Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Rosa and Manila Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Rosa and Manila

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $749 per month in Santa Rosa vs $957 in Manila, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,146 per month in Santa Rosa vs $1,538 in Manila, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,543 per month in Santa Rosa vs $2,118 in Manila, rent included.

Santa Rosa is about 22% cheaper than Manila, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Santa Rosa and Manila are more affordable than the global median – Santa Rosa 44% lower, Manila 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.76 ₱170

$5.28 ₱325

-47.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.63 ₱1,332

$27.12 ₱1,669

-20.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.03 ₱187

$4.55 ₱280

-33.41%

Cappuccino

$1.26 ₱77.8

$2.73 ₱168

-53.85%

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

$0.40 ₱24.89

$0.96 ₱59.2

-58.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₱17.39

$0.50 ₱30.96

-44.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 ₱78.2

$1.54 ₱94.7

-17.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 ₱86.6

$2.65 ₱163

-46.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 ₱129

$1.90 ₱117

10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ₱74.5

$1.33 ₱81.9

-9.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ₱69.0

$1.07 ₱66.1

4.67%

Eggs

$1.80 ₱111

$2.08 ₱128

-13.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.93 ₱427

$9.28 ₱572

-25.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.20 ₱258

$5.21 ₱321

-19.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 ₱441

$8.55 ₱526

-16.26%

Apples (1kg)

$4.47 ₱275

$3.54 ₱218

26.27%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 ₱56.7

$1.80 ₱111

-48.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 ₱180

$3.58 ₱221

-18.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ₱101

$2.50 ₱154

-34.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 ₱176

$2.78 ₱171

2.88%

Onion (1kg)

$4.08 ₱251

$3.16 ₱194

29.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 ₱97.8

$1.98 ₱122

-19.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ₱62.4

$0.68 ₱42.17

48.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 ₱197

$3.31 ₱204

-3.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.00 ₱554

$9.50 ₱585

-5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₱95.1

$1.46 ₱90.0

5.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₱122

$2.11 ₱130

-5.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱16.00

$0.48 ₱29.41

-45.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.15 ₱748

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱48.24

$0.88 ₱54.0

-11.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.82

$0.27 ₱16.65

-11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 ₱130

$2.08 ₱128

1.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.1

$1.17 ₱72.3

-6.84%

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

$25.8K ₱1.6M

$26.1K ₱1.6M

-0.90%

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

$20.6K ₱1.3M

$22.8K ₱1.4M

-9.83%

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

$52.5 ₱3,230

$135 ₱8,337

-61.26%

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

$33.43 ₱2,058

$21.56 ₱1,327

55.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.79 ₱1,772

$27.58 ₱1,698

4.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.44 ₱2,059

$41.41 ₱2,549

-19.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.45 ₱274

$6.82 ₱420

-34.75%

Cinema Ticket

$7.17 ₱442

$6.92 ₱426

3.61%

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

$81.2 ₱4,999

$363 ₱22.3K

-77.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,799 ₱172.3K

$11.6K ₱713.4K

-75.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.18 ₱1,981

$47.10 ₱2,900

-31.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.83 ₱1,836

$34.39 ₱2,117

-13.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.6 ₱6,068

$81.9 ₱5,040

20.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.0 ₱5,728

$47.42 ₱2,919

96.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$252 ₱15.5K

$486 ₱29.9K

-48.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 ₱10.7K

$272 ₱16.7K

-35.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱24.4K

$1,729 ₱106.5K

-77.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 ₱17.3K

$641 ₱39.5K

-56.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,551 ₱157.0K

$4,332 ₱266.7K

-41.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$969 ₱59.6K

$2,602 ₱160.2K

-62.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$148 ₱9,096

$467 ₱28.7K

-68.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.13

7.52

8.11%

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

Last update for Santa Rosa: July 13, 2026

Last update for Manila: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $252 in Santa Rosa versus $486 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 216% higher in Manila, 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 $22.00 in Santa Rosa versus $27.00 in Manila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $241 – making Santa Rosa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Rosa vs Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $749 in Santa Rosa, $957 in Manila – roughly 28% apart. Manila costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,124 per month in Santa Rosa and $1,436 in Manila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Rosa, 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 $749 in Santa Rosa and $957 in Manila. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $81.2 per month in Santa Rosa and $363 in Manila. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $749 in Santa Rosa and $957 in Manila, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Manila has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $749 in Santa Rosa to $957 in Manila. 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 Santa Rosa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Manila makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.