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Cost of Living Calculator for the Philippines
Compare life in New York, LA, London, Sydney, Lisbon, Paris or Berlin with the Philippines. Start with a researched budget. Make it your own.
This free cost of living calculator for the Philippines lets expats, retirees, and digital nomads build a monthly budget by city — then edit every category until it matches real life. Pick a home city and a Philippine destination (BGC, Cebu, Davao, and more), switch between USD, AUD, GBP, or EUR with PHP equivalents, and see where your money goes further. Figures are researched starting points, not quotes. For city-by-city tables, see our cost of living hub, Davao, BGC, and Baguio breakdowns.
7 comparison cities
12 Philippine destinations
Your currency. Plus pesos.
Shares the calculator. Your city choices and edited budget are not included.
US$4,134.36
Living in Cebu City could cost less than New York City.
US$49,612.32 saved per year
₱259,648.53 / month · 83% less
Rent is your largest source of savings: US$3,151.93 / month.
US$49,612.32 / year
Make the numbers yours.
Starting estimates for one adult. Edit either city; everything updates automatically.
01Home & essentials
Rent
Your monthly home rental
Utilities
Electricity, water and cooking fuel
Internet
Home broadband and backup access
Mobile phone
SIM plan, calls and mobile data
Household expenses
Laundry, supplies and optional cleaning
02Food & getting around
Groceries
Food and drinks for home
Dining out
Restaurants, takeaways and cafés
Transport
Public transport, rides and fuel
03Health & lifestyle
Healthcare
Medical cover and out-of-pocket care
Philippine defaults cover an outpatient reserve; hospital, emergency and evacuation insurance are extra. Western defaults assume employer or public health coverage. Enter your own costs to compare equivalent cover.
Personal care & clothing
Toiletries, haircuts and clothing
Fitness
Gym membership or classes
Entertainment
Activities and subscriptions
12 starting categories, plus your added expenses. Include recurring visa fees, childcare or other costs with “Add an expense”. Budget separately for flights, deposits and other one-off moving costs. Edits stay here while you compare cities; reset restores the starting amounts and sets added expenses to 0.
European Central Bank reference rates · 18 Sept 2026
Prices and exchange rates have separate review dates. Rates carry forward on weekends and holidays.
A QUICK PESO CHECK
USD to PHP, and back.
Type in either box. Uses the display currency selected above.
1 USD = ₱62.8028 · Reference rate, before transfer fees.
THE NUMBERS BEHIND YOUR BUDGET
Clear assumptions. Sources you can check.
These are starting budgets, not guaranteed prices or citywide averages. Housing coverage and personal spending vary. Open either city to see every original price, assumption and source.
One adult renting a one-bedroom home. Rent uses Zillow's citywide one-bedroom listing average, including different property types; it is not an outside-centre or neighbourhood-specific quote.
Rent US$3,550.00 / month
Modeled estimate. Zillow's $3,546 citywide one-bedroom average, updated 6 September 2026, rounded to $3,550. Neighbourhood, property type and lease terms vary.
- Zillow Rentals — NYC one-bedroom market trends, September 2026 · Checked 2026-09-07
Groceries US$440.00 / month
Modeled estimate. One adult: rounded USDA July 2026 moderate-cost midpoint with its 20% one-person adjustment. National food-at-home evidence, not a NYC survey. Groceries cover food only; dining, toiletries and cleaning products are separate.
- USDA food plans — July 2026, national food-at-home budgets · Checked 2026-09-07
Dining out US$140.00 / month
Modeled estimate. Chosen allowance for four casual meals at $35 each. A spending scenario, not a quoted restaurant tariff or surveyed city average. Separate from groceries and entertainment; adjust for drinks, tips, delivery and meal frequency.
Transport US$152.00 / month
Modeled estimate. MTA subway/local-bus $35 rolling seven-day cap × 52 ÷ 12, rounded. A monthly budgeting equivalent, not a monthly pass; excludes express buses, commuter rail, taxis and a car.
- MTA subway and bus fares — $35 seven-day cap · Checked 2026-09-07
Utilities US$160.00 / month
Modeled estimate. Chosen allowance: $140 electricity and $20 cooking gas, assuming heat and water are included in rent. Con Edison explains variable supply/delivery charges; this amount is not a quoted bill. Air conditioning or tenant-paid heating can increase it.
- Con Edison — 2026 rates and bill components · Checked 2026-09-07
Healthcare US$220.00 / month
Modeled estimate. Employer-insured adult: KFF's 2025 national $120/month employee contribution for single coverage plus a chosen $100 medical-cost reserve. Not an individual-market or visitor insurance quote; deductibles can exceed the reserve.
- KFF 2025 Employer Health Benefits Survey — employee single-coverage contribution · Checked 2026-09-07
Internet US$85.00 / month
Published price. Spectrum Internet Premier's $85 ongoing monthly price after the introductory period, where available. Assumes your own router; optional Wi-Fi, installation and activation are extra. Address and future price changes apply.
