Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Polomolok and Manila

For one person, living is cheaper in Polomolok: $612 a month against $945 in Manila, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

29

Cost of Living Index in Polomolok
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Polomolok Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Manila
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Manila Living Index

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Polomolok

🇵🇭 Philippines

$612

/mo nomad

Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$945

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Polomolok and in Manila

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

A single person spends $612 per month in Polomolok vs $945 in Manila, rent included.

Polomolok $612
Manila $945

A couple spends around $966 per month in Polomolok vs $1,572 in Manila, rent included.

Polomolok $966
Manila $1,572

A family of three spends $1,321 per month in Polomolok vs $2,199 in Manila, rent included.

Polomolok $1,321
Manila $2,199

Polomolok is about 35% cheaper than Manila, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Polomolok and Manila are more affordable than the global median – Polomolok 55% lower, Manila 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.53 ₱97.6

$5.34 ₱341

-71.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.22 ₱1,036

$26.46 ₱1,691

-38.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.06 ₱131

$3.93 ₱251

-47.58%

Cappuccino

$2.12 ₱135

$2.53 ₱162

-16.21%

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

$0.37 ₱23.73

$1.35 ₱86.2

-72.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₱42.33

$0.82 ₱52.2

-19.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ₱72.5

$1.14 ₱72.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ₱136

$2.38 ₱152

-10.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ₱101

$1.91 ₱122

-17.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₱56.8

$1.44 ₱92.1

-38.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 ₱40.93

$0.94 ₱60.3

-31.91%

Eggs

$1.92 ₱123

$2.30 ₱147

-16.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.35 ₱405

$7.41 ₱473

-14.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.72 ₱174

$4.61 ₱295

-41.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.61 ₱358

$6.65 ₱425

-15.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 ₱161

$3.29 ₱211

-23.40%

Banana (1kg)

$0.57 ₱36.13

$1.80 ₱115

-68.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.42 ₱154

$3.00 ₱192

-19.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 ₱48.46

$1.76 ₱112

-56.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 ₱73.5

$2.22 ₱142

-48.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 ₱178

$2.66 ₱170

4.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 ₱51.5

$2.14 ₱137

-62.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₱42.05

$0.53 ₱34.12

24.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 ₱156

$3.06 ₱196

-19.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.06 ₱451

$9.57 ₱611

-26.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₱58.5

$1.30 ₱83.3

-29.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₱97.2

$1.99 ₱127

-23.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱14.31

$0.40 ₱25.83

-45.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.59 ₱804

$12.75 ₱815

-1.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱52.3

$0.72 ₱45.97

13.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱14.05

$0.23 ₱14.72

-4.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 ₱122

$1.84 ₱117

4.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 ₱54.3

$1.27 ₱81.0

-33.07%

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

$15.4K ₱985.8K

$20.7K ₱1.3M

-25.51%

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

$17.1K ₱1.1M

$18.7K ₱1.2M

-8.33%

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

$50.4 ₱3,219

$120 ₱7,641

-57.87%

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

$18.88 ₱1,207

$15.69 ₱1,003

20.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.19 ₱1,673

$23.60 ₱1,508

10.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.17 ₱1,992

$42.57 ₱2,720

-26.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.26 ₱336

$5.65 ₱361

-6.90%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 ₱251

$6.50 ₱415

-39.54%

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

$106 ₱6,744

$599 ₱38.3K

-82.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,346 ₱86.0K

$8,818 ₱563.4K

-84.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.46 ₱2,074

$56.7 ₱3,621

-42.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.92 ₱1,209

$27.40 ₱1,751

-30.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.7 ₱4,006

$76.4 ₱4,878

-17.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.6 ₱3,936

$55.5 ₱3,546

11.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$254 ₱16.2K

$526 ₱33.6K

-51.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 ₱10.8K

$297 ₱19.0K

-42.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$558 ₱35.7K

$1,887 ₱120.5K

-70.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 ₱22.9K

$816 ₱52.1K

-56.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,598 ₱166.0K

$3,968 ₱253.5K

-34.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,128 ₱72.1K

$2,366 ₱151.2K

-52.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$233 ₱14.9K

$466 ₱29.8K

-49.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

-19.25%

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

Last update for Polomolok: October 24, 2026

Last update for Manila: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Polomolok

$169 27.7%

Manila

$297 31.4% 75.3% $127

Groceries & Markets

Polomolok

$156 25.5%

Manila

$216 22.9% 38.9% $61

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Polomolok

$95 15.6%

Manila

$159 16.8% 66.5% $63

Clothing & Footwear

Polomolok

$79 12.9%

Manila

$97 10.3% 22.9% $18

Eating Out

Polomolok

$58 9.5%

Manila

$104 11% 79.9% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Polomolok

$39 6.4%

Manila

$56 5.9% 42.4% $17

Getting Around

Polomolok

$15 2.5%

Manila

$16 1.7% 5.5% $0.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $254 in Polomolok versus $526 in Manila. 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 100% higher in Manila. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16 in Polomolok versus $26 in Manila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $156 vs $216 – making Polomolok the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Polomolok

🇵🇭 Manila

🕒 Local time

04:27 4:27 AM

Same time as Polomolok

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

172,605

1,780,148 Capital

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Polomolok Manila 1,030 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Polomolok
Manila

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

Polomolok vs Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $612 in Polomolok, $945 in Manila – Polomolok comes out roughly 35% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $918 per month in Polomolok and $1,418 in Manila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Polomolok, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $254 there versus $526 in Manila.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $612 in Polomolok and $945 in Manila. That makes Polomolok about 35% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $106 per month in Polomolok and $599 in Manila. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Polomolok, where all-in costs run around $612, than in Manila at $945. In Polomolok it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manila it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Polomolok – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Polomolok. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Manila makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.