Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Muntinlupa and Manila

For one person, living is cheaper in Muntinlupa: $742 a month against $948 in Manila, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

36

Cost of Living Index in Muntinlupa
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Muntinlupa Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Manila
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Manila Living Index

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Muntinlupa

🇵🇭 Philippines

$742

/mo nomad

Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$948

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Muntinlupa and in Manila

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Muntinlupa and in Manila actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $742 per month in Muntinlupa vs $948 in Manila, rent included.

Muntinlupa $742
Manila $948

A couple spends around $1,173 per month in Muntinlupa vs $1,508 in Manila, rent included.

Muntinlupa $1,173
Manila $1,508

A family of three spends $1,604 per month in Muntinlupa vs $2,068 in Manila, rent included.

Muntinlupa $1,604
Manila $2,068

Muntinlupa is about 22% cheaper than Manila, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Muntinlupa and Manila are more affordable than the global median – Muntinlupa 45% lower, Manila 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.94 ₱248

$5.46 ₱344

-27.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.36 ₱1,722

$26.93 ₱1,695

1.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.81 ₱177

$3.90 ₱246

-27.95%

Cappuccino

$2.36 ₱149

$2.62 ₱165

-9.92%

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

$0.95 ₱59.7

$1.36 ₱85.5

-30.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ₱27.42

$0.83 ₱52.3

-46.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ₱72.7

$1.22 ₱76.9

-4.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 ₱112

$2.32 ₱146

-23.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ₱103

$1.96 ₱123

-16.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ₱76.6

$1.42 ₱89.1

-14.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.3

$1.04 ₱65.4

-1.92%

Eggs

$2.07 ₱130

$2.23 ₱140

-7.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.00 ₱315

$7.70 ₱485

-35.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 ₱238

$4.91 ₱309

-23.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.93 ₱436

$7.12 ₱448

-2.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 ₱149

$3.23 ₱204

-26.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 ₱96.4

$1.92 ₱121

-20.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 ₱162

$2.93 ₱184

-11.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 ₱77.6

$1.79 ₱113

-31.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 ₱112

$2.32 ₱146

-22.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 ₱122

$2.73 ₱172

-29.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ₱61.8

$2.12 ₱133

-53.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱35.06

$0.59 ₱37.25

-5.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 ₱183

$3.18 ₱200

-8.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.68 ₱547

$9.81 ₱618

-11.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₱80.9

$1.34 ₱84.1

-4.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ₱132

$2.00 ₱126

4.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱16.62

$0.47 ₱29.47

-44.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.39 ₱780

$12.56 ₱791

-1.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.66

$0.73 ₱46.07

1.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.51

$0.21 ₱13.20

9.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 ₱122

$1.87 ₱118

3.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₱76.6

$1.28 ₱80.6

-4.69%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$21.4K ₱1.3M

-1.46%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

0.47%

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

$123 ₱7,728

$124 ₱7,822

-1.20%

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

$16.06 ₱1,011

$15.73 ₱990

2.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.97 ₱1,509

$24.40 ₱1,536

-1.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.71 ₱2,059

$43.31 ₱2,727

-24.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.82 ₱304

$5.79 ₱365

-16.75%

Cinema Ticket

$5.17 ₱325

$6.76 ₱425

-23.52%

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

$135 ₱8,503

$630 ₱39.7K

-78.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,993 ₱566.2K

$9,004 ₱566.9K

-0.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.60 ₱2,052

$58.3 ₱3,668

-44.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.70 ₱1,240

$27.34 ₱1,721

-27.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 ₱4,889

$75.6 ₱4,758

2.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.6 ₱3,688

$56.6 ₱3,564

3.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 ₱17.0K

$536 ₱33.8K

-49.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 ₱10.8K

$284 ₱17.9K

-39.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$517 ₱32.5K

$1,874 ₱118.0K

-72.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 ₱24.8K

$654 ₱41.2K

-39.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,401 ₱151.1K

$4,438 ₱279.4K

-45.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$994 ₱62.6K

$2,530 ₱159.3K

-60.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ₱37.9K

$467 ₱29.4K

29.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

7.43

-9.15%

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

Last update for Muntinlupa: October 10, 2026

Last update for Manila: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Muntinlupa

$181 24.4%

Manila

$222 23.5% 23% $42

Accommodation & Living

Muntinlupa

$172 23.2%

Manila

$284 29.9% 65.1% $112

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Muntinlupa

$163 21.9%

Manila

$164 17.3% 1% $1.6

Clothing & Footwear

Muntinlupa

$85 11.4%

Manila

$98 10.3% 15.5% $13

Eating Out

Muntinlupa

$83 11.2%

Manila

$106 11.2% 27.8% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Muntinlupa

$43 5.8%

Manila

$57 6% 32% $14

Getting Around

Muntinlupa

$15 2.1%

Manila

$16 1.7% 5.7% $0.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $270 in Muntinlupa versus $536 in Manila. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 29% higher in Muntinlupa, 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 $27.00 in Muntinlupa versus $27.00 in Manila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $181 vs $222 – making Muntinlupa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Muntinlupa

🇵🇭 Manila

🕒 Local time

07:25 7:25 AM

Same time as Muntinlupa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

543,445

1,780,148 Capital

💱 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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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Muntinlupa vs Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $742 in Muntinlupa, $948 in Manila – roughly 28% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,113 per month in Muntinlupa and $1,422 in Manila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Muntinlupa, 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 $742 in Muntinlupa and $948 in Manila. That's a gap of about 28%.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Muntinlupa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Muntinlupa, where all-in costs run around $742, than in Manila at $948. In Muntinlupa 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 $742 in Muntinlupa 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 Muntinlupa. 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.