Cost of Living Comparison Between Paranaque City and Serra Cost of Living Comparison Between Paranaque City and Serra

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $912 per month in Paranaque City vs $726 in Serra, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Paranaque City vs $1,102 in Serra, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,887 per month in Paranaque City vs $1,478 in Serra, rent included.

Paranaque City costs about 26% more than Serra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Paranaque City and Serra are more affordable than the global median – Paranaque City 32% lower, Serra 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.82 ₱297

$4.45 R$22.29

8.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.46 ₱1,323

$20.97 R$105

2.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.61 ₱161

$6.46 R$32.30

-59.60%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ₱117

$1.72 R$8.62

11.05%

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

$0.78 ₱47.97

$0.71 R$3.55

9.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₱21.34

$0.53 R$2.64

-33.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 ₱75.7

$0.82 R$4.11

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ₱169

$3.26 R$16.31

-15.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 ₱109

$0.85 R$4.25

108.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ₱78.0

$1.51 R$7.58

-16.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ₱68.9

$1.01 R$5.06

10.89%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱125

$1.60 R$8.03

26.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.17 ₱319

$7.53 R$37.71

-31.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 ₱269

$3.77 R$18.86

15.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.35 ₱453

$6.31 R$31.57

16.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 ₱279

$2.13 R$10.64

112.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 ₱97.4

$1.38 R$6.88

14.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 ₱184

$1.22 R$6.12

144.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₱102

$1.43 R$7.15

16.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 ₱107

$1.09 R$5.48

58.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 ₱131

$1.20 R$6.02

76.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₱67.0

$0.63 R$3.13

73.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 ₱27.13

$0.53 R$2.64

-16.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 ₱143

$2.19 R$10.97

5.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.10 ₱438

$5.82 R$29.11

21.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ₱57.8

$0.94 R$4.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₱122

$1.21 R$6.07

63.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.57

$0.87 R$4.33

-74.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.62 ₱655

$42.17 R$211

-74.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱50.7

$1.15 R$5.74

-28.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.85

$0.91 R$4.57

-73.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.15 ₱133

$3.73 R$18.64

-42.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.4

$0.99 R$4.94

10.10%

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

$28.0K ₱1.7M

$21.5K R$107.4K

30.41%

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

$20.1K ₱1.2M

$30.3K R$151.6K

-33.77%

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

$155 ₱9,536

$105 R$523

47.85%

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

$14.26 ₱879

$11.48 R$57.4

24.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.47 ₱1,879

$17.50 R$87.6

74.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.76 ₱2,082

$35.78 R$179

-5.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.18 ₱443

$26.58 R$133

-72.99%

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 ₱424

$4.47 R$22.37

53.91%

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

$80.1 ₱4,936

$167 R$836

-52.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,839 ₱175.1K

$6,380 R$31.9K

-55.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.34 ₱1,994

$36.76 R$184

-12.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.22 ₱1,000

$54.0 R$270

-69.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.7 ₱4,115

$80.7 R$404

-17.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 ₱5,681

$70.6 R$353

30.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$336 ₱20.7K

$227 R$1,134

48.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 ₱18.1K

$134 R$672

118.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 ₱52.2K

$402 R$2,010

110.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 ₱36.1K

$196 R$980

198.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,140 ₱70.3K

$963 R$4,821

18.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$422 ₱26.0K

$563 R$2,820

-25.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ₱30.5K

$557 R$2,790

-11.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.25

10.38

-30.15%

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

Last update for Paranaque City: June 1, 2026

Last update for Serra: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $336 in Paranaque City versus $227 in Serra. 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 13% higher in Serra, 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 $21.00 in Paranaque City versus $21.00 in Serra. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Paranaque City vs $159 in Serra – so Serra 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

Paranaque City vs Serra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $912 in Paranaque City, $726 in Serra – roughly 26% apart. Paranaque City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,368 per month in Paranaque City and $1,088 in Serra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Serra, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Paranaque City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Paranaque City and $21.00 in Serra. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $912 in Paranaque City and $726 in Serra, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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