- Spectrum Internet Premier broadband label — ongoing price · Checked 2026-09-07
Mobile phone US$25.00 / month
Published price. Visible base SIM-only plan: $25/month including taxes and fees, with unlimited domestic talk, text and data. Uses the standard monthly price, not promotions or annual prepayment. Bring a compatible phone; check local coverage. Handset purchases and overseas roaming are excluded.
- Visible — standard monthly plan and broadband facts · Checked 2026-09-09
Household expenses US$25.00 / month
Modeled estimate. Chosen $25 for laundry detergent, cleaning products and household paper goods. Target's $13.39 / 101-load detergent gives about $1.06 for eight loads; the rest is a selected supplies reserve. Assumes access to a home washer with energy/water already in utilities. Laundromat fees and a cleaner are excluded; toiletries are in personal care.
- Target — up&up Fresh Linen detergent, 101 loads · Checked 2026-09-09
Personal care & clothing US$100.00 / month
Modeled estimate. Model: one $45 Manhattan Barbershop haircut every two months ($22.50/month), plus chosen reserves of $25 toiletries, $40 clothing/shoes and $12.50 grooming extras/tips. A short-hair example, not a gender-neutral salon quote or city average; longer hair, styling and colouring can cost more. Excludes cleaning products.
- Manhattan Barbershop NYC — service menu · Checked 2026-09-09
Fitness US$30.00 / month
Modeled estimate. Planet Fitness Midtown West Classic: $19/month plus $59/year = $23.92 monthly equivalent before tax; rounded to a chosen $30 allowance for tax/price variation. Single-club example, not a city average. Initial joining fees and personal training excluded; adjust for your club. Separate from entertainment.
- Planet Fitness — Manhattan Midtown West Classic membership · Checked 2026-09-09
Entertainment US$60.00 / month
Modeled estimate. Chosen $60 activity budget, illustrated by two $30 Met general admissions. NY residents can pay what they wish. Dining and fitness have separate budgets; neither is included here.
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art — admission and resident concessions · Checked 2026-09-07
One adult, furnished 35 m² 1-bedroom corner condo at Avida Towers in Cebu IT Park. This is an IT Park example, not a province-wide average.
Rent ₱25,000.00 / month
Modeled estimate. Land Asia's Avida Towers 1-bedroom asking rent includes condo dues and excludes utility bills. A one-year lease is preferred; listing availability has not been confirmed.
- Land Asia Realty: furnished 1BR in Cebu IT Park · Checked 2026-09-07
Groceries ₱8,000.00 / month
Modeled estimate. One adult's groceries and home meals. DA ingredient prices are an NCR reference; the monthly basket is an editorial allowance, including outside NCR. Dining out, toiletries and cleaning supplies are budgeted separately.
- Department of Agriculture: NCR market prices, 31 Aug–6 Sep 2026 · Checked 2026-09-07
Dining out ₱1,000.00 / month
Modeled estimate. Four casual meals out at a ₱250 spending cap. Frequency and price are editorial allowances, not researched restaurant averages; the DA grocery reference does not verify restaurant prices. No dining costs are included in entertainment.
Transport ₱2,500.00 / month
Modeled estimate. 44 local public-transport journeys budgeted at ₱25 + 7 occasional hired rides at a ₱200 cap. These are spending allowances, not verified route or taxi fares. No car ownership or intercity trips.
- LTFRB: traditional jeepney fare guide, effective October 2023 · Checked 2026-09-07
Utilities ₱4,500.00 / month
Modeled estimate. 250 kWh/month at a rounded ₱15 planning rate + ₱500 water + ₱250 cooking fuel. Meralco's August 2026 reference was ₱14.7833/kWh at 200 kWh; outside its territory this is a proxy, not the local tariff. Usage and water/fuel allowances are estimates.
- Meralco: August 2026 residential rate announcement · Checked 2026-09-07
Healthcare ₱3,000.00 / month
Modeled estimate. Personal outpatient and medicine reserve, not comprehensive insurance. The ₱9,999/year PRIMA Access price is a limited outpatient reference; clinic access and eligibility need checking. Add your own hospital, emergency and evacuation insurance quote.
- Maxicare: PRIMA Access annual outpatient plan and exclusions · Checked 2026-09-07
Internet ₱1,599.00 / month
Modeled estimate. Globe GFiber ₱1,499/month plus ₱100/month installation installment for the first 24 bills. Up to 300 Mbps where serviceable; the selected building's coverage is unverified. No mobile plan or equipment purchase.
- Globe: GFiber plan prices and installation terms · Checked 2026-09-07
Mobile phone ₱650.00 / month
Modeled estimate. One personal SIM using Globe Go+149: ₱149 per 7 days × 365 ÷ 7 ÷ 12 ≈ ₱647/month, rounded up. Includes 12 GB open-access data per pack and unlimited domestic all-network calls/texts. Coverage and eligibility need checking; handset, roaming and home-internet backup are excluded.
