Cost of Living Comparison Between Tacloban and St. Thomas Cost of Living Comparison Between Tacloban and St. Thomas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $849 in Tacloban versus $2,349 in St. Thomas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,198 in Tacloban versus $3,371 in St. Thomas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,546 in Tacloban versus $4,393 in St. Thomas.

Living in Tacloban costs roughly 64% less than in St. Thomas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tacloban is 37% below, St. Thomas is 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.49 ₱277

$20.60 CA$28.62

-78.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.99 ₱1,110

$74.3 CA$103

-75.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.61 ₱161

$11.56 CA$16.07

-77.42%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱156

$3.54 CA$4.92

-28.81%

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

$0.78 ₱48.28

$1.86 CA$2.58

-58.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₱23.99

$1.83 CA$2.54

-78.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 ₱93.4

$5.30 CA$7.36

-71.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₱132

$5.75 CA$7.99

-62.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 ₱136

$2.00 CA$2.78

10.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 ₱94.0

$2.67 CA$3.71

-43.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₱60.3

$3.29 CA$4.57

-70.21%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$3.05 CA$4.24

-23.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.00 ₱802

$9.56 CA$13.28

35.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 ₱299

$11.26 CA$15.65

-56.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.67 ₱473

$15.98 CA$22.20

-52.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 ₱217

$4.21 CA$5.84

-16.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 ₱78.3

$1.23 CA$1.71

3.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 ₱210

$3.33 CA$4.62

2.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ₱108

$3.72 CA$5.17

-52.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 ₱162

$2.85 CA$3.97

-8.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 ₱153

$2.56 CA$3.55

-3.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 ₱57.3

$2.30 CA$3.20

-59.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱48.79

$1.43 CA$1.98

-44.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.09 ₱129

$11.16 CA$15.50

-81.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.56 ₱405

$13.27 CA$18.43

-50.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₱71.0

$2.12 CA$2.95

-45.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₱143

$2.57 CA$3.57

-10.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.44

$2.40 CA$3.34

-90.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.0 CA$86.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 ₱53.3

$2.38 CA$3.30

-63.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.18 ₱11.04

$1.70 CA$2.36

-89.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 ₱160

$30.76 CA$42.74

-91.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.2

$1.10 CA$1.53

-0.91%

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

$30.0K ₱1.9M

$25.4K CA$35.3K

18.18%

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

$27.1K ₱1.7M

$20.6K CA$28.6K

31.94%

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

$97.0 ₱5,987

$131 CA$182

-25.86%

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

$33.75 ₱2,083

$53.9 CA$74.8

-37.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.60 ₱1,826

$57.7 CA$80.2

-48.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.17 ₱2,170

$41.44 CA$57.6

-15.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.54 ₱280

Cinema Ticket

$6.02 ₱371

$10.98 CA$15.26

-45.17%

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

$235 ₱14.5K

$557 CA$774

-57.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,841 ₱237.0K

$10.9K CA$15.1K

-64.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.24 ₱2,853

$53.7 CA$74.6

-13.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.65 ₱1,398

$38.85 CA$54.0

-41.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.2 ₱4,638

$86.5 CA$120

-13.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.5 ₱3,365

$80.3 CA$112

-32.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$245 ₱15.1K

$1,204 CA$1,673

-79.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 ₱13.1K

$1,173 CA$1,630

-81.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$809 ₱49.9K

$1,987 CA$2,761

-59.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ₱14.8K

$1,832 CA$2,546

-86.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,417 ₱149.1K

$4,528 CA$6,292

-46.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$991 ₱61.1K

$3,867 CA$5,373

-74.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$361 ₱22.3K

$2,969 CA$4,125

-87.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

22.14%

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

Last update for Tacloban: June 2, 2026

Last update for St. Thomas: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $245 in Tacloban and $1,204 in St. Thomas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

St. Thomas pays 723% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $18.00 in Tacloban vs $74.0 in St. Thomas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $348 per month, with Tacloban cheaper across the board.

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 St. Thomas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tacloban and St. Thomas differ by about 177% in total monthly costs ($849 vs $2,349 including rent). Tacloban is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, St. Thomas earns 723% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $245 in Tacloban versus $1,204 in St. Thomas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in St. Thomas. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $849 per month in Tacloban versus $2,349 in St. Thomas – a 177% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $849 in Tacloban versus $2,349 in St. Thomas, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tacloban but tight or insufficient in St. Thomas. The gap between the two cities makes Tacloban the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Tacloban gentler on the wallet – expenses run 177% less than in St. Thomas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.