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Manila vs Singapore cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ต๐ญ Manila
๐ธ๐ฌ Singapore
At a glance
- Where Manila is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (91%โ), Tuk-tuk / moto taxi (85%โ), Studio rent (month) (83%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Singapore is easier to travel (1.0 vs 2.6). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Manila 3 vs Singapore 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Manila | Singapore | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โฑ 280$4.91 | S$ 8$6.15 | Manila โ20% |
| Street food1 item | โฑ 50$0.88 | S$ 5$3.85 | Manila โ77% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โฑ 800$14 | S$ 45$34.6 | Manila โ59% |
| Coffeeone cup | โฑ 150$2.63 | S$ 6.5$5 | Manila โ47% |
| Beerone bottle | โฑ 120$2.11 | S$ 13$10 | Manila โ79% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โฑ 300$5.26 | S$ 25$19.2 | Manila โ73% |
| Bottled water | โฑ 25$0.44 | S$ 1.6$1.23 | Manila โ64% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โฑ 63$1.11 | S$ 2.2$1.69 | Manila โ35% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โฑ 220$3.86 | S$ 12$9.23 | Manila โ58% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โฑ 60$1.05 | S$ 9$6.92 | Manila โ85% |
| Transitone ride | โฑ 15$0.26 | S$ 1.5$1.15 | Manila โ77% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โฑ 500$8.77 | S$ 20$15.4 | Manila โ43% |
| Hotel night3-star | โฑ 3,500$61.4 | S$ 200$154 | Manila โ60% |
| Studio rent (month) | โฑ 25,000$439 | S$ 3,300$2,538 | Manila โ83% |
| Laundry | โฑ 60$1.05 | S$ 5$3.85 | Manila โ73% |
| SIM card1 week data | โฑ 350$6.14 | S$ 15$11.5 | Manila โ47% |
| Haircutcut | โฑ 180$3.16 | S$ 20$15.4 | Manila โ79% |
| Massage1 hour | โฑ 500$8.77 | S$ 60$46.2 | Manila โ81% |
| Half-day tourper person | โฑ 1,500$26.3 | S$ 70$53.8 | Manila โ51% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โฑ 150$2.63 | S$ 40$30.8 | Manila โ91% |
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 Singapore?
Manila is 69% cheaper than Singapore. Daily budget $107 vs $249; a month $1,683 vs $7,084.
Which is easier to travel, Manila or Singapore?
Singapore is easier: Singapore 1.0/5 vs Manila 2.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Manila and Singapore?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Manila is about $1,683 and Singapore about $7,084 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.