Cost of Living Comparison Between Porto Alegre and Manila Cost of Living Comparison Between Porto Alegre and Manila

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $988 per month in Porto Alegre vs $959 in Manila, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,515 per month in Porto Alegre vs $1,506 in Manila, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,042 per month in Porto Alegre vs $2,052 in Manila, rent included.

Porto Alegre costs about 3% more than Manila, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Porto Alegre and Manila are more affordable than the global median – Porto Alegre 28% lower, Manila 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.72 R$39.78

$5.43 ₱341

42.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.29 R$202

$26.54 ₱1,664

48.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.69 R$34.46

$3.92 ₱246

70.66%

Cappuccino

$2.66 R$13.73

$2.51 ₱158

5.98%

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

$1.36 R$7.00

$1.39 ₱87.0

-2.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 R$5.33

$0.83 ₱52.3

24.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 R$12.30

$1.16 ₱73.0

106.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 R$14.70

$2.74 ₱172

4.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 R$4.93

$1.89 ₱118

-49.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 R$8.21

$1.40 ₱87.8

13.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 R$5.55

$0.99 ₱62.0

9.09%

Eggs

$2.43 R$12.53

$2.31 ₱145

5.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.12 R$52.2

$7.81 ₱490

29.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.66 R$23.99

$4.93 ₱309

-5.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.63 R$49.63

$7.11 ₱446

35.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 R$11.95

$3.23 ₱203

-28.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.36

$1.89 ₱119

-24.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.29

$3.01 ₱189

-53.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 R$8.14

$1.82 ₱114

-13.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.26

$2.22 ₱139

-45.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 R$5.63

$2.62 ₱165

-58.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 R$4.31

$2.17 ₱136

-61.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 R$4.16

$0.59 ₱37.12

37.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 R$12.66

$3.18 ₱199

-22.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 R$39.53

$9.52 ₱597

-19.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 R$5.81

$1.28 ₱80.5

-11.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 R$10.85

$2.02 ₱127

4.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 R$5.18

$0.47 ₱29.25

114.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.2 R$295

$12.85 ₱806

345.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 R$6.58

$0.77 ₱48.26

66.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 R$4.38

$0.23 ₱14.44

269.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 R$40.35

$1.96 ₱123

299.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 R$6.76

$1.27 ₱79.5

3.15%

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

$23.6K R$121.5K

$21.5K ₱1.3M

9.81%

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

$33.0K R$169.9K

$19.7K ₱1.2M

67.75%

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

$72.7 R$375

$122 ₱7,639

-40.31%

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

$12.30 R$63.4

$15.16 ₱951

-18.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.80 R$112

$24.00 ₱1,505

-9.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.71 R$153

$42.61 ₱2,673

-30.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.52 R$157

$5.69 ₱357

436.38%

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 R$36.42

$6.88 ₱432

2.76%

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

$549 R$2,826

$618 ₱38.8K

-11.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K R$131.8K

$8,864 ₱555.9K

188.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.36 R$254

$58.3 ₱3,658

-15.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.4 R$296

$27.91 ₱1,751

105.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 R$517

$77.8 ₱4,881

29.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.1 R$392

$58.5 ₱3,667

30.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$472 R$2,430

$545 ₱34.2K

-13.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 R$1,452

$285 ₱17.9K

-1.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$803 R$4,137

$1,928 ₱120.9K

-58.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 R$2,311

$673 ₱42.2K

-33.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,675 R$8,631

$4,397 ₱275.8K

-61.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,244 R$6,408

$2,528 ₱158.5K

-50.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$530 R$2,731

$477 ₱29.9K

11.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

7.43

54.78%

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

Last update for Porto Alegre: September 15, 2026

Last update for Manila: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $472 in Porto Alegre versus $545 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 11% higher in Porto Alegre, 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 $39.00 in Porto Alegre versus $27.00 in Manila. Groceries tell a different story – $200 in Porto Alegre vs $221 in Manila – so Porto Alegre wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Porto Alegre vs Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $988 in Porto Alegre, $959 in Manila – roughly 3% apart. Porto Alegre costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,482 per month in Porto Alegre and $1,439 in Manila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $988 in Porto Alegre and $959 in Manila. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 345% less in Manila. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Manila, where all-in costs run around $959, than in Porto Alegre at $988. In Manila it covers expenses comfortably, while in Porto Alegre it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Manila has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $959 in Manila to $988 in Porto Alegre. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Manila. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Porto Alegre makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.