱39.5K

$390 ₱24.0K

64.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,332 ₱266.7K

$2,353 ₱144.9K

84.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,602 ₱160.2K

$1,103 ₱67.9K

136.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$467 ₱28.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.52

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

Last update for Manila: July 11, 2026

Last update for Taytay: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $486 in Manila versus $265 in Taytay. 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 $22.00 in Taytay. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Manila vs $241 in Taytay – so Manila wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Taytay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $957 in Manila, $853 in Taytay – roughly 12% apart. Manila costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,436 per month in Manila and $1,279 in Taytay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Taytay, 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 $957 in Manila and $853 in Taytay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $363 per month in Manila and $151 in Taytay. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $957 in Manila and $853 in Taytay, 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 $853 in Taytay to $957 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 Taytay. 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.