Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between the Philippines and India

Name: India
Address: IN

For one person, living is cheaper in India: $391 a month against $754 in the Philippines, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

36

Cost of Living Index in the Philippines
Learn more

Philippines Living Index
19

Cost of Living Index in India
Learn more

India Living Index

Jump to prices

🇵🇭 Philippines

$754

/mo nomad

🇮🇳 India

$391

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in the Philippines and in India

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in the Philippines and in India actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $754 in the Philippines versus $391 in India.

Philippines $754
India $391

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,157 in the Philippines versus $620 in India.

Philippines $1,157
India $620

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,561 in the Philippines versus $849 in India.

Philippines $1,561
India $849

Internal cost variation is higher in the Philippines: monthly costs span $379 to $1,228, compared to $228–$812 in India. City choice carries more weight in the Philippines.

Living in the Philippines is roughly 93% more expensive than in India on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: the Philippines 44% lower, India 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.08 ₱257

$2.14 ₹203

90.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.97 ₱1,384

$10.52 ₹999

108.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.20 ₱202

$3.58 ₹340

-10.61%

Cappuccino

$2.26 ₱142

$1.67 ₹158

35.33%

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

$0.76 ₱47.88

$0.37 ₹35.48

105.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₱22.80

$0.15 ₹14.18

140.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 ₱81.8

$1.84 ₹175

-29.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₱124

$3.07 ₹292

-35.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ₱110

$0.62 ₹58.8

182.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 ₱74.5

$0.49 ₹46.73

140.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ₱58.3

$0.63 ₹60.1

47.62%

Eggs

$1.88 ₱119

$0.96 ₹90.7

95.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.17 ₱451

$4.71 ₹447

52.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.26 ₱268

$2.92 ₹277

45.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.13 ₱449

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 ₱180

$1.98 ₹188

44.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 ₱90.7

$0.68 ₹64.4

111.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ₱156

$1.02 ₹97.2

143.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ₱96.1

$0.46 ₹43.78

232.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 ₱132

$0.34 ₹32.20

517.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ₱160

$0.41 ₹39.00

517.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ₱87.3

$0.43 ₹40.66

223.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ₱43.47

$0.31 ₹29.73

122.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 ₱180

$4.89 ₹464

-41.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 ₱400

$7.25 ₹688

-12.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ₱71.4

$1.71 ₹162

-33.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ₱113

$2.74 ₹260

-34.31%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.25 ₹499

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.79

$0.27 ₹25.86

3.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.72 ₱801

$8.39 ₹797

51.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱51.6

$1.03 ₹97.8

-20.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.18

$0.25 ₹23.49

-16.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ₱119

$1.60 ₹152

18.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ₱70.4

$1.13 ₹107

-0.88%

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

$21.3K ₱1.3M

$12.6K ₹1.2M

68.47%

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

$19.3K ₱1.2M

$20.1K ₹1.9M

-4.10%

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

$102 ₱6,396

$37.55 ₹3,566

170.55%

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

$13.86 ₱873

$3.47 ₹330

299.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.25 ₱1,716

$7.15 ₹679

281.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.99 ₱1,951

$14.58 ₹1,385

112.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.82 ₱366

$7.21 ₹684

-19.28%

Cinema Ticket

$5.71 ₱360

$3.18 ₹302

79.56%

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

$140 ₱8,838

$56.8 ₹5,391

147.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,835 ₱367.4K

$1,651 ₹156.7K

253.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.87 ₱2,762

$22.55 ₹2,141

94.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.85 ₱1,502

$24.54 ₹2,330

-2.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.5 ₱4,376

$39.69 ₹3,769

75.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.9 ₱3,774

$29.84 ₹2,833

100.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$324 ₱20.4K

$141 ₹13.4K

129.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 ₱11.8K

$89.7 ₹8,515

109.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$678 ₱42.7K

$325 ₹30.9K

108.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 ₱22.4K

$207 ₹19.7K

71.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,039 ₱191.4K

$1,214 ₹115.3K

150.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,403 ₱88.3K

$638 ₹60.6K

119.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$317 ₱19.9K

$434 ₹41.2K

-26.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

8.92

-19.28%

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

Last update for the Philippines: October 11, 2026

Last update for India: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Philippines

$192 25.5%

India

$102 26.2% 46.8% $90

Accommodation & Living

Philippines

$187 24.9%

India

$90 23% 52.2% $98

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Philippines

$143 18.9%

India

$48 12.3% 66.2% $95

Clothing & Footwear

Philippines

$89 11.8%

India

$52 13.4% 40.9% $36

Eating Out

Philippines

$84 11.2%

India

$65 16.7% 22.6% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Philippines

$42 5.6%

India

$21 5.4% 50.6% $21

Getting Around

Philippines

$16 2.1%

India

$12 3% 25.3% $4

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $253 in the Philippines, $119 in India. Capital cities: $536 in Manila vs $267 in Delhi.

National salary averages: $289 in the Philippines, $411 in India. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 113% higher in the Philippines.

Dining out costs 80% more in the Philippines.

Public transport is 29% more expensive in the Philippines.

Salaries are 42% higher in India, and purchasing power comes out stronger in India.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Philippines

🇮🇳 India

🕒 Local time

13:18 1:18 PM

10:48 10:48 AM

2 h 30 min behind the Philippines

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

109,035,343

1,326,093,247

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Indian Rupee INR ₹

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 94.96 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 INR (1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Philippines India 4,760 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Philippines
India

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

Philippines vs India: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $391 per month in India and $754 in the Philippines, there's a 93% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is cheaper in India: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $253 in the Philippines and $119 in India. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.

In India, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in the Philippines it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: India wins on affordability; the Philippines may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.