Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Philippines Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Philippines

Name: Philippines
Address: PH

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,643 in United States versus $759 in Philippines.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,857 in United States versus $1,184 in Philippines.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,070 in United States versus $1,609 in Philippines.

Living in United States is roughly 248% more expensive than Philippines on average.

United States (97% above) and Philippines (43% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in United States: monthly costs span $1,343 to $5,081, compared to $487–$1,232 in Philippines. City choice carries more weight in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.04 $20.04

$3.95 ₱243

407.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 $76.0

$21.33 ₱1,316

256.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 $11.42

$3.57 ₱220

219.89%

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$2.30 ₱142

134.35%

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

$2.55 $2.55

$0.71 ₱43.96

259.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.41 ₱25.28

397.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$1.35 ₱83.1

354.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$2.07 ₱128

246.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.87 ₱115

-44.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$1.31 ₱80.8

178.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$0.93 ₱57.6

408.60%

Eggs

$4.38 $4.38

$2.12 ₱131

106.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 $12.76

$7.84 ₱483

62.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.42 $12.42

$4.34 ₱268

186.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.41 $16.41

$7.61 ₱469

115.64%

Apples (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$2.96 ₱182

83.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.50 ₱92.2

10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$2.73 ₱168

68.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$1.58 ₱97.2

210.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.20 ₱136

32.73%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.62 ₱161

19.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.39 ₱85.7

62.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$0.75 ₱46.31

206.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 $9.89

$3.02 ₱186

227.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 $15.10

$6.49 ₱400

132.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.14 ₱70.0

67.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 $3.66

$1.87 ₱115

95.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$0.26 ₱16.03

853.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 $64.8

$10.84 ₱668

498.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 $3.84

$0.83 ₱51.2

362.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.27 ₱16.81

551.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.58 $30.58

$2.62 ₱162

1067.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.18 ₱72.5

-18.64%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$22.9K ₱1.4M

32.99%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$21.7K ₱1.3M

21.46%

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

$204 $204

$109 ₱6,727

87.16%

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

$57.3 $57.3

$28.52 ₱1,758

100.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$29.82 ₱1,839

138.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.67 $46.67

$33.26 ₱2,051

40.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.12 $22.12

$5.64 ₱348

292.20%

Cinema Ticket

$13.84 $13.84

$6.16 ₱380

124.68%

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

$1,384 $1,384

$106 ₱6,526

1207.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K $22.7K

$4,378 ₱270.0K

418.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$45.01 ₱2,776

17.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 $43.17

$24.91 ₱1,536

73.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 $90.6

$72.5 ₱4,473

24.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$63.0 ₱3,883

81.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 $1,766

$314 ₱19.4K

461.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 $1,459

$176 ₱10.9K

728.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,832 $2,832

$647 ₱39.9K

337.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,411 $2,411

$361 ₱22.3K

567.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,287 $3,287

$3,004 ₱185.2K

9.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$1,405 ₱86.7K

88.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,379 $4,379

$329 ₱20.3K

1230.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

7.22

-9.83%

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

Last update for United States: May 30, 2026

Last update for Philippines: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,637 in United States, $259 in Philippines. Capital cities: $2,591 in Washington, DC vs $500 in Manila.

National salary averages: $4,500 in United States, $293 in Philippines. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 532% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 284% more in United States.

Public transport is 733% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 1436% higher in United States, giving United States stronger purchasing power.

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

United States vs Philippines: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $860 per month in Philippines and $3,212 in United States, there's a 274% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Philippines is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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.

Rent in United States beats Philippines across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Philippines, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In United States, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. Philippines wins on affordability; United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.