🇵🇭Cost of Living in Manila

Philippines · Population: 1,846,513 · Cost Index: 30/100

Cost of Living in Manila

Philippines · Asia

Manila is the capital of the Philippines, a densely populated metropolis known for its waterfront promenade, historic Intramuros district, and affordable urban living with a thriving BPO industry.

1,846,513

Population

Cost Index

Safety Index

Quality of Life

Average Monthly Cost: $1,150 (single person, excluding rent)

Estimated monthly budget in Manila

Typical total monthly cost by household type.

Single person

$1,150

per month

Couple

$1,730

per month

Family of 4

$2,420

per month

Student

$860

per month

Estimates based on the average cost of living in Manila, scaled by household size. Actual costs vary with lifestyle, neighbourhood and housing.

Cost Breakdown

Housing

Avg: $557.50

1-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)

$450.00

1-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)

$230.00

3-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)

$1,000.00

3-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)

$550.00

Food & Groceries

Avg: $3.84

Meal at Inexpensive Restaurant(per meal)

$2.50

Meal for 2 at Mid-Range Restaurant(per meal)

$18.00

McMeal at McDonald's(per meal)

$3.80

Milk (1 liter)(per liter)

$1.70

Bread (500g loaf)(per loaf)

$1.30

Rice (1 kg)(per kg)

$0.90

Eggs (12)(per dozen)

$1.90

Chicken Breast (1 kg)(per kg)

$3.50

Apples (1 kg)(per kg)

$3.80

Banana (1 kg)(per kg)

$1.00

Transportation

Avg: $4.06

Monthly Public Transit Pass(per month)

$18.00

One-Way Ticket (Local Transport)(per trip)

$0.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)(base fare)

$0.70

Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff)(per km)

$0.25

Gasoline (1 liter)(per liter)

$1.10

Utilities

Avg: $45.33

Basic Utilities (85m² Apt)(per month)

$100.00

Mobile Phone Plan(per month)

$8.00

Internet (60 Mbps+)(per month)

$28.00

Healthcare

Avg: $10.67

Doctor Visit(per visit)

$12.00

Dentist Visit(per visit)

$15.00

Prescription Medicine (avg)(per prescription)

$5.00

Entertainment

Avg: $9.25

Fitness Club Monthly(per month)

$28.00

Cinema Ticket(per ticket)

$4.50

Cappuccino(per cup)

$2.50

Beer (0.5l) at Restaurant(per glass)

$2.00

Clothing

Avg: $39.33

Pair of Jeans (Levi's)(per pair)

$38.00

Summer Dress (Chain Store)(per item)

$18.00

Running Shoes (Nike, Adidas)(per pair)

$62.00

Popular Manila comparisons

Manila vs Davao Manila vs Cebu Manila vs New York Manila vs London Manila vs Tokyo Manila vs Singapore Manila vs Dubai Manila vs Paris

Frequently asked questions about Manila

Is Manila expensive to live in?

Manila has a cost of living index of 30 out of 100, where New York City scores 100. This makes it one of the more affordable cities we track.

How much money do you need to live in Manila?

A single person needs an estimated $1,150 per month to live in Manila, covering rent, food, transport and other essentials. A family or a more comfortable lifestyle will cost more.

What is the cost of living index in Manila?

Manila's cost of living index is 30 out of 100. The index is relative to New York City (100), so a score of 50 means overall costs are roughly half those of New York.

What is quality of life like in Manila?

Manila scores 48 out of 100 for quality of life and 50 out of 100 for safety in our index.

Data & sources

As an independent cross-check, the World Bank puts the overall price level in Philippines at 36 relative to the United States (=100) in 2024. View source

Cost figures on this site are independent estimates, cross-referenced with public data sources including World Bank, Numbeo, Eurostat, OECD.