Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Surigao and Manila

For one person, living is cheaper in Surigao: $736 a month against $948 in Manila, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

36

Cost of Living Index in Surigao
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Surigao Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Manila
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Manila Living Index

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Surigao

🇵🇭 Philippines

$736

/mo nomad

Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$948

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Surigao and in Manila

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Surigao and in Manila actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $736 per month in Surigao vs $948 in Manila, rent included.

Surigao $736
Manila $948

A couple spends around $1,124 per month in Surigao vs $1,508 in Manila, rent included.

Surigao $1,124
Manila $1,508

A family of three spends $1,512 per month in Surigao vs $2,068 in Manila, rent included.

Surigao $1,512
Manila $2,068

Surigao is about 22% cheaper than Manila, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Surigao and Manila are more affordable than the global median – Surigao 45% lower, Manila 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.98 ₱251

$5.46 ₱344

-27.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.81 ₱1,122

$26.93 ₱1,695

-33.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.87 ₱181

$3.90 ₱246

-26.41%

Cappuccino

$1.99 ₱125

$2.62 ₱165

-24.05%

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

$0.73 ₱45.85

$1.36 ₱85.5

-46.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₱19.84

$0.83 ₱52.3

-61.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.26 ₱79.4

$1.22 ₱76.9

3.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ₱134

$2.32 ₱146

-8.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ₱102

$1.96 ₱123

-17.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ₱61.6

$1.42 ₱89.1

-30.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ₱62.0

$1.04 ₱65.4

-4.81%

Eggs

$1.94 ₱122

$2.23 ₱140

-13.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.75 ₱362

$7.70 ₱485

-25.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.14 ₱261

$4.91 ₱309

-15.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.88 ₱433

$7.12 ₱448

-3.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 ₱131

$3.23 ₱204

-35.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 ₱99.2

$1.92 ₱121

-17.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 ₱161

$2.93 ₱184

-12.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ₱73.6

$1.79 ₱113

-34.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 ₱123

$2.32 ₱146

-15.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.76 ₱111

$2.73 ₱172

-35.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 ₱51.5

$2.12 ₱133

-61.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₱37.75

$0.59 ₱37.25

1.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₱187

$3.18 ₱200

-6.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.78 ₱427

$9.81 ₱618

-30.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ₱66.3

$1.34 ₱84.1

-21.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₱108

$2.00 ₱126

-14.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱16.48

$0.47 ₱29.47

-44.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.30 ₱712

$12.56 ₱791

-10.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 ₱41.51

$0.73 ₱46.07

-9.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.66

$0.21 ₱13.20

9.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₱118

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ₱83.0

$1.28 ₱80.6

3.13%

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

$18.7K ₱1.2M

$21.4K ₱1.3M

-12.47%

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

$18.0K ₱1.1M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

-6.85%

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

$124 ₱7,799

$124 ₱7,822

-0.30%

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

$15.97 ₱1,006

$15.73 ₱990

1.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.80 ₱2,191

$24.40 ₱1,536

42.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.92 ₱2,262

$43.31 ₱2,727

-17.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.18 ₱326

$5.79 ₱365

-10.54%

Cinema Ticket

$4.96 ₱313

$6.76 ₱425

-26.63%

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

$144 ₱9,095

$630 ₱39.7K

-77.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,892 ₱433.9K

$9,004 ₱566.9K

-23.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.99 ₱2,329

$58.3 ₱3,668

-36.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.93 ₱1,318

$27.34 ₱1,721

-23.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 ₱4,384

$75.6 ₱4,758

-7.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.50 ₱3,116

$56.6 ₱3,564

-12.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$243 ₱15.3K

$536 ₱33.8K

-54.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 ₱10.6K

$284 ₱17.9K

-40.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 ₱29.0K

$1,874 ₱118.0K

-75.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$363 ₱22.9K

$654 ₱41.2K

-44.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,434 ₱153.3K

$4,438 ₱279.4K

-45.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,108 ₱69.8K

$2,530 ₱159.3K

-56.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$467 ₱29.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

7.43

-8.61%

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

Last update for Surigao: October 11, 2026

Last update for Manila: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Surigao

$175 23.7%

Manila

$164 17.3% 5.9% $10

Groceries & Markets

Surigao

$174 23.7%

Manila

$222 23.5% 27.6% $48

Accommodation & Living

Surigao

$168 22.9%

Manila

$284 29.9% 68.6% $115

Clothing & Footwear

Surigao

$80 10.8%

Manila

$98 10.3% 23% $18

Eating Out

Surigao

$79 10.7%

Manila

$106 11.2% 34.5% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Surigao

$46 6.2%

Manila

$57 6% 23.9% $11

Getting Around

Surigao

$14 1.9%

Manila

$16 1.7% 14.4% $2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $243 in Surigao versus $536 in Manila. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Surigao versus $27.00 in Manila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $174 vs $222 – making Surigao the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Surigao

🇵🇭 Manila

🕒 Local time

21:51 9:51 PM

Same time as Surigao

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

171,107

1,780,148 Capital

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Surigao Manila 720 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Surigao
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Surigao vs Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $736 in Surigao, $948 in Manila – roughly 29% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,104 per month in Surigao and $1,422 in Manila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Surigao, 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 $736 in Surigao and $948 in Manila. That's a gap of about 29%.

Public transport costs about 11% less in Surigao. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Surigao, where all-in costs run around $736, than in Manila at $948. In Surigao 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 $736 in Surigao to $948 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 Surigao. 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.