Cost of Living Comparison Between Serra and Paranaque City Cost of Living Comparison Between Serra and Paranaque City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $722 per month in Serra vs $917 in Paranaque City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,102 per month in Serra vs $1,397 in Paranaque City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,482 per month in Serra vs $1,877 in Paranaque City, rent included.

Serra is about 21% cheaper than Paranaque City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Serra and Paranaque City are more affordable than the global median – Serra 46% lower, Paranaque City 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.33 R$22.12

$4.77 ₱294

-9.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.63 R$105

$20.97 ₱1,291

-1.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.27 R$32.04

$2.63 ₱162

138.40%

Cappuccino

$1.69 R$8.64

$1.93 ₱119

-12.44%

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

$0.71 R$3.60

$0.78 ₱48.21

-8.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 R$2.65

$0.37 ₱22.81

40.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.84 R$4.31

$1.22 ₱74.9

-31.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 R$17.00

$2.73 ₱168

21.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 R$4.45

$1.83 ₱113

-52.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 R$7.73

$1.27 ₱77.9

18.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 R$5.11

$1.11 ₱68.2

-9.91%

Eggs

$1.61 R$8.25

$1.96 ₱121

-17.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.37 R$37.65

$5.23 ₱322

40.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.59 R$18.37

$4.13 ₱254

-13.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.41 R$32.76

$7.08 ₱436

-9.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 R$10.84

$4.44 ₱273

-52.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 R$7.08

$1.58 ₱97.4

-12.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 R$6.06

$2.90 ₱178

-58.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 R$7.54

$1.70 ₱104

-12.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.60

$1.74 ₱107

-36.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 R$6.05

$2.09 ₱128

-43.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 R$3.01

$1.04 ₱63.7

-43.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 R$2.70

$0.45 ₱27.60

17.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 R$11.16

$2.44 ₱150

-10.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.36 R$27.42

$7.52 ₱463

-28.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 R$4.65

$1.01 ₱62.0

-9.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 R$6.49

$1.95 ₱120

-34.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 R$4.44

$0.20 ₱12.29

335.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.41 R$217

$10.56 ₱650

301.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R$5.57

$0.82 ₱50.6

32.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 R$4.95

$0.24 ₱14.86

304.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 R$19.74

$2.11 ₱130

82.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 R$5.23

$1.09 ₱67.4

-6.42%

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

$21.0K R$107.3K

$27.0K ₱1.7M

-22.26%

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

$30.2K R$154.6K

$20.7K ₱1.3M

46.18%

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

$103 R$527

$152 ₱9,375

-32.33%

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

$11.77 R$60.2

$14.00 ₱862

-15.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.72 R$90.6

$29.37 ₱1,808

-39.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.96 R$184

$33.66 ₱2,072

6.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.51 R$141

$7.17 ₱441

283.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.57 R$23.33

$7.20 ₱443

-36.53%

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

$168 R$858

$80.4 ₱4,948

108.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,397 R$32.7K

$2,824 ₱173.9K

126.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.07 R$184

$32.45 ₱1,998

11.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.0 R$271

$15.67 ₱965

238.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 R$423

$65.6 ₱4,040

26.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.5 R$350

$92.6 ₱5,701

-25.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$221 R$1,131

$335 ₱20.6K

-33.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 R$695

$285 ₱17.5K

-52.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 R$1,989

$862 ₱53.0K

-54.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 R$1,024

$591 ₱36.4K

-66.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$940 R$4,806

$1,143 ₱70.4K

-17.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$554 R$2,831

$425 ₱26.2K

30.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$531 R$2,715

$501 ₱30.8K

6.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.38

7.25

43.17%

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

Last update for Serra: July 12, 2026

Last update for Paranaque City: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $221 in Serra versus $335 in Paranaque City. 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 6% higher in Serra, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Serra versus $21.00 in Paranaque City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $157 vs $195 – making Serra 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

Serra vs Paranaque City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $722 in Serra, $917 in Paranaque City – roughly 27% apart. Paranaque City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,083 per month in Serra and $1,376 in Paranaque City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 25% more in Paranaque City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Serra and $21.00 in Paranaque City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $722 in Serra and $917 in Paranaque City, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

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