Cost of Living Comparison Between Spain and Philippines Cost of Living Comparison Between Spain and Philippines

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,642 in Spain versus $758 in Philippines.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,393 in Spain versus $1,185 in Philippines.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,144 in Spain versus $1,612 in Philippines.

Living in Spain is roughly 117% more expensive than in Philippines on average.

Spain (23% above) and Philippines (43% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in Spain: monthly costs span $1,125 to $3,182, compared to $488$1,188 in Philippines. City choice carries more weight in Spain.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Spain
Philippines
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.46 €14.38
$4.05 ₱249
306.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$58.1 €50.7
$21.34 ₱1,314
172.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.59 €9.25
$3.58 ₱220
195.81%
Cappuccino
$2.30 €2.01
$2.39 ₱147
-3.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.59 €2.26
$0.72 ₱44.39
259.72%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88 €1.65
$0.39 ₱23.96
382.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.41 €2.98
$1.31 ₱80.6
160.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.97 €3.47
$2.09 ₱129
89.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spain
Philippines
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.18 €1.03
$1.79 ₱110
-34.08%
White Bread (500g)
$1.54 €1.34
$1.31 ₱80.7
17.56%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.59 €1.39
$0.96 ₱58.9
65.63%
Eggs
$3.05 €2.67
$2.06 ₱127
48.06%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.38 €12.56
$7.74 ₱477
85.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.46 €7.39
$4.48 ₱276
88.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.94 €13.93
$7.59 ₱467
110.01%
Apples (1kg)
$2.54 €2.22
$3.10 ₱191
-18.06%
Banana (1kg)
$2.08 €1.82
$1.46 ₱89.8
42.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.02 €1.77
$2.64 ₱162
-23.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.66 €2.32
$1.60 ₱98.4
66.25%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.59
$2.23 ₱137
-18.39%
Onion (1kg)
$1.88 €1.65
$2.65 ₱163
-29.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.35 €1.18
$1.38 ₱85.2
-2.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.75 €0.66
$0.70 ₱43.38
7.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.35 €5.55
$3.00 ₱185
111.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.75 €5.02
$6.38 ₱393
-9.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30 €1.14
$1.20 ₱73.6
8.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.85
$1.86 ₱115
13.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Spain
Philippines
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.72 €1.50
$0.28 ₱17.44
514.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$35.11 €30.67
$10.47 ₱645
235.34%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.56 €3.99
$0.83 ₱50.8
449.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.30 €1.13
$0.25 ₱15.22
420.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.70 €23.33
$2.68 ₱165
896.27%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.81 €1.58
$1.18 ₱72.7
53.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.2K €34.3K
$22.8K ₱1.4M
72.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.6K €26.7K
$21.8K ₱1.3M
40.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
Philippines
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$153 €133
$109 ₱6,712
39.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.36 €17.79
$28.79 ₱1,772
-29.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.00 €29.71
$29.81 ₱1,835
14.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spain
Philippines
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.13 €42.05
$32.39 ₱1,994
48.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.14 €14.10
$5.47 ₱337
195.06%
Cinema Ticket
$9.37 €8.19
$6.13 ₱377
52.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spain
Philippines
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$520 €454
$107 ₱6,599
385.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.2K €8,888
$4,444 ₱273.6K
128.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spain
Philippines
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.9 €75.1
$45.83 ₱2,822
87.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.75 €32.11
$25.76 ₱1,586
42.66%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.7 €80.1
$73.9 ₱4,552
24.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 €94.7
$62.5 ₱3,846
73.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spain
Philippines
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,043 €911
$319 ₱19.7K
226.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$834 €729
$179 ₱11.0K
365.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,674 €1,462
$663 ₱40.8K
152.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,223 €1,069
$359 ₱22.1K
241.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,158 €3,633
$3,103 ₱191.1K
33.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,629 €2,297
$1,461 ₱89.9K
80.02%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spain
Philippines
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,965 €1,717
$328 ₱20.2K
499.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.51
7.22
-51.39%

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

Last update for Spain: July 12, 2026

Last update for Philippines: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $897 in Spain, $258 in Philippines. Capital cities: $1,607 in Madrid vs $486 in Manila.

National salary averages: $1,989 in Spain, $295 in Philippines. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 248% higher in Spain.

Dining out costs 179% more in Spain.

Public transport is 1000% more expensive in Spain.

Salaries are 574% higher in Spain, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Spain.

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
Spain vs Philippines: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Philippines or Spain?
At $838 per month in Philippines and $2,154 in Spain, there's a 157% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Philippines or Spain?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Philippines: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between Philippines and Spain?
Rent in Spain is consistently higher than in Philippines across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $2,000 go in Philippines compared to Spain?
In Philippines, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Spain it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Philippines and in Spain?
It depends on what you're after: Philippines wins on affordability; Spain may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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