Cost of Living Comparison Between Philippines and United States Cost of Living Comparison Between Philippines and United States

Name: United States
Address: US

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $759 in Philippines versus $2,643 in United States.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,184 in Philippines versus $3,857 in United States.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,609 in Philippines versus $5,070 in United States.

Living in Philippines costs about 71% less than in United States on average.

Philippines (43% below) and United States (97% above) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in United States: monthly costs span $1,343 to $5,081, compared to $487–$1,232 in Philippines. City choice carries more weight in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 ₱243

$20.04 $20.04

-80.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.33 ₱1,316

$76.0 $76.0

-71.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.57 ₱220

$11.42 $11.42

-68.74%

Cappuccino

$2.30 ₱142

$5.39 $5.39

-57.33%

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

$0.71 ₱43.96

$2.55 $2.55

-72.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 ₱25.28

$2.04 $2.04

-79.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 ₱83.1

$6.14 $6.14

-78.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 ₱128

$7.18 $7.18

-71.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ₱115

$1.04 $1.04

79.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 ₱80.8

$3.65 $3.65

-64.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ₱57.6

$4.73 $4.73

-80.34%

Eggs

$2.12 ₱131

$4.38 $4.38

-51.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.84 ₱483

$12.76 $12.76

-38.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.34 ₱268

$12.42 $12.42

-65.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.61 ₱469

$16.41 $16.41

-53.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 ₱182

$5.42 $5.42

-45.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 ₱92.2

$1.65 $1.65

-9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 ₱168

$4.59 $4.59

-40.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ₱97.2

$4.91 $4.91

-67.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 ₱136

$2.92 $2.92

-24.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 ₱161

$3.13 $3.13

-16.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ₱85.7

$2.26 $2.26

-38.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₱46.31

$2.30 $2.30

-67.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 ₱186

$9.89 $9.89

-69.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.49 ₱400

$15.10 $15.10

-57.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₱70.0

$1.91 $1.91

-40.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ₱115

$3.66 $3.66

-48.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱16.03

$2.48 $2.48

-89.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.84 ₱668

$64.8 $64.8

-83.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱51.2

$3.84 $3.84

-78.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₱16.81

$1.76 $1.76

-84.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 ₱162

$30.58 $30.58

-91.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₱72.5

$0.96 $0.96

22.92%

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

$22.9K ₱1.4M

$30.5K $30.5K

-24.81%

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

$21.7K ₱1.3M

$26.4K $26.4K

-17.67%

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

$109 ₱6,727

$204 $204

-46.57%

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

$28.52 ₱1,758

$57.3 $57.3

-50.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.82 ₱1,839

$71.2 $71.2

-58.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.26 ₱2,051

$46.67 $46.67

-28.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.64 ₱348

$22.12 $22.12

-74.50%

Cinema Ticket

$6.16 ₱380

$13.84 $13.84

-55.49%

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

$106 ₱6,526

$1,384 $1,384

-92.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,378 ₱270.0K

$22.7K $22.7K

-80.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.01 ₱2,776

$53.0 $53.0

-15.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.91 ₱1,536

$43.17 $43.17

-42.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.5 ₱4,473

$90.6 $90.6

-19.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.0 ₱3,883

$114 $114

-44.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$314 ₱19.4K

$1,766 $1,766

-82.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 ₱10.9K

$1,459 $1,459

-87.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 ₱39.9K

$2,832 $2,832

-77.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 ₱22.3K

$2,411 $2,411

-85.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,004 ₱185.2K

$3,287 $3,287

-8.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,405 ₱86.7K

$2,650 $2,650

-46.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$329 ₱20.3K

$4,379 $4,379

-92.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.22

6.51

10.91%

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

Last update for Philippines: May 31, 2026

Last update for United States: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $259 in Philippines, $1,637 in United States. Capital cities: $500 in Manila vs $2,591 in Washington, DC.

National salary averages: $293 in Philippines, $4,500 in United States. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 532% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 284% more in United States.

Public transport is 733% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 1436% higher in United States, giving United States stronger purchasing power.

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 $860 per month in Philippines and $3,212 in United States, there's a 274% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Philippines is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in United States beats Philippines across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Philippines, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In United States, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

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