Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Naga and Manila

For one person, living is cheaper in Naga: $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.

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Cost of Living Index in Manila
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Manila Living Index

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Naga

🇵🇭 Philippines

$552

/mo nomad

Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$945

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Naga $552
Manila $945

A couple spends around $845 per month in Naga vs $1,572 in Manila, rent included.

Naga $845
Manila $1,572

A family of three spends $1,138 per month in Naga vs $2,199 in Manila, rent included.

Naga $1,138
Manila $2,199

Naga is about 42% cheaper than Manila, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.10 ₱325

$5.34 ₱340

-4.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.37 ₱851

$26.46 ₱1,685

-49.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.77 ₱176

$3.93 ₱251

-29.52%

Cappuccino

$2.74 ₱174

$2.53 ₱161

8.30%

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

$0.67 ₱42.76

$1.35 ₱86.0

-50.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 ₱13.99

$0.82 ₱52.1

-73.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 ₱83.2

$1.14 ₱72.6

14.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 ₱197

$2.38 ₱152

29.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱124

$1.91 ₱121

2.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ₱50.9

$1.44 ₱91.8

-44.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₱49.12

$0.94 ₱60.1

-18.09%

Eggs

$1.68 ₱107

$2.30 ₱147

-26.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 ₱641

$7.41 ₱472

35.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.12 ₱263

$4.61 ₱294

-10.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.84 ₱436

$6.65 ₱423

2.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₱121

$3.29 ₱210

-42.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₱106

$1.80 ₱114

-7.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ₱154

$3.00 ₱191

-19.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 ₱151

$1.76 ₱112

34.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 ₱161

$2.22 ₱141

13.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 ₱141

$2.66 ₱169

-16.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.63 ₱295

$2.14 ₱136

116.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₱38.26

$0.53 ₱34.01

13.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.76 ₱176

$3.06 ₱195

-9.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.77 ₱240

$9.57 ₱609

-60.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 ₱97.3

$1.30 ₱83.0

17.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₱127

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₱25.75

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.75 ₱812

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 ₱36.71

$0.72 ₱45.82

-19.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ₱117

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₱75.8

$1.27 ₱80.8

-6.30%

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)

$97.7 ₱6,223

$120 ₱7,617

-18.30%

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

$23.84 ₱1,518

$15.69 ₱999

51.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.59 ₱1,630

$23.60 ₱1,503

8.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$7.73 ₱492

$42.57 ₱2,711

-81.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.65 ₱360

Cinema Ticket

$4.80 ₱306

$6.50 ₱414

-26.15%

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

$599 ₱38.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,801 ₱496.8K

$8,818 ₱561.6K

-11.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 ₱3,609

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.40 ₱1,745

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 ₱4,863

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.5 ₱3,535

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$158 ₱10.1K

$526 ₱33.5K

-69.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$85.9 ₱5,470

$297 ₱18.9K

-71.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 ₱15.3K

$1,887 ₱120.2K

-87.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 ₱12.4K

$816 ₱52.0K

-76.08%

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)

$138 ₱8,815

$466 ₱29.7K

-70.31%

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 Naga: October 26, 2026

Last update for Manila: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Naga

–

Manila

$297 31.4%

Groceries & Markets

Naga

–

Manila

$216 22.9%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Naga

–

Manila

$159 16.8%

Eating Out

Naga

–

Manila

$104 11%

Clothing & Footwear

Naga

–

Manila

$97 10.3%

Sport & Entertainment

Naga

–

Manila

$56 5.9%

Getting Around

Naga

–

Manila

$16 1.7%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $158 in Naga versus $526 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 in Manila are about 3.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $13 in Naga versus $26 in Manila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $202 vs $216 – making Naga the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Naga

🇵🇭 Manila

🕒 Local time

12:30 12:30 PM

Same time as Naga

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

115,750

1,780,148 Capital

💱 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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Between locations

Naga Manila 260 km

From you

Naga
Manila

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

Naga vs Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $828 per month in Naga and $1,418 in Manila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

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

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

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $552 in Naga and $945 in Manila, 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 $552 in Naga 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 Naga. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Manila makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.