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: $830 in Tacloban versus $2,347 in St. Thomas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,204 in Tacloban versus $3,394 in St. Thomas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,578 in Tacloban versus $4,440 in St. Thomas.

Living in Tacloban costs roughly 65% less than in St. Thomas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tacloban is 38% below, St. Thomas is 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.46 ₱275

$20.36 CA$28.64

-78.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.64 ₱1,088

$72.3 CA$102

-75.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.69 ₱166

$11.16 CA$15.70

-75.90%

Cappuccino

$2.66 ₱164

$3.44 CA$4.84

-22.67%

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

$0.72 ₱44.35

$1.80 CA$2.53

-60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₱23.93

$1.79 CA$2.52

-78.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 ₱97.0

$5.14 CA$7.23

-69.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 ₱133

$5.75 CA$8.09

-62.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 ₱142

$2.01 CA$2.83

14.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ₱92.8

$2.70 CA$3.79

-44.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ₱56.3

$3.26 CA$4.59

-72.09%

Eggs

$2.28 ₱140

$3.17 CA$4.46

-28.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.14 ₱810

$9.61 CA$13.52

36.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.87 ₱300

$11.24 CA$15.82

-56.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.74 ₱477

$16.00 CA$22.51

-51.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 ₱213

$4.22 CA$5.94

-18.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ₱75.5

$1.29 CA$1.82

-5.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 ₱210

$3.25 CA$4.57

4.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 ₱107

$3.69 CA$5.19

-53.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 ₱164

$2.93 CA$4.12

-9.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 ₱152

$2.64 CA$3.71

-6.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 ₱57.4

$2.34 CA$3.29

-60.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ₱50.7

$1.50 CA$2.12

-45.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 ₱133

$11.10 CA$15.61

-80.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.23 ₱384

$12.46 CA$17.53

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₱70.9

$2.12 CA$2.98

-45.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱143

$2.52 CA$3.54

-7.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 ₱10.24

$2.39 CA$3.37

-92.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.4 CA$89.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱50.6

$2.31 CA$3.25

-64.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.15 ₱9.49

$1.75 CA$2.46

-91.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ₱166

$30.81 CA$43.35

-91.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.2

$1.14 CA$1.61

-4.39%

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

$30.1K ₱1.9M

$25.1K CA$35.2K

20.33%

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

$27.0K ₱1.7M

$20.8K CA$29.3K

29.58%

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

$95.9 ₱5,913

$134 CA$189

-28.45%

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

$34.79 ₱2,145

$53.7 CA$75.6

-35.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 ₱1,831

$57.9 CA$81.4

-48.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.51 ₱2,128

$41.18 CA$57.9

-16.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.47 ₱276

Cinema Ticket

$5.89 ₱363

$11.06 CA$15.57

-46.75%

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

$229 ₱14.1K

$546 CA$768

-57.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,959 ₱244.1K

$10.9K CA$15.3K

-63.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.66 ₱2,816

$54.3 CA$76.4

-15.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.50 ₱1,449

$38.84 CA$54.7

-39.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 ₱4,743

$86.4 CA$122

-11.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.6 ₱3,431

$80.6 CA$113

-30.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$251 ₱15.5K

$1,208 CA$1,699

-79.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 ₱13.1K

$1,182 CA$1,663

-82.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 ₱49.3K

$2,005 CA$2,821

-60.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$233 ₱14.4K

$1,798 CA$2,531

-87.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,446 ₱150.9K

$4,383 CA$6,168

-44.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$962 ₱59.3K

$3,545 CA$4,988

-72.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$351 ₱21.6K

$2,869 CA$4,037

-87.76%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for St. Thomas: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $251 in Tacloban and $1,208 in St. Thomas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

St. Thomas pays 717% 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 $72.0 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 183% in total monthly costs ($830 vs $2,347 including rent). Tacloban is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 717% lower in St. Thomas. 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: $251 in Tacloban versus $1,208 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 $830 per month in Tacloban versus $2,347 in St. Thomas – a 183% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $830 in Tacloban versus $2,347 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 183% less than in St. Thomas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.