Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago City and Manila Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago City and Manila

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $660 per month in Santiago City vs $959 in Manila, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,043 per month in Santiago City vs $1,528 in Manila, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,426 per month in Santiago City vs $2,097 in Manila, rent included.

Santiago City is about 31% cheaper than Manila, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Santiago City and Manila are more affordable than the global median – Santiago City 51% lower, Manila 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.46 ₱399

$5.38 ₱332

20.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.04 ₱804

$26.83 ₱1,655

-51.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.57 ₱220

$4.34 ₱267

-17.74%

Cappuccino

$0.93 ₱57.3

$2.75 ₱169

-66.18%

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

$0.77 ₱47.33

$0.96 ₱58.9

-19.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₱20.42

$0.50 ₱30.56

-34.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 ₱66.9

$1.49 ₱92.0

-26.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₱106

$2.61 ₱161

-34.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ₱97.6

$1.89 ₱116

-16.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 ₱78.5

$1.38 ₱85.3

-7.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₱47.71

$1.05 ₱64.7

-26.67%

Eggs

$1.52 ₱93.5

$2.18 ₱135

-30.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.51 ₱155

$9.61 ₱593

-73.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.28 ₱202

$5.19 ₱320

-36.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.60 ₱345

$8.32 ₱513

-32.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ₱164

$3.50 ₱216

-24.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ₱63.9

$1.80 ₱111

-42.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.70 ₱43.00

$3.58 ₱221

-80.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 ₱87.8

$2.49 ₱154

-42.97%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱213

$2.76 ₱170

25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ₱67.4

$3.03 ₱187

-64.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 ₱50.3

$2.01 ₱124

-59.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ₱61.6

$0.64 ₱39.57

56.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 ₱141

$3.32 ₱205

-31.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.79 ₱233

$9.74 ₱601

-61.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ₱66.7

$1.49 ₱92.1

-27.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱106

$2.15 ₱133

-19.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.94

$0.52 ₱31.91

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.00 ₱740

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱51.4

$0.86 ₱53.2

-3.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.14 ₱8.42

$0.25 ₱15.37

-44.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 ₱216

$2.16 ₱133

62.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.3

$1.16 ₱71.8

-6.03%

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

$22.4K ₱1.4M

$26.2K ₱1.6M

-14.49%

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

$17.6K ₱1.1M

$22.7K ₱1.4M

-22.71%

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

$75.2 ₱4,637

$138 ₱8,529

-45.63%

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

$26.73 ₱1,648

$22.24 ₱1,371

20.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.70 ₱1,400

$27.71 ₱1,709

-18.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.61 ₱2,072

$41.41 ₱2,554

-18.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.55 ₱281

$6.89 ₱425

-33.96%

Cinema Ticket

$5.40 ₱333

$6.58 ₱406

-17.93%

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

$88.8 ₱5,472

$357 ₱22.0K

-75.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,353 ₱268.4K

$11.5K ₱707.3K

-62.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.33 ₱2,610

$46.42 ₱2,862

-8.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.73 ₱1,464

$35.12 ₱2,166

-32.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.3 ₱3,287

$82.4 ₱5,081

-35.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.02 ₱2,468

$45.78 ₱2,823

-12.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 ₱16.1K

$500 ₱30.8K

-47.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 ₱11.0K

$265 ₱16.3K

-32.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$597 ₱36.8K

$1,684 ₱103.8K

-64.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ₱24.6K

$636 ₱39.2K

-37.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,351 ₱145.0K

$4,370 ₱269.4K

-46.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$962 ₱59.3K

$2,544 ₱156.9K

-62.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$218 ₱13.5K

$481 ₱29.7K

-54.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

7.52

-11.30%

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

Last update for Santiago City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Manila: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $262 in Santiago City versus $500 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 120% 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 $13.00 in Santiago City versus $27.00 in Manila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $152 vs $242 – making Santiago City 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

Santiago City vs Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $660 in Santiago City, $959 in Manila – roughly 45% apart. Manila costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $989 per month in Santiago City and $1,438 in Manila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santiago City, 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 $660 in Santiago City and $959 in Manila. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $88.8 per month in Santiago City and $357 in Manila. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Santiago City, where all-in costs run around $660, than in Manila at $959. In Santiago City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manila 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 $660 in Santiago City to $959 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 Santiago City. 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.