Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vigan and Manila

For one person, living is cheaper in Vigan: $720 a month against $922 in Manila, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Vigan, Philippines
Manila, Philippines
Vigan
🇵🇭 Philippines
$720
/mo nomad
Manila
🇵🇭 Philippines
$922
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Vigan 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 Vigan and in Manila actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $720 per month in Vigan vs $922 in Manila, rent included.

  • Vigan $720
  • Manila $922

A couple spends around $1,087 per month in Vigan vs $1,531 in Manila, rent included.

  • Vigan $1,087
  • Manila $1,531

A family of three spends $1,455 per month in Vigan vs $2,140 in Manila, rent included.

  • Vigan $1,455
  • Manila $2,140

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

Both Vigan and Manila are more affordable than the global median – Vigan 47% lower, Manila 32% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Vigan
Manila
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.88 ₱247
$4.66 ₱296
-16.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$16.73 ₱1,064
$26.32 ₱1,673
-36.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$1.74 ₱111
$4.02 ₱256
-56.72%
Cappuccino
$1.76 ₱112
$2.51 ₱159
-29.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.58 ₱37.14
$1.37 ₱87.2
-57.66%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ₱19.45
$0.89 ₱56.5
-65.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.00 ₱63.8
$1.20 ₱76.1
-16.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.58 ₱100
$2.34 ₱149
-32.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Vigan
Manila
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 ₱100
$1.87 ₱119
-16.04%
White Bread (500g)
$1.14 ₱72.4
$1.41 ₱89.6
-19.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.00 ₱63.7
$1.02 ₱64.6
-1.96%
Eggs
$1.99 ₱127
$2.19 ₱139
-9.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.84 ₱308
$7.47 ₱475
-35.21%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.29 ₱209
$4.86 ₱309
-32.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.53 ₱479
$6.98 ₱444
7.88%
Apples (1kg)
$2.24 ₱142
$3.28 ₱208
-31.71%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 ₱100
$1.81 ₱115
-12.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.35 ₱150
$2.90 ₱185
-18.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.01 ₱64.4
$1.91 ₱122
-47.12%
Potato (1kg)
$1.70 ₱108
$2.30 ₱146
-26.09%
Onion (1kg)
$1.70 ₱108
$2.69 ₱171
-36.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.87 ₱55.1
$2.18 ₱139
-60.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ₱32.97
$0.57 ₱36.47
-8.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.93 ₱186
$3.07 ₱195
-4.56%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.50 ₱540
$9.34 ₱594
-8.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 ₱59.6
$1.27 ₱81.0
-25.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 ₱130
$2.05 ₱130
-0.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Vigan
Manila
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.24 ₱15.33
$0.33 ₱21.01
-27.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.42 ₱790
$12.80 ₱814
-2.97%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.80 ₱50.6
$0.78 ₱49.28
2.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.20 ₱12.74
$0.20 ₱12.70
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.84 ₱117
$1.85 ₱118
-0.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.24 ₱79.0
$1.31 ₱83.3
-5.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K ₱1.3M
$20.8K ₱1.3M
-0.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.6K ₱1.2M
$19.4K ₱1.2M
-4.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vigan
Manila
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$137 ₱8,697
$109 ₱6,946
25.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.37 ₱1,104
$15.71 ₱999
10.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.09 ₱1,468
$24.58 ₱1,563
-6.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Vigan
Manila
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.16 ₱1,981
$41.75 ₱2,655
-25.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.31 ₱337
$5.84 ₱372
-9.08%
Cinema Ticket
$5.20 ₱331
$6.42 ₱408
-19.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Vigan
Manila
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$132 ₱8,371
$606 ₱38.5K
-78.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K ₱670.0K
$7,674 ₱487.9K
37.33%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Vigan
Manila
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$28.61 ₱1,819
$55.8 ₱3,550
-48.76%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.14 ₱1,217
$28.57 ₱1,817
-33.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$70.6 ₱4,491
$68.9 ₱4,381
2.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$54.1 ₱3,438
$58.3 ₱3,706
-7.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Vigan
Manila
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$251 ₱16.0K
$533 ₱33.9K
-52.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$167 ₱10.6K
$289 ₱18.4K
-42.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$490 ₱31.1K
$1,916 ₱121.8K
-74.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$345 ₱21.9K
$780 ₱49.6K
-55.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,582 ₱164.2K
$4,078 ₱259.3K
-36.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,091 ₱69.4K
$2,432 ₱154.6K
-55.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Vigan
Manila
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$505 ₱32.1K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.75
7.43
-9.15%

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

Last update for Vigan: November 1, 2026

Last update for Manila: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vigan
$177
Manila
$150 15.6% $28
Groceries & Markets
Vigan
$172
Manila
$219 27.3% $47
Accommodation & Living
Vigan
$167
Manila
$289 72.7% $122
Clothing & Footwear
Vigan
$78
Manila
$95 22.7% $18
Eating Out
Vigan
$69
Manila
$99 43.3% $30
Sport & Entertainment
Vigan
$42
Manila
$55 31.3% $13
Getting Around
Vigan
$15
Manila
$16 4.7% $0.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $251 in Vigan versus $533 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 $17 in Vigan versus $26 in Manila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $172 vs $219 – making Vigan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Vigan
🇵🇭 Manila
🕒 Local time
23:47 11:47 PM
23:47 11:47 PM
Same time as Vigan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
53,879
1,780,148 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 63.58 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.28 PHP (100 PHP = 1.4 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Vigan Manila 340 km
From you
  • Vigan
  • Manila

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
Vigan vs Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Vigan and in Manila compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $720 in Vigan, $922 in Manila – Vigan comes out roughly 22% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Vigan compared to Manila?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,080 per month in Vigan and $1,383 in Manila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Vigan and Manila?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Vigan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $251 there versus $533 in Manila.
Which city is more expensive overall: Vigan or Manila?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $720 in Vigan and $922 in Manila. That makes Vigan about 22% cheaper.
How do commuting costs compare in Vigan and in Manila?
Public transport costs about 3% less in Vigan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How far does $1,200 go in Vigan compared to Manila?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $720 in Vigan and $922 in Manila, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Vigan or Manila?
Families tend to lean toward Vigan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Vigan or Manila safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Where should expats move: Vigan or Manila?
For expats, Vigan is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 22% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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