Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Ana and Muntinlupa Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Ana and Muntinlupa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Santa Ana versus $737 in Muntinlupa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,654 in Santa Ana versus $1,152 in Muntinlupa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,274 in Santa Ana versus $1,568 in Muntinlupa.

Living in Santa Ana is roughly 40% more expensive than in Muntinlupa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santa Ana 25% lower, Muntinlupa 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.09 $7.09

$4.03 ₱252

75.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.72 $42.72

$25.56 ₱1,598

67.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 $6.80

$2.88 ₱180

136.11%

Cappuccino

$3.49 $3.49

$2.37 ₱148

47.26%

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

$1.16 $1.16

$0.88 ₱54.8

31.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 $0.81

$0.43 ₱26.94

88.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.14 ₱71.6

80.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 $3.60

$1.83 ₱114

96.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.63 ₱102

14.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.23 ₱77.0

126.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 $1.42

$0.98 ₱61.0

44.90%

Eggs

$3.14 $3.14

$2.02 ₱127

55.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.48 $7.48

$5.11 ₱320

46.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.98 $6.98

$3.78 ₱236

84.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.34 $10.34

$7.17 ₱448

44.21%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$2.31 ₱144

119.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.56 ₱97.3

-5.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.50 ₱156

18.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$1.31 ₱81.9

165.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.73 ₱108

65.32%

Onion (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$1.89 ₱118

76.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.82 ₱51.3

24.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 $1.00

$0.58 ₱36.46

72.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 $4.08

$2.93 ₱183

39.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.78 $11.78

$9.03 ₱565

30.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.33 ₱83.0

69.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.04 ₱127

44.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 $0.29

$0.29 ₱18.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.60 ₱600

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.06 $6.06

$0.83 ₱51.7

630.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.97 $2.97

$0.23 ₱14.42

1191.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.05 $20.05

$1.94 ₱121

933.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.16 ₱72.3

-14.66%

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

$22.7K $22.7K

$21.2K ₱1.3M

6.74%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$19.6K ₱1.2M

38.42%

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

$39.90 $39.90

$123 ₱7,720

-67.68%

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

$21.58 $21.58

$15.41 ₱964

40.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.86 $38.86

$24.11 ₱1,508

61.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.76 $34.76

$32.12 ₱2,009

8.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.62 ₱289

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 $5.06

$5.15 ₱322

-1.75%

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

$161 $161

$135 ₱8,425

19.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,720 $4,720

$8,960 ₱560.3K

-47.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.9 $65.9

$32.60 ₱2,039

101.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.63 $47.63

$19.84 ₱1,241

140.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 $120

$77.5 ₱4,843

55.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$58.0 ₱3,629

98.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 $647

$262 ₱16.4K

147.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 $280

$172 ₱10.8K

62.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 $1,012

$502 ₱31.4K

101.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 $454

$402 ₱25.1K

13.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,584 ₱161.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,046 ₱65.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$457 $457

$625 ₱39.1K

-26.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

-25.93%

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

Last update for Santa Ana: August 29, 2026

Last update for Muntinlupa: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $647 in Santa Ana and $262 in Muntinlupa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Muntinlupa pays 37% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $43.00 in Santa Ana vs $26.00 in Muntinlupa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $182 per month, with Muntinlupa cheaper across the board.

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

Santa Ana vs Muntinlupa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Muntinlupa wins on cost – living expenses run 40% lower than in Santa Ana. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Muntinlupa the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 37% lower in Muntinlupa. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $647 in Santa Ana versus $262 in Muntinlupa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 59% higher in Santa Ana. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Santa Ana versus $737 in Muntinlupa – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $737 in Muntinlupa versus $1,034 in Santa Ana, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Muntinlupa but tight or insufficient in Santa Ana. The gap between the two cities makes Muntinlupa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Santa Ana and Muntinlupa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Muntinlupa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Santa Ana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.