Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pangasinan and Manila

For one person, living is cheaper in Pangasinan: $778 a month against $945 in Manila, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Pangasinan, Philippines
Manila, Philippines
Pangasinan
🇵🇭 Philippines
$778
/mo nomad
Manila
🇵🇭 Philippines
$945
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $778 per month in Pangasinan vs $945 in Manila, rent included.

  • Pangasinan $778
  • Manila $945

A couple spends around $1,151 per month in Pangasinan vs $1,572 in Manila, rent included.

  • Pangasinan $1,151
  • Manila $1,572

A family of three spends $1,523 per month in Pangasinan vs $2,199 in Manila, rent included.

  • Pangasinan $1,523
  • Manila $2,199

Pangasinan is about 18% cheaper than Manila, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Pangasinan and Manila are more affordable than the global median – Pangasinan 43% lower, Manila 31% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pangasinan
Manila
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.19 ₱75.9
$5.34 ₱341
-77.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.19 ₱842
$26.46 ₱1,688
-50.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.96 ₱252
$3.93 ₱251
0.76%
Cappuccino
$2.63 ₱168
$2.53 ₱161
3.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11 ₱70.8
$1.35 ₱86.1
-17.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ₱31.52
$0.82 ₱52.1
-40.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.82 ₱52.2
$1.14 ₱72.7
-28.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 ₱197
$2.38 ₱152
29.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pangasinan
Manila
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 ₱71.3
$1.91 ₱122
-41.36%
White Bread (500g)
$0.75 ₱48.12
$1.44 ₱92.0
-47.92%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.73 ₱46.30
$0.94 ₱60.2
-22.34%
Eggs
$2.44 ₱155
$2.30 ₱147
6.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.12 ₱454
$7.41 ₱473
-3.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.70 ₱300
$4.61 ₱294
1.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.96 ₱444
$6.65 ₱424
4.66%
Apples (1kg)
$2.31 ₱148
$3.29 ₱210
-29.79%
Banana (1kg)
$1.97 ₱126
$1.80 ₱115
9.44%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.19 ₱203
$3.00 ₱191
6.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.28 ₱145
$1.76 ₱112
29.55%
Potato (1kg)
$3.44 ₱220
$2.22 ₱142
54.95%
Onion (1kg)
$3.36 ₱214
$2.66 ₱170
26.32%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.09 ₱69.7
$2.14 ₱136
-49.07%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57 ₱36.06
$0.53 ₱34.08
7.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.55 ₱163
$3.06 ₱196
-16.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.00 ₱510
$9.57 ₱610
-16.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 ₱87.0
$1.30 ₱83.2
4.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 ₱129
$1.99 ₱127
2.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Pangasinan
Manila
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.20 ₱12.94
$0.40 ₱25.80
-50.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$13.34 ₱851
$12.75 ₱814
4.63%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.64 ₱41.03
$0.72 ₱45.91
-11.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.23 ₱14.72
$0.23 ₱14.70
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.92 ₱122
$1.84 ₱117
4.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.94 ₱59.7
$1.27 ₱80.9
-25.98%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K ₱1.3M
$20.7K ₱1.3M
0.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.3K ₱1.2M
$18.7K ₱1.2M
3.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pangasinan
Manila
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$154 ₱9,855
$120 ₱7,631
29.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.59 ₱995
$15.69 ₱1,001
-0.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.21 ₱2,055
$23.60 ₱1,506
36.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pangasinan
Manila
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.13 ₱1,795
$42.57 ₱2,716
-33.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.63 ₱359
$5.65 ₱360
-0.35%
Cinema Ticket
$6.85 ₱437
$6.50 ₱415
5.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pangasinan
Manila
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$128 ₱8,169
$599 ₱38.2K
-78.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,285 ₱464.9K
$8,818 ₱562.7K
-17.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pangasinan
Manila
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$32.75 ₱2,090
$56.7 ₱3,616
-42.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.52 ₱1,246
$27.40 ₱1,748
-28.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.3 ₱5,060
$76.4 ₱4,871
3.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$55.5 ₱3,543
$55.5 ₱3,542
0.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pangasinan
Manila
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$245 ₱15.6K
$526 ₱33.6K
-53.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$165 ₱10.5K
$297 ₱18.9K
-44.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$447 ₱28.5K
$1,887 ₱120.4K
-76.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$328 ₱21.0K
$816 ₱52.1K
-59.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,968 ₱189.4K
$3,968 ₱253.2K
-25.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,164 ₱74.3K
$2,366 ₱151.0K
-50.81%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pangasinan
Manila
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$466 ₱29.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.5
7.43
0.94%

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

Last update for Pangasinan: October 24, 2026

Last update for Manila: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pangasinan
$202
Manila
$159 21.4% $43
Groceries & Markets
Pangasinan
$200
Manila
$216 8.3% $17
Accommodation & Living
Pangasinan
$165
Manila
$297 80.4% $132
Clothing & Footwear
Pangasinan
$84
Manila
$97 15.4% $13
Eating Out
Pangasinan
$70
Manila
$104 49.4% $34
Sport & Entertainment
Pangasinan
$42
Manila
$56 32.8% $14
Getting Around
Pangasinan
$16
Manila
$16 1.9% $0.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $245 in Pangasinan 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $13 in Pangasinan versus $26 in Manila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $216 – making Pangasinan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Pangasinan
🇵🇭 Manila
🕒 Local time
03:23 3:23 AM
03:23 3:23 AM
Same time as Pangasinan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,188,540
1,780,148 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 63.81 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.11 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
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  • Pangasinan Manila 160 km
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  • Pangasinan
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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
Pangasinan vs Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Pangasinan and in Manila compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $778 in Pangasinan, $945 in Manila – Pangasinan comes out roughly 18% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Pangasinan compared to Manila?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,167 per month in Pangasinan and $1,418 in Manila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Pangasinan and Manila?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Pangasinan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $245 there versus $526 in Manila.
Which city is more expensive overall: Pangasinan or Manila?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $778 in Pangasinan and $945 in Manila. That makes Pangasinan about 18% cheaper.
How do commuting costs compare in Pangasinan and in Manila?
Public transport costs about 4% less in Manila. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Where should families live: Pangasinan or Manila?
Families tend to lean toward Pangasinan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Pangasinan vs other spots: cost of living compared

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