Popular cities
Bali vs Manila cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฎ๐ฉ Bali
๐ต๐ญ Manila
At a glance
- Where Manila is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (43%โ), SIM card (33%โ), Street food (29%โ)
- Where Bali is clearly cheaper: Local meal (56%โ), Scooter rental (48%โ), Convenience store (44%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Manila is easier to travel (2.6 vs 3.0). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Bali 4 vs Manila 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Bali | Manila | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | Rp 35,000$2.15 | โฑ 280$4.91 | Bali โ56% |
| Street food1 item | Rp 20,000$1.23 | โฑ 50$0.88 | Manila โ29% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | Rp 175,000$10.7 | โฑ 800$14 | Bali โ24% |
| Coffeeone cup | Rp 40,000$2.45 | โฑ 150$2.63 | Bali โ7% |
| Beerone bottle | Rp 40,000$2.45 | โฑ 120$2.11 | Manila โ14% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | Rp 120,000$7.36 | โฑ 300$5.26 | Manila โ29% |
| Bottled water | Rp 5,000$0.31 | โฑ 25$0.44 | Bali โ30% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | Rp 10,000$0.61 | โฑ 63$1.11 | Bali โ44% |
| Taxi5 km in town | Rp 35,000$2.15 | โฑ 220$3.86 | Bali โ44% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | Rp 15,000$0.92 | โฑ 60$1.05 | Bali โ13% |
| Transitone ride | Rp 4,000$0.25 | โฑ 15$0.26 | Bali โ7% |
| Scooter rentalper day | Rp 75,000$4.6 | โฑ 500$8.77 | Bali โ48% |
| Hotel night3-star | Rp 800,000$49.1 | โฑ 3,500$61.4 | Bali โ20% |
| Studio rent (month) | Rp 10,000,000$613 | โฑ 25,000$439 | Manila โ29% |
| Laundry | Rp 15,000$0.92 | โฑ 60$1.05 | Bali โ13% |
| SIM card1 week data | Rp 150,000$9.2 | โฑ 350$6.14 | Manila โ33% |
| Haircutcut | Rp 60,000$3.68 | โฑ 180$3.16 | Manila โ14% |
| Massage1 hour | Rp 120,000$7.36 | โฑ 500$8.77 | Bali โ16% |
| Half-day tourper person | Rp 500,000$30.7 | โฑ 1,500$26.3 | Manila โ14% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | Rp 75,000$4.6 | โฑ 150$2.63 | Manila โ43% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Bali or Manila?
Bali is 8% cheaper than Manila. Daily budget $78.6 vs $107; a month $2,107 vs $1,683.
Which is easier to travel, Bali or Manila?
Manila is easier: Manila 2.6/5 vs Bali 3.0/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Bali and Manila?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Bali is about $2,107 and Manila about $1,683 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.