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Manila vs Siargao cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ต๐ญ Manila
๐ต๐ญ Siargao
At a glance
- Where Siargao is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (33%โ), Local meal (29%โ), Hotel night (29%โ)
- Where Manila is clearly cheaper: Street food (50%โ), Transit (50%โ), Tuk-tuk / moto taxi (40%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Manila is easier to travel (2.6 vs 3.2). Biggest gap: payments โ Manila 2 vs Siargao 4. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Manila | Siargao | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โฑ 280$4.91 | โฑ 200$3.51 | Siargao โ29% |
| Street food1 item | โฑ 50$0.88 | โฑ 100$1.75 | Manila โ50% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โฑ 800$14 | โฑ 600$10.5 | Siargao โ25% |
| Coffeeone cup | โฑ 150$2.63 | โฑ 150$2.63 | similar |
| Beerone bottle | โฑ 120$2.11 | โฑ 100$1.75 | Siargao โ17% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โฑ 300$5.26 | โฑ 250$4.39 | Siargao โ17% |
| Bottled water | โฑ 25$0.44 | โฑ 25$0.44 | similar |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โฑ 63$1.11 | โฑ 50$0.88 | Siargao โ21% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โฑ 220$3.86 | โฑ 200$3.51 | Siargao โ9% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โฑ 60$1.05 | โฑ 100$1.75 | Manila โ40% |
| Transitone ride | โฑ 15$0.26 | โฑ 30$0.53 | Manila โ50% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โฑ 500$8.77 | โฑ 400$7.02 | Siargao โ20% |
| Hotel night3-star | โฑ 3,500$61.4 | โฑ 2,500$43.9 | Siargao โ29% |
| Studio rent (month) | โฑ 25,000$439 | โฑ 20,000$351 | Siargao โ20% |
| Laundry | โฑ 60$1.05 | โฑ 70$1.23 | Manila โ14% |
| SIM card1 week data | โฑ 350$6.14 | โฑ 500$8.77 | Manila โ30% |
| Haircutcut | โฑ 180$3.16 | โฑ 150$2.63 | Siargao โ17% |
| Massage1 hour | โฑ 500$8.77 | โฑ 500$8.77 | similar |
| Half-day tourper person | โฑ 1,500$26.3 | โฑ 1,500$26.3 | similar |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โฑ 150$2.63 | โฑ 100$1.75 | Siargao โ33% |
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 Siargao?
Siargao is 18% cheaper than Manila. Daily budget $107 vs $80.2; a month $1,683 vs $1,511.
Which is easier to travel, Manila or Siargao?
Manila is easier: Manila 2.6/5 vs Siargao 3.2/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Manila and Siargao?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Manila is about $1,683 and Siargao about $1,511 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.