Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Valenzuela

For one person, living is cheaper in Valenzuela: $552 a month against $945 in Manila, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

46

Cost of Living Index in Manila
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Manila Living Index
27

Cost of Living Index in Valenzuela
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Valenzuela Living Index

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Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$945

/mo nomad

Valenzuela

🇵🇭 Philippines

$552

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manila and in Valenzuela

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

A single person spends $945 per month in Manila vs $552 in Valenzuela, rent included.

Manila $945
Valenzuela $552

A couple spends around $1,572 per month in Manila vs $1,208 in Valenzuela, rent included.

Manila $1,572
Valenzuela $1,208

A family of three spends $2,199 per month in Manila vs $1,864 in Valenzuela, rent included.

Manila $2,199
Valenzuela $1,864

Manila costs about 71% more than Valenzuela, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Manila and Valenzuela are more affordable than the global median – Manila 31% lower, Valenzuela 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 ₱340

$3.88 ₱247

37.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.46 ₱1,685

$16.61 ₱1,058

59.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.93 ₱251

$2.74 ₱174

43.43%

Cappuccino

$2.53 ₱161

$2.00 ₱128

26.50%

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

$1.35 ₱86.0

$0.56 ₱35.46

141.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 ₱52.1

$0.31 ₱19.44

164.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ₱72.6

$1.24 ₱79.0

-8.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₱152

$1.54 ₱98.2

54.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱121

$1.65 ₱105

15.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ₱91.8

$1.09 ₱69.2

32.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₱60.1

$0.99 ₱63.3

-5.05%

Eggs

$2.30 ₱147

$2.05 ₱131

12.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 ₱472

$4.97 ₱316

49.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱294

$3.28 ₱209

40.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.65 ₱423

$6.78 ₱432

-1.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ₱210

$2.20 ₱140

49.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱114

$1.58 ₱101

13.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 ₱191

$2.31 ₱147

29.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 ₱112

$1.05 ₱67.1

67.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 ₱141

$1.72 ₱110

29.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 ₱169

$1.70 ₱109

56.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 ₱136

$0.64 ₱40.99

234.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱34.01

$0.48 ₱30.60

10.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.06 ₱195

$2.62 ₱167

16.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.57 ₱609

$7.59 ₱484

26.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱83.0

$0.94 ₱59.7

38.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₱127

$1.94 ₱124

2.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₱25.75

$0.23 ₱14.71

73.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.75 ₱812

$13.23 ₱843

-3.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 ₱45.82

$0.64 ₱40.80

12.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.67

$0.21 ₱13.37

9.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ₱117

$1.89 ₱121

-2.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ₱80.8

$1.19 ₱75.9

6.72%

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

$20.7K ₱1.3M

$21.0K ₱1.3M

-1.39%

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

$18.7K ₱1.2M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

-3.20%

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

$120 ₱7,617

$138 ₱8,776

-13.21%

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

$15.69 ₱999

$15.92 ₱1,014

-1.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.60 ₱1,503

$30.98 ₱1,973

-23.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.57 ₱2,711

$19.07 ₱1,215

123.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.65 ₱360

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ₱414

$6.41 ₱408

1.40%

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

$599 ₱38.1K

$130 ₱8,270

361.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,818 ₱561.6K

$7,357 ₱468.6K

19.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 ₱3,609

$28.67 ₱1,826

97.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.40 ₱1,745

$19.33 ₱1,231

41.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 ₱4,863

$69.3 ₱4,414

10.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.5 ₱3,535

$53.9 ₱3,435

2.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 ₱33.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 ₱18.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,887 ₱120.2K

$997 ₱63.5K

89.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$816 ₱52.0K

$770 ₱49.1K

5.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,968 ₱252.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,366 ₱150.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$466 ₱29.7K

$578 ₱36.8K

-19.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

6.75

10.07%

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

Last update for Manila: October 24, 2026

Last update for Valenzuela: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Manila

$297 31.4%

Valenzuela

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Manila

$216 22.9%

Valenzuela

$167 30.2% 22.9% $49

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manila

$159 16.8%

Valenzuela

$185 33.4% 16.2% $26

Eating Out

Manila

$104 11%

Valenzuela

$76 13.8% 26.9% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Manila

$97 10.3%

Valenzuela

$77 14% 20.7% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Manila

$56 5.9%

Valenzuela

$32 5.8% 42.6% $24

Getting Around

Manila

$16 1.7%

Valenzuela

$16 2.9% 2.4% $0.4

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 24% higher in Valenzuela, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26 in Manila versus $17 in Valenzuela. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $216 vs $167 – making Valenzuela the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Manila

🇵🇭 Valenzuela

🕒 Local time

15:32 3:32 PM

Same time as Manila

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,780,148 Capital

714,978

💱 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

On the map

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Manila Valenzuela 11 km

From you

Manila
Valenzuela

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 Valenzuela: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $945 in Manila, $552 in Valenzuela – Valenzuela comes out roughly 42% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,418 per month in Manila and $829 in Valenzuela. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $945 in Manila and $552 in Valenzuela. That makes Valenzuela about 42% cheaper.

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

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Valenzuela, where all-in costs run around $552, than in Manila at $945. In Valenzuela 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 $552 in Valenzuela 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.