Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between the Philippines and the United States

Name: United States
Address: US

For one person, living is cheaper in the Philippines: $748 a month against $2,727 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $23,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

36

Cost of Living Index in the Philippines
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Philippines Living Index
132

Cost of Living Index in the United States
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United States Living Index

Jump to prices

🇵🇭 Philippines

$748

/mo nomad

🇺🇸 United States

$2,727

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in the Philippines and in the United States

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 the United States actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $748 in the Philippines versus $2,727 in the United States.

Philippines $748
United States $2,727

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,154 in the Philippines versus $4,009 in the United States.

Philippines $1,154
United States $4,009

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,561 in the Philippines versus $5,291 in the United States.

Philippines $1,561
United States $5,291

Internal cost variation is higher in the United States: monthly costs span $977 to $5,215, compared to $434–$1,228 in the Philippines. City choice carries more weight in the United States.

Living in the Philippines costs about 73% less than in the United States on average.

The Philippines (45% below) and the United States (101% above) straddle the global median.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.08 ₱257

$19.73 $19.73

-79.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.93 ₱1,381

$81.0 $81.0

-72.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.19 ₱201

$11.98 $11.98

-73.37%

Cappuccino

$2.20 ₱138

$5.59 $5.59

-60.64%

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

$0.74 ₱46.86

$2.78 $2.78

-73.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₱24.84

$2.10 $2.10

-81.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.25 ₱78.9

$5.98 $5.98

-79.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₱122

$7.92 $7.92

-75.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ₱107

$1.03 $1.03

64.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 ₱77.5

$3.75 $3.75

-67.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ₱59.9

$4.46 $4.46

-78.70%

Eggs

$1.95 ₱123

$4.34 $4.34

-55.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.17 ₱451

$12.75 $12.75

-43.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.27 ₱269

$12.27 $12.27

-65.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.03 ₱443

$17.29 $17.29

-59.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 ₱181

$5.31 $5.31

-45.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 ₱86.3

$1.67 $1.67

-17.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 ₱158

$4.32 $4.32

-41.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 ₱92.6

$5.03 $5.03

-70.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 ₱133

$2.81 $2.81

-24.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 ₱155

$3.05 $3.05

-19.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₱85.6

$2.22 $2.22

-38.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₱42.84

$2.35 $2.35

-71.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ₱178

$10.92 $10.92

-74.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.34 ₱399

$14.87 $14.87

-57.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 ₱75.2

$2.10 $2.10

-43.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 ₱113

$3.62 $3.62

-50.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ₱17.09

$2.46 $2.46

-89.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.74 ₱802

$65.7 $65.7

-80.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.23

$3.58 $3.58

-78.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.48

$1.90 $1.90

-87.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₱116

$29.51 $29.51

-93.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱72.2

$1.02 $1.02

12.75%

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

$21.6K ₱1.4M

$28.3K $28.3K

-23.80%

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

$19.6K ₱1.2M

$26.0K $26.0K

-24.65%

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

$99.9 ₱6,287

$221 $221

-54.78%

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

$14.10 ₱887

$61.3 $61.3

-76.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.88 ₱1,693

$73.3 $73.3

-63.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.21 ₱1,965

$44.89 $44.89

-30.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.68 ₱358

$22.65 $22.65

-74.92%

Cinema Ticket

$5.63 ₱354

$15.16 $15.16

-62.86%

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

$140 ₱8,836

$1,471 $1,471

-90.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,757 ₱362.5K

$25.0K $25.0K

-76.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.24 ₱2,722

$53.5 $53.5

-19.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.28 ₱1,529

$43.76 $43.76

-44.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.6 ₱4,258

$92.0 $92.0

-26.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.6 ₱3,751

$114 $114

-47.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$324 ₱20.4K

$1,654 $1,654

-80.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 ₱11.7K

$1,332 $1,332

-86.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₱41.9K

$2,669 $2,669

-75.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 ₱22.9K

$2,207 $2,207

-83.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,077 ₱193.7K

$3,054 $3,054

0.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,379 ₱86.8K

$2,522 $2,522

-45.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$321 ₱20.2K

$4,391 $4,391

-92.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

6.55

9.92%

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

Last update for the Philippines: October 19, 2026

Last update for the United States: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Philippines

$192 25.7%

United States

$413 15.1% 115% $221

Accommodation & Living

Philippines

$186 24.9%

United States

$1.3K 48.9% 616% $1.1K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Philippines

$141 18.8%

United States

$355 13% 152% $215

Clothing & Footwear

Philippines

$88 11.7%

United States

$137 5% 55.9% $49

Eating Out

Philippines

$83 11.1%

United States

$326 12% 292% $243

Sport & Entertainment

Philippines

$42 5.7%

United States

$75 2.8% 77.1% $33

Getting Around

Philippines

$16 2.1%

United States

$89 3.3% 463% $73

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $253 in the Philippines, $1,612 in the United States. Capital cities: $538 in Manila vs $2,743 in Washington, DC.

National salary averages: $288 in the Philippines, $4,548 in the United States. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 537% higher in the United States.

Dining out costs 317% more in the United States.

Public transport is 200% more expensive in the United States.

Salaries are 1479% higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Philippines

🇺🇸 United States

🕒 Local time

20:08 8:08 PM

08:08 8:08 AM

12 h behind the Philippines

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

109,035,343

340,110,988

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Philippines United States 13,700 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Philippines
United States

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 United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $748 per month in the Philippines and $2,727 in the United States, there's a 265% 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 the Philippines: 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 $1,612 in the United States and $253 in the Philippines. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.

In the Philippines, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in the United States 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: the Philippines wins on affordability; the United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.