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 $800 per month in Paranaque City vs $847 in Serra, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,210 per month in Paranaque City vs $1,267 in Serra, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,619 per month in Paranaque City vs $1,687 in Serra, rent included.

Paranaque City is about 5% cheaper than Serra, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Paranaque City and Serra are more affordable than the global median – Paranaque City 42% lower, Serra 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.34 ₱271

$4.69 R$24.18

-7.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.93 ₱1,056

$22.21 R$114

-23.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.85 ₱178

$7.74 R$39.88

-63.18%

Cappuccino

$2.15 ₱134

$1.88 R$9.71

14.36%

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

$0.70 ₱43.76

$1.28 R$6.61

-45.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₱21.30

$0.55 R$2.84

-38.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.10 ₱68.6

$1.92 R$9.92

-42.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ₱179

$2.86 R$14.76

0.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 ₱105

$1.13 R$5.84

48.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 ₱70.2

$1.79 R$9.24

-37.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱63.4

$1.09 R$5.63

-6.42%

Eggs

$2.08 ₱130

$2.03 R$10.48

2.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.23 ₱326

$10.00 R$51.6

-47.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.09 ₱255

$4.29 R$22.12

-4.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.08 ₱504

$8.09 R$41.68

-0.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.92 ₱245

$2.78 R$14.35

41.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.2

$1.48 R$7.61

4.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 ₱213

$1.73 R$8.89

97.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ₱73.0

$1.49 R$7.70

-21.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 ₱109

$1.14 R$5.89

53.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 ₱118

$1.07 R$5.52

76.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 ₱58.3

$1.21 R$6.26

-23.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱32.97

$1.28 R$6.58

-58.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 ₱176

$2.44 R$12.59

15.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 ₱486

$5.52 R$28.46

41.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ₱60.8

$0.91 R$4.70

6.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 ₱129

$3.21 R$16.52

-35.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₱12.68

$0.89 R$4.59

-77.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.08 ₱691

$46.58 R$240

-76.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.8

$1.27 R$6.53

-36.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.41

$1.09 R$5.62

-78.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₱117

$6.93 R$35.72

-72.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₱71.1

$1.10 R$5.65

3.64%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$22.8K R$117.5K

-4.57%

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

$19.3K ₱1.2M

$32.5K R$167.7K

-40.63%

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

$143 ₱8,898

$152 R$786

-6.47%

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

$14.60 ₱911

$12.22 R$63.0

19.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.48 ₱1,590

$20.46 R$105

24.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.05 ₱2,312

$25.57 R$132

44.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.74 ₱358

$26.17 R$135

-78.07%

Cinema Ticket

$6.63 ₱414

$7.10 R$36.60

-6.62%

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

$74.6 ₱4,653

$175 R$901

-57.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,321 ₱394.4K

$7,433 R$38.3K

-14.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.18 ₱2,258

$52.6 R$271

-31.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.27 ₱1,203

$48.11 R$248

-59.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.3 ₱4,576

$90.2 R$465

-18.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.7 ₱4,726

$71.2 R$367

6.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$224 ₱14.0K

$241 R$1,243

-7.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 ₱11.5K

$145 R$746

27.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$554 ₱34.6K

$431 R$2,219

28.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 ₱22.8K

$211 R$1,089

72.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,128 ₱70.4K

$941 R$4,848

19.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$423 ₱26.4K

$531 R$2,737

-20.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 ₱30.7K

$544 R$2,802

-9.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.12

-37.05%

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

Last update for Paranaque City: August 30, 2026

Last update for Serra: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $224 in Paranaque City versus $241 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 11% higher in Serra, 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 $17.00 in Paranaque City versus $22.00 in Serra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $202 – making Paranaque City 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $800 in Paranaque City, $847 in Serra – roughly 6% apart. Serra costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,201 per month in Paranaque City and $1,270 in Serra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 5% more in Serra, 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 $17.00 in Paranaque City and $22.00 in Serra. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $800 in Paranaque City and $847 in Serra, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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