Cost of Living Comparison Between Nanchang and Marikina Cost of Living Comparison Between Nanchang and Marikina

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $655 per month in Nanchang vs $716 in Marikina, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,046 per month in Nanchang vs $1,118 in Marikina, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,436 per month in Nanchang vs $1,519 in Marikina, rent included.

Nanchang is about 9% cheaper than Marikina, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Nanchang and Marikina are more affordable than the global median – Nanchang 52% lower, Marikina 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.23 ¥14.99

$3.97 ₱248

-43.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.16 ¥122

$31.71 ₱1,983

-42.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.02 ¥33.71

$3.25 ₱203

54.46%

Cappuccino

$2.61 ¥17.53

$2.30 ₱144

13.48%

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

$0.47 ¥3.16

$0.59 ₱36.91

-20.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.81

$0.35 ₱21.57

-22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ¥9.11

$1.01 ₱63.4

34.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ¥13.06

$2.46 ₱154

-20.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ¥13.04

$1.91 ₱119

1.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 ¥15.51

$1.28 ₱80.1

80.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 ¥5.67

$1.07 ₱66.8

-21.50%

Eggs

$1.72 ¥11.57

$2.00 ₱125

-14.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 ¥85.1

$7.34 ₱459

72.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 ¥27.50

$4.43 ₱277

-7.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.46 ¥76.9

$7.75 ₱485

47.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 ¥13.76

$2.46 ₱154

-16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.13

$2.05 ₱128

-48.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ¥12.66

$2.46 ₱154

-23.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.59

$2.22 ₱139

-15.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ¥5.67

$3.18 ₱199

-73.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.44

$3.50 ₱219

-68.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.34

$1.09 ₱68.1

-40.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 ¥2.91

$0.67 ₱41.62

-35.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ¥19.75

$2.93 ₱183

0.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.59 ¥84.5

$8.87 ₱554

41.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ¥4.85

$0.98 ₱61.0

-26.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 ¥10.10

$2.05 ₱128

-26.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ¥1.61

$0.47 ₱29.08

-48.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.04 ¥101

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ¥8.13

$0.74 ₱46.46

63.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ¥1.93

$0.21 ₱13.12

38.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.53 ¥50.5

$1.90 ₱119

296.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ¥8.49

$1.17 ₱73.0

8.55%

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

$19.1K ¥128.4K

$21.2K ₱1.3M

-9.62%

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

$17.2K ¥115.7K

$19.0K ₱1.2M

-9.49%

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

$34.31 ¥230

$144 ₱8,996

-76.15%

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

$8.89 ¥59.7

$16.39 ₱1,025

-45.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.29 ¥89.2

$27.24 ₱1,703

-51.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.72 ¥287

$37.93 ₱2,372

12.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.70 ¥132

Cinema Ticket

$6.44 ¥43.21

$7.22 ₱452

-10.80%

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

$321 ¥2,151

$134 ₱8,370

139.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K ¥113.5K

$7,510 ₱469.6K

125.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.84 ¥247

$59.9 ₱3,747

-38.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.06 ¥148

$28.07 ₱1,755

-21.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 ¥579

$75.2 ₱4,703

14.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.9 ¥402

$56.1 ₱3,509

6.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$222 ¥1,487

$181 ₱11.3K

22.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 ¥795

$78.6 ₱4,918

50.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ¥3,050

$318 ₱19.9K

43.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 ¥1,673

$166 ₱10.4K

50.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ¥13.6K

$1,171 ₱73.2K

72.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,574 ¥10.6K

$487 ₱30.5K

223.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$746 ¥5,008

$391 ₱24.5K

90.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.46

6.75

-48.74%

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

Last update for Nanchang: September 1, 2026

Last update for Marikina: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $222 in Nanchang versus $181 in Marikina. 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 91% higher in Nanchang, 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 $18.00 in Nanchang versus $32.00 in Marikina. Groceries tell a different story – $224 in Nanchang vs $213 in Marikina – so Marikina 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

Nanchang vs Marikina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $655 in Nanchang, $716 in Marikina – roughly 9% apart. Marikina costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $982 per month in Nanchang and $1,074 in Marikina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nanchang, 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 $655 in Nanchang and $716 in Marikina. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $321 per month in Nanchang and $134 in Marikina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $655 in Nanchang and $716 in Marikina, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Nanchang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Nanchang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Marikina makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.