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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $715 per month in Nanchang vs $664 in Marikina, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,097 per month in Nanchang vs $1,053 in Marikina, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,480 per month in Nanchang vs $1,441 in Marikina, rent included.

Nanchang costs about 8% more than Marikina, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Nanchang and Marikina are more affordable than the global median – Nanchang 47% lower, Marikina 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 ¥19.01

$3.47 ₱213

-19.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.59 ¥105

$28.88 ₱1,778

-46.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.82 ¥32.60

$3.54 ₱218

36.16%

Cappuccino

$2.84 ¥19.21

$2.68 ₱165

5.97%

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

$0.46 ¥3.11

$0.68 ₱42.10

-32.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ¥1.68

$0.44 ₱26.95

-43.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.68

$1.08 ₱66.3

5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥12.46

$2.72 ₱167

-32.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ¥13.01

$2.10 ₱129

-8.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 ¥15.69

$1.43 ₱88.1

62.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 ¥5.29

$1.07 ₱65.8

-27.10%

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.33

$2.27 ₱140

-26.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 ¥69.4

$8.10 ₱499

26.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.18 ¥21.55

$4.56 ₱281

-30.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.12 ¥61.7

$7.57 ₱466

20.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.73

$2.71 ₱167

-30.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ¥6.97

$1.99 ₱123

-48.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 ¥11.61

$2.59 ₱160

-33.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 ¥11.54

$2.19 ₱135

-21.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.72

$3.30 ₱203

-74.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 ¥7.04

$2.94 ₱181

-64.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 ¥3.44

$1.08 ₱66.7

-52.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 ¥2.87

$0.73 ₱44.80

-42.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.83 ¥19.15

$2.70 ₱166

4.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.27 ¥83.0

$8.99 ₱553

36.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥5.60

$1.19 ₱73.3

-30.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 ¥9.62

$2.08 ₱128

-31.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ¥1.70

$0.46 ₱28.06

-45.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.10 ¥95.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 ¥7.32

$0.77 ₱47.31

40.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ¥1.90

$0.13 ₱7.84

115.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.90 ¥46.72

$3.60 ₱221

91.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.91

$1.09 ₱67.1

7.34%

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

$22.9K ¥154.8K

$33.6K ₱2.1M

-31.98%

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

$20.9K ¥141.4K

$17.4K ₱1.1M

19.95%

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

$42.80 ¥290

$110 ₱6,800

-61.25%

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

$10.45 ¥70.7

$13.50 ₱831

-22.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.74 ¥99.8

$26.08 ₱1,605

-43.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.39 ¥267

$41.72 ₱2,568

-5.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.09 ¥95.3

Cinema Ticket

$6.07 ¥41.08

$6.35 ₱391

-4.41%

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

$316 ¥2,141

$322 ₱19.8K

-1.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,520 ¥50.9K

$1,163 ₱71.6K

546.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.30 ¥307

$46.46 ₱2,860

-2.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.45 ¥159

$25.76 ₱1,586

-8.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 ¥541

$58.7 ₱3,613

36.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.1 ¥427

$27.03 ₱1,664

133.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 ¥1,875

$175 ₱10.7K

58.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 ¥1,267

$87.4 ₱5,383

114.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 ¥3,936

$290 ₱17.8K

100.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 ¥2,478

$170 ₱10.5K

115.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,966 ¥13.3K

$1,150 ₱70.8K

70.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,542 ¥10.4K

$485 ₱29.8K

218.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 ¥4,871

$395 ₱24.3K

82.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.89

6.25

-37.76%

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

Last update for Nanchang: July 12, 2026

Last update for Marikina: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $277 in Nanchang versus $175 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 82% higher in Nanchang, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16.00 in Nanchang versus $29.00 in Marikina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $201 vs $222 – making Nanchang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $715 in Nanchang, $664 in Marikina – roughly 8% apart. Nanchang costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,072 per month in Nanchang and $997 in Marikina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Marikina, 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 $715 in Nanchang and $664 in Marikina. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $316 per month in Nanchang and $322 in Marikina. 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 $715 in Nanchang and $664 in Marikina, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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