Popular cities
Manila vs Taipei cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ต๐ญ Manila
๐น๐ผ Taipei
At a glance
- Where Taipei is clearly cheaper: Local meal (16%โ)
- Where Manila is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (76%โ), Laundry (72%โ), Massage (72%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Taipei is easier to travel (1.8 vs 2.6). Biggest gap: getting around โ Manila 3 vs Taipei 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Manila | Taipei | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โฑ 280$4.91 | NT$ 130$4.13 | Taipei โ16% |
| Street food1 item | โฑ 50$0.88 | NT$ 70$2.22 | Manila โ61% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โฑ 800$14 | NT$ 500$15.9 | Manila โ12% |
| Coffeeone cup | โฑ 150$2.63 | NT$ 130$4.13 | Manila โ36% |
| Beerone bottle | โฑ 120$2.11 | NT$ 150$4.76 | Manila โ56% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โฑ 300$5.26 | NT$ 350$11.1 | Manila โ53% |
| Bottled water | โฑ 25$0.44 | NT$ 25$0.79 | Manila โ45% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โฑ 63$1.11 | NT$ 30$0.95 | Taipei โ14% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โฑ 220$3.86 | NT$ 190$6.03 | Manila โ36% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โฑ 60$1.05 | NT$ 115$3.65 | Manila โ71% |
| Transitone ride | โฑ 15$0.26 | NT$ 20$0.63 | Manila โ59% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โฑ 500$8.77 | NT$ 500$15.9 | Manila โ45% |
| Hotel night3-star | โฑ 3,500$61.4 | NT$ 2,500$79.4 | Manila โ23% |
| Studio rent (month) | โฑ 25,000$439 | NT$ 22,000$698 | Manila โ37% |
| Laundry | โฑ 60$1.05 | NT$ 120$3.81 | Manila โ72% |
| SIM card1 week data | โฑ 350$6.14 | NT$ 450$14.3 | Manila โ57% |
| Haircutcut | โฑ 180$3.16 | NT$ 300$9.52 | Manila โ67% |
| Massage1 hour | โฑ 500$8.77 | NT$ 1,000$31.7 | Manila โ72% |
| Half-day tourper person | โฑ 1,500$26.3 | NT$ 1,500$47.6 | Manila โ45% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โฑ 150$2.63 | NT$ 350$11.1 | Manila โ76% |
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 Taipei?
Manila is 26% cheaper than Taipei. Daily budget $107 vs $134; a month $1,683 vs $2,435.
Which is easier to travel, Manila or Taipei?
Taipei is easier: Taipei 1.8/5 vs Manila 2.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Manila and Taipei?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Manila is about $1,683 and Taipei about $2,435 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.