- Globe: Go+149 prepaid data, calls and texts · Checked 2026-09-09
Household expenses ₱1,500.00 / month
Modeled estimate. 20 kg of monthly laundry at Metropole's advertised starting ₱45/kg + a ₱600 cleaning-supplies allowance. This is an NCR service-price proxy elsewhere, not a confirmed local quote; delivery, minimum loads and special garments may cost extra. Paid cleaning is optional and excluded: add your own quote here or as a custom expense.
- Metropole Laundry: wash, dry and fold starting rate · Checked 2026-09-09
Personal care & clothing ₱2,100.00 / month
Modeled estimate. ₱600 toiletries/grooming supplies + ₱500 haircut reserve + ₱1,000 clothing reserve per month. Bruno's posted basic haircut is ₱480, varying by branch; UNIQLO's regular crew-neck T-shirt is ₱590. These are price anchors, not a required monthly shopping basket or a local quote in every city. Salon treatments and major wardrobe purchases are extra.
- Bruno's Barbers: service prices and branch variation · Checked 2026-09-09
- UNIQLO Philippines: regular-price T-shirt examples · Checked 2026-09-09
Fitness ₱1,500.00 / month
Modeled estimate. GoGym Plus one-month upfront access at ₱1,449, rounded to a ₱1,500 budget. This NCR-area provider is a price proxy, not verified gym availability in every city. No long-contract or automatic-debit discount assumed; personal training, paid specialty classes and equipment are extra. Set to zero if your condo includes a suitable gym.
- GoGym: Plus one-month upfront membership · Checked 2026-09-09
Entertainment ₱2,200.00 / month
Modeled estimate. Four activity outings with a ₱500 spending cap, plus Spotify Individual at the standard ₱169/month, rounded up. Outings are a personal allowance, not local ticket prices; dining, gym/classes, travel and major equipment are excluded.
- Spotify Philippines: standard Individual subscription · Checked 2026-09-07
City guide budget tiers use a separate lifestyle model and may differ from this personalized comparison. Read the budget assumptions and city overview, then use the first 90 days budget guide to plan your upfront costs.
HOW THE COMPARISON WORKS
A useful starting point for a real move.
Twelve categories. Room for your own.
Start with a monthly budget for one adult. Groceries and dining out are separate, alongside housing, transport, healthcare, connectivity and everyday personal expenses. Add your own expenses to both cities and adjust each amount. Source notes explain the housing coverage and spending assumptions.
Prices with a paper trail.
Published tariffs come from providers and transport operators. Rent benchmarks and spending allowances are labeled as estimates. Recurring plans use the billing cycle stated in their source notes; weekly and 28-day plans are converted to a monthly budget. Check the linked sources before making a commitment.
One currency for the comparison.
Original local prices are converted through PHP using one dated set of ECB reference rates. PHP cross rates are calculated from the ECB’s euro-based rates. Savings compare the displayed expense subtotals; peso equivalents are calculated from the original amounts.
Before you start packing.
Your destination, rent and lifestyle make the biggest difference. Choose one of the 12 Philippine destinations to see a starting monthly budget, then adjust the 12 expense categories and add your own monthly expenses. The result covers the rows you include; it is not a complete relocation budget.
Yes. Choose New York City, Los Angeles, London, Sydney, Lisbon, Paris or Berlin, then edit any expense in either city. Monthly totals, budget bars and the annual savings or extra cost update immediately. Add an expense for costs specific to you. Your edits are remembered for each city while this page stays open. Reset all edits restores preset amounts and sets custom expenses to zero while keeping their names.
They model one adult renting a one-bedroom home, with groceries, dining out, transport, utilities, healthcare, home internet, mobile phone, household expenses, personal care and clothing, fitness, and entertainment. Housing examples and spending assumptions vary by city; check the source notes and adjust them to your needs. Flights, visa fees, rental deposits, childcare and condo fees not already included in rent are outside the starting subtotal. Add a monthly allowance for recurring costs you want to include; budget one-time moving costs separately.
Yes. Select Add an expense and give it a unique name, then enter a monthly amount for each city. New expenses start at zero. Their names appear for every city, while amounts are remembered separately for each city while the page stays open. Removing a custom expense also removes its amounts from every city. Your budget is not saved to an account.
No. The starting budgets combine published provider prices with modeled estimates. Some rents are based on individual asking listings, regional statistics or a stated apartment-size model. Sources explain the scope, dates and calculation for each expense. A source being reviewed does not guarantee that a listing is still available. Healthcare amounts are planning allowances, not personalised insurance quotes.
The calculator starts in US dollars. Select Australian dollars, British pounds or euros to change the display, with PHP equivalents alongside. The converter pairs each selected currency with PHP in either direction. It uses European Central Bank reference rates and displays their date. Currency changes preserve your original entered amounts; displayed values are rounded to two decimal places.
Each city’s sources show when its assumptions were reviewed and, where available, when the underlying price was observed. Expense presets have a three-month editorial review interval. Exchange rates refresh separately, with saved dated rates used if an update fails. Weekends and holidays normally use the latest published working-day rate. Reference conversions exclude transfer fees and bank spreads.