Cost of Living Comparison Between Tacloban and Manila Cost of Living Comparison Between Tacloban and Manila

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $825 per month in Tacloban vs $957 in Manila, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,194 per month in Tacloban vs $1,543 in Manila, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,563 per month in Tacloban vs $2,130 in Manila, rent included.

Tacloban is about 14% cheaper than Manila, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Tacloban and Manila are more affordable than the global median – Tacloban 38% lower, Manila 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.34 ₱261

$5.22 ₱315

-16.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.49 ₱1,053

$26.52 ₱1,597

-34.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.67 ₱161

$4.38 ₱264

-39.04%

Cappuccino

$2.63 ₱158

$2.72 ₱164

-3.31%

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

$0.76 ₱45.88

$0.93 ₱55.9

-18.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 ₱24.80

$0.51 ₱30.63

-19.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 ₱91.2

$1.52 ₱91.7

-0.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₱130

$2.71 ₱163

-20.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₱135

$1.95 ₱117

14.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ₱94.5

$1.36 ₱81.9

15.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ₱60.0

$1.09 ₱65.5

-8.26%

Eggs

$2.38 ₱143

$2.10 ₱127

13.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.97 ₱781

$9.46 ₱570

37.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 ₱280

$5.24 ₱316

-11.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.89 ₱475

$8.78 ₱529

-10.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 ₱217

$3.40 ₱205

6.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 ₱76.3

$1.77 ₱106

-28.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 ₱203

$3.48 ₱210

-3.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 ₱109

$2.41 ₱145

-24.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 ₱155

$2.67 ₱161

-3.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.57 ₱155

$3.15 ₱190

-18.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 ₱58.5

$2.02 ₱122

-51.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱47.41

$0.69 ₱41.56

14.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 ₱129

$3.35 ₱202

-35.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.40 ₱386

$10.03 ₱604

-36.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 ₱71.9

$1.46 ₱87.9

-18.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ₱137

$2.14 ₱129

6.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 ₱10.39

$0.52 ₱31.03

-67.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.01 ₱723

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₱52.1

$0.92 ₱55.1

-5.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.15 ₱9.14

$0.27 ₱16.32

-44.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 ₱159

$2.18 ₱131

21.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱66.0

$1.16 ₱69.6

-5.17%

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

$29.9K ₱1.8M

$26.8K ₱1.6M

11.62%

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

$27.3K ₱1.6M

$23.1K ₱1.4M

18.14%

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

$95.4 ₱5,747

$134 ₱8,058

-28.68%

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

$34.92 ₱2,103

$22.30 ₱1,343

56.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.40 ₱1,831

$26.94 ₱1,622

12.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.84 ₱2,098

$42.13 ₱2,537

-17.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.51 ₱272

$6.77 ₱408

-33.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.11 ₱368

$6.57 ₱395

-7.00%

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

$229 ₱13.8K

$354 ₱21.3K

-35.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,836 ₱231.0K

$11.2K ₱675.0K

-65.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.70 ₱2,812

$47.31 ₱2,849

-1.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.32 ₱1,405

$34.90 ₱2,102

-33.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 ₱4,545

$82.5 ₱4,966

-8.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.8 ₱3,361

$46.21 ₱2,783

20.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$249 ₱15.0K

$500 ₱30.1K

-50.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$211 ₱12.7K

$272 ₱16.4K

-22.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$808 ₱48.7K

$1,716 ₱103.3K

-52.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$234 ₱14.1K

$631 ₱38.0K

-62.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,443 ₱147.1K

$4,360 ₱262.6K

-43.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,004 ₱60.5K

$2,599 ₱156.5K

-61.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$364 ₱21.9K

$516 ₱31.1K

-29.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.52

6.38%

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

Last update for Tacloban: June 15, 2026

Last update for Manila: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $249 in Tacloban 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 42% 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 $17.00 in Tacloban versus $27.00 in Manila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $243 – making Tacloban 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

Tacloban vs Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $825 in Tacloban, $957 in Manila – roughly 16% apart. Manila costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,238 per month in Tacloban and $1,436 in Manila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tacloban, 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 $825 in Tacloban and $957 in Manila. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $229 per month in Tacloban and $354 in Manila. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tacloban, where all-in costs run around $825, than in Manila at $957. In Tacloban 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 $825 in Tacloban to $957 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 Tacloban. 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.