Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panglao and Manila

For one person, living is cheaper in Panglao: $795 a month against $922 in Manila, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

38

Cost of Living Index in Panglao
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Panglao Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Manila
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Manila Living Index

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Panglao

🇵🇭 Philippines

$795

/mo nomad

Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$922

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $795 per month in Panglao vs $922 in Manila, rent included.

Panglao $795
Manila $922

A couple spends around $1,113 per month in Panglao vs $1,531 in Manila, rent included.

Panglao $1,113
Manila $1,531

A family of three spends $1,431 per month in Panglao vs $2,140 in Manila, rent included.

Panglao $1,431
Manila $2,140

Panglao is about 14% cheaper than Manila, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Panglao and Manila are more affordable than the global median – Panglao 41% lower, Manila 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.89 ₱245

$4.66 ₱293

-16.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.45 ₱1,476

$26.32 ₱1,657

-10.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.93 ₱247

$4.02 ₱253

-2.24%

Cappuccino

$2.14 ₱135

$2.51 ₱158

-14.74%

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

$0.69 ₱43.43

$1.37 ₱86.3

-49.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₱29.58

$0.89 ₱55.9

-47.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.54 ₱96.8

$1.20 ₱75.3

28.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ₱116

$2.34 ₱148

-21.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ₱99.4

$1.87 ₱118

-15.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 ₱68.7

$1.41 ₱88.7

-22.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 ₱58.0

$1.02 ₱64.0

-9.80%

Eggs

$1.69 ₱106

$2.19 ₱138

-22.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.73 ₱298

$7.47 ₱470

-36.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱284

$4.86 ₱306

-7.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.65 ₱482

$6.98 ₱440

9.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₱120

$3.28 ₱206

-42.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 ₱82.7

$1.81 ₱114

-27.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ₱122

$2.90 ₱183

-33.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ₱94.0

$1.91 ₱120

-21.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 ₱145

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 ₱119

$2.69 ₱170

-29.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ₱67.3

$2.18 ₱137

-50.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₱28.64

$0.57 ₱36.10

-19.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 ₱182

$3.07 ₱193

-5.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.73 ₱360

$9.34 ₱588

-38.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₱50.1

$1.27 ₱80.2

-37.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₱97.4

$2.05 ₱129

-24.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.78

$0.33 ₱20.80

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.47 ₱785

$12.80 ₱806

-2.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.38

$0.78 ₱48.79

-5.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.88

$0.20 ₱12.57

10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₱117

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 ₱59.2

$1.31 ₱82.5

-28.24%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

1.38%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$19.4K ₱1.2M

-1.61%

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

$58.2 ₱3,665

$109 ₱6,877

-46.70%

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

$6.53 ₱411

$15.71 ₱989

-58.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.87 ₱1,502

$24.58 ₱1,547

-2.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.83 ₱1,311

$41.75 ₱2,628

-50.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.16 ₱325

$5.84 ₱368

-11.64%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 ₱247

$6.42 ₱404

-38.94%

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

$132 ₱8,314

$606 ₱38.1K

-78.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,973 ₱501.9K

$7,674 ₱483.0K

3.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.20 ₱2,027

$55.8 ₱3,515

-42.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.54 ₱1,230

$28.57 ₱1,799

-31.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.0 ₱4,153

$68.9 ₱4,338

-4.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.55 ₱2,930

$58.3 ₱3,669

-20.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$279 ₱17.5K

$533 ₱33.5K

-47.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 ₱21.1K

$289 ₱18.2K

16.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$541 ₱34.0K

$1,916 ₱120.6K

-71.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$396 ₱25.0K

$780 ₱49.1K

-49.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$933 ₱58.7K

$4,078 ₱256.7K

-77.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,091 ₱68.6K

$2,432 ₱153.1K

-55.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ₱31.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

7.43

-3.10%

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

Last update for Panglao: November 2, 2026

Last update for Manila: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Panglao

$336 42.2%

Manila

$289 31.4% 13.9% $47

Groceries & Markets

Panglao

$168 21.2%

Manila

$219 23.7% 29.8% $50

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panglao

$89 11.1%

Manila

$150 16.2% 68.7% $61

Eating Out

Panglao

$85 10.6%

Manila

$99 10.8% 17.1% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Panglao

$74 9.3%

Manila

$95 10.3% 28.8% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Panglao

$29 3.6%

Manila

$55 5.9% 90.3% $26

Getting Around

Panglao

$15 1.9%

Manila

$16 1.7% 4.6% $0.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $279 in Panglao versus $533 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 $23 in Panglao versus $26 in Manila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $168 vs $219 – making Panglao the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Panglao

🇵🇭 Manila

🕒 Local time

03:21 3:21 AM

Same time as Panglao

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

39,839

1,780,148 Capital

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Panglao Manila 630 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Panglao
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

Panglao vs Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $795 in Panglao, $922 in Manila – Panglao comes out roughly 14% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,193 per month in Panglao and $1,383 in Manila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Panglao, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $279 there versus $533 in Manila.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $795 in Panglao and $922 in Manila. That makes Panglao about 14% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Panglao. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

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

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

For expats, Panglao is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 14% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.