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Philippines Cost of Living 2026
๐ต๐ญ 12 cities in Philippines, sorted by daily travel budget. Not the exchange rate โ how cheap it feels on your own income, and where a price becomes a rip-off. Updated October 2026
Cities in Philippines compared
| City | Per day | Per month | Local meal | Coffee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ๐ต๐ญ DumagueteMid-size city | $57.8 | $1,046 | โฑ150 | โฑ130 |
| ๐ต๐ญ CebuResort ยท mid-size | $69.8 | $1,465 | โฑ200 | โฑ160 |
| ๐ต๐ญ DavaoBig city | $72.3 | $1,193 | โฑ180 | โฑ160 |
| ๐ต๐ญ CoronResort ยท small town | $78.6 | $1,151 | โฑ150 | โฑ140 |
| ๐ต๐ญ SiargaoResort | $80.2 | $1,511 | โฑ200 | โฑ150 |
| ๐ต๐ญ Angeles CityMid-size city | $81.5 | $1,210 | โฑ200 | โฑ160 |
| ๐ต๐ญ PalawanResort | $82 | $1,113 | โฑ150 | โฑ130 |
| ๐ต๐ญ BaguioTourist ยท mid-size | $82 | $1,316 | โฑ180 | โฑ160 |
| ๐ต๐ญ BoholResort | $82.4 | $1,284 | โฑ250 | โฑ160 |
| ๐ต๐ญ El NidoResort ยท small town | $99.4 | $1,155 | โฑ150 | โฑ150 |
| ๐ต๐ญ BoracayResort | $105 | $1,626 | โฑ300 | โฑ170 |
| ๐ต๐ญ ManilaBig city | $107 | $1,683 | โฑ280 | โฑ150 |
Per day = one mid-range night + three meals, a coffee and two taxi rides. Open a city for item-by-item prices, rip-off thresholds and live traveler reports.
Everyday prices in Philippines
| City | Beer | 5 km taxi | Hotel night | Massage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ๐ต๐ญ Dumaguete | โฑ70 | โฑ120 | โฑ1,800 | โฑ400 |
| ๐ต๐ญ Cebu | โฑ85 | โฑ150 | โฑ2,100 | โฑ450 |
| ๐ต๐ญ Davao | โฑ95 | โฑ140 | โฑ2,000 | โฑ450 |
| ๐ต๐ญ Coron | โฑ100 | โฑ150 | โฑ2,800 | โฑ500 |
| ๐ต๐ญ Siargao | โฑ100 | โฑ200 | โฑ2,500 | โฑ500 |
| ๐ต๐ญ Angeles City | โฑ100 | โฑ200 | โฑ2,500 | โฑ400 |
| ๐ต๐ญ Palawan | โฑ90 | โฑ150 | โฑ3,000 | โฑ500 |
| ๐ต๐ญ Baguio | โฑ90 | โฑ130 | โฑ3,000 | โฑ450 |
| ๐ต๐ญ Bohol | โฑ100 | โฑ150 | โฑ2,800 | โฑ500 |
| ๐ต๐ญ El Nido | โฑ90 | โฑ150 | โฑ4,000 | โฑ500 |
| ๐ต๐ญ Boracay | โฑ100 | โฑ200 | โฑ3,500 | โฑ600 |
| ๐ต๐ญ Manila | โฑ120 | โฑ220 | โฑ3,500 | โฑ500 |
Philippines vs nearby countries
| Country | Per day | Per month | vs Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|
| ๐ฐ๐ญ Cambodia | $73.3 | $1,381 | -12% |
| ๐ฒ๐พ Malaysia | $74.2 | $1,266 | -11% |
| ๐น๐ญ Thailand | $82 | $1,546 | -1% |
| ๐ฑ๐ฐ Sri Lanka | $82.7 | $1,038 | -1% |
| ๐จ๐ณ China | $82.8 | $1,498 | 0% |
| ๐บ๐ฟ Uzbekistan | $82.9 | $1,284 | 0% |
| ๐ต๐ญ Philippines | $83.2 | $1,313 | this country |
| ๐ฐ๐ฌ Kyrgyzstan | $92.8 | $1,613 | +11% |
Countries in the same region with a similar daily travel budget. Tap a country for its city-by-city prices.
Manila vs New York: item by item
| Item | Manila | New York | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local meal | โฑ280โ $4.91 | $20 | -75% |
| Coffee | โฑ150โ $2.63 | $6 | -56% |
| Beer | โฑ120โ $2.11 | $9 | -77% |
| 5 km taxi | โฑ220โ $3.86 | $23 | -83% |
| Hotel night | โฑ3,500โ $61.4 | $270 | -77% |
| 1-bed rent | โฑ25,000โ $439 | $3,300 | -87% |
Same purchase in both cities, converted to US dollars. Daily travel budget: Manila $107 vs New York $467 โ about 77% cheaper.
Compare Philippines with other cities
Money tips for Philippines
Paying
Mostly cash; malls, chains and hotels take cards. Locals pay with GCash.
Tipping
About 10% where no service charge is added; small change if it is.
Menu prices
Many restaurants add a 10% service charge; VAT is usually in the listed price.
Getting around
Grab is easiest in Manila and Cebu. On islands, agree tricycle fares before riding.
Haggling
Haggle at markets, souvenir stalls, with tricycles and for island hopping.
Water
Don't drink tap water.
Common rip-offs
Overpriced flat-fare airport taxis; "foreigner prices" for island tours.
Philippines travel difficulty
| City | Overall | Rip-offs | Language | Transport | Payments | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baguio | Moderate 2.2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Davao | Moderate 2.4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Dumaguete | Moderate 2.4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Boracay | Moderate 2.6 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Coron | Moderate 2.6 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Manila | Moderate 2.6 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Angeles City | Moderate 2.8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Bohol | Moderate 2.8 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Cebu | Moderate 2.8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| El Nido | Moderate 2.8 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Palawan | Moderate 2.8 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Siargao | Hard 3.2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
Rip-offs, language, getting around, payments and safety, 1โ5 (closer to 1 is easier). Tap a city for reasons and tips. Full difficulty ranking โบ
City guides
FAQ
How much is a daily travel budget in Philippines?
With a mid-range room, between $57.8 and $107 a day depending on the city โ about $83.2 on average. Hostels and local eateries cut that by 30% or more.
How much does a month in Philippines cost?
Short-term rental plus living costs runs $1,046โ$1,683 by city, about $1,313 on average.
Which city in Philippines is cheapest?
By daily budget, Dumaguete ($57.8/day) is the cheapest and Manila ($107/day) the most expensive.
Which nearby country is cheaper than Philippines?
Among countries in the same region with similar budgets, Cambodia runs about $73.3 a day โ 12% less than Philippines (about $83.2).
Is Philippines cheaper than New York?
In Manila, a traveler's day runs about $107 versus $467 in New York โ roughly 77% cheaper. The gap differs by item, so meals, coffee, taxis and hotels are listed separately above.