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Manila vs Seoul cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ต๐ญ Manila
๐ฐ๐ท Seoul
At a glance
- Where Seoul is clearly cheaper: Scooter rental (83%โ), Entry ticket (17%โ)
- Where Manila is clearly cheaper: Laundry (84%โ), Massage (83%โ), Transit (77%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Seoul is easier to travel (1.4 vs 2.6). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Manila 3 vs Seoul 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Manila | Seoul | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โฑ 280$4.91 | โฉ 10,000$7.25 | Manila โ32% |
| Street food1 item | โฑ 50$0.88 | โฉ 4,000$2.9 | Manila โ70% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โฑ 800$14 | โฉ 30,000$21.7 | Manila โ35% |
| Coffeeone cup | โฑ 150$2.63 | โฉ 5,500$3.99 | Manila โ34% |
| Beerone bottle | โฑ 120$2.11 | โฉ 5,500$3.99 | Manila โ47% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โฑ 300$5.26 | โฉ 15,000$10.9 | Manila โ52% |
| Bottled water | โฑ 25$0.44 | โฉ 1,000$0.72 | Manila โ39% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โฑ 63$1.11 | โฉ 2,000$1.45 | Manila โ24% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โฑ 220$3.86 | โฉ 8,500$6.16 | Manila โ37% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โฑ 60$1.05 | โฉ 5,500$3.99 | Manila โ74% |
| Transitone ride | โฑ 15$0.26 | โฉ 1,550$1.12 | Manila โ77% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โฑ 500$8.77 | โฉ 2,000$1.45 | Seoul โ83% |
| Hotel night3-star | โฑ 3,500$61.4 | โฉ 110,000$79.7 | Manila โ23% |
| Studio rent (month) | โฑ 25,000$439 | โฉ 1,000,000$725 | Manila โ39% |
| Laundry | โฑ 60$1.05 | โฉ 9,000$6.52 | Manila โ84% |
| SIM card1 week data | โฑ 350$6.14 | โฉ 30,000$21.7 | Manila โ72% |
| Haircutcut | โฑ 180$3.16 | โฉ 18,000$13 | Manila โ76% |
| Massage1 hour | โฑ 500$8.77 | โฉ 70,000$50.7 | Manila โ83% |
| Half-day tourper person | โฑ 1,500$26.3 | โฉ 70,000$50.7 | Manila โ48% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โฑ 150$2.63 | โฉ 3,000$2.17 | Seoul โ17% |
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, Manila or Seoul?
Manila is 34% cheaper than Seoul. Daily budget $107 vs $150; a month $1,683 vs $2,762.
Which is easier to travel, Manila or Seoul?
Seoul is easier: Seoul 1.4/5 vs Manila 2.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Manila and Seoul?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Manila is about $1,683 and Seoul about $2,762 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.