😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,686 in Spain versus $701 in Philippines.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,489 in Spain versus $1,071 in Philippines.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,291 in Spain versus $1,441 in Philippines.
🌍Living in Spain is roughly 141% more expensive than in Philippines on average.
📊Spain (23% above) and Philippines (49% below) straddle the global median.
📏Internal cost variation is higher in Spain: monthly costs span $959 to $2,683, compared to $374–$1,226 in Philippines. City choice carries more weight in Spain.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Spain
Philippines
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.13€14.91
$3.88₱244
341.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.2€49.80
$21.14₱1,327
170.72%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.60€10.10
$3.13₱197
270.61%
Cappuccino
$2.40€2.09
$2.26₱142
6.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73€2.37
$0.74₱46.16
268.92%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89€1.65
$0.36₱22.75
425.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.57€3.11
$1.29₱80.8
176.74%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.96€3.45
$2.05₱128
93.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spain
Philippines
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.26€1.09
$1.73₱108
-27.17%
White Bread(500g)
$1.54€1.34
$1.21₱76.0
27.27%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63€1.42
$0.89₱55.6
83.15%
Eggs
$3.44€3.00
$1.95₱123
76.41%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.42€12.55
$7.16₱450
101.40%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.89€7.74
$4.10₱257
116.83%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.49€14.35
$7.05₱442
133.90%
Apples(1kg)
$2.49€2.17
$2.86₱179
-12.94%
Banana(1kg)
$2.13€1.85
$1.41₱88.2
51.06%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.22€1.94
$2.43₱152
-8.64%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.54€2.21
$1.46₱91.5
73.97%
Potato(1kg)
$1.81€1.57
$2.17₱136
-16.59%
Onion(1kg)
$2.00€1.74
$2.55₱160
-21.57%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.35€1.17
$1.37₱85.9
-1.46%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76€0.66
$0.67₱42.19
13.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.91€6.01
$2.79₱175
147.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.72€4.98
$6.33₱397
-9.64%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.32€1.15
$1.16₱72.9
13.79%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13€1.86
$1.71₱107
24.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Spain
Philippines
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.71€1.49
$0.24₱14.96
612.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$35.14€30.58
$12.63₱792
178.23%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.66€4.05
$0.83₱51.8
461.45%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.54€1.34
$0.21₱13.14
633.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$25.59€22.27
$1.95₱123
1212.31%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.76€1.54
$1.05₱66.0
67.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.2K€31.5K
$21.0K₱1.3M
72.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.2K€26.3K
$19.5K₱1.2M
54.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
Philippines
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$155€134
$102₱6,427
50.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.12€15.77
$14.12₱886
28.33%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.66€28.42
$26.88₱1,687
21.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spain
Philippines
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$46.15€40.16
$31.05₱1,948
48.63%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.65€13.62
$5.88₱369
166.16%
Cinema Ticket
$10.01€8.71
$5.58₱350
79.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spain
Philippines
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$560€488
$142₱8,907
294.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.7K€9,339
$5,830₱365.8K
84.05%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spain
Philippines
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.1€75.8
$44.37₱2,784
96.33%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.45€33.46
$24.29₱1,524
58.30%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$91.9€80.0
$68.2₱4,279
34.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108€94.2
$61.5₱3,857
76.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spain
Philippines
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,042€907
$326₱20.4K
219.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$814€708
$182₱11.5K
345.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,627€1,416
$658₱41.3K
147.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,246€1,085
$358₱22.5K
248.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,266€3,712
$3,127₱196.2K
36.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,607€2,269
$1,454₱91.2K
79.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spain
Philippines
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,046€1,781
$325₱20.4K
529.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.29
7.17
-54.11%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Spain: September 14, 2026
Last update for Philippines: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $932 in Spain, $250 in Philippines. Capital cities: $1,567 in Madrid vs $545 in Manila.
💰National salary averages: $2,029 in Spain, $292 in Philippines. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 273% higher in Spain.
⭐Dining out costs 228% more in Spain.
⭐Public transport is 244% more expensive in Spain.
⭐Salaries are 595% 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 $800 per month in Philippines and $1,821 in Spain, there's a 128% 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.