Philippines Cost of Living Calculator for Expats
Pick a city, your household and the home you want for a rough monthly budget in pesos.
Typical monthly prices by city (PHP)
| City | Data | 1-bed centre | 3-bed outside | Living costs, 1 person* | Family of 4* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manila | Good data | 34,117 | 41,800 | 36,801 | 130,932 |
| Makati | Moderate data | 51,422 | 67,500 | 45,652 | 162,731 |
| Cebu City | Good data | 31,873 | 39,400 | 34,401 | 121,497 |
| Davao | Moderate data | 17,300 | 20,300 | 34,149 | 121,435 |
| Baguio | Limited data | 25,333 | 29,100 | 30,183 | 103,206 |
* Everything except rent. Source: Numbeo, updated 2 October 2026; crowd-sourced estimates from an independent site, not official figures. Taguig (BGC), Dumaguete and Angeles City have too few reports for a full budget, so the calculator gives only their rents, with a warning.
Thinking of buying instead of renting? See the condo purchase cost calculator. Retiring? Check the SRRV retirement visa calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to live in Manila as an expat?
On crowd-sourced figures, a single person renting a one-bedroom flat in the centre spends about PHP 70,918 a month: about PHP 34,117 in rent and PHP 36,801 for food, transport, bills and everything else. Health insurance comes on top.
Is Cebu cheaper than Manila?
Slightly. A central one-bedroom is about PHP 31,873 a month in Cebu City against PHP 34,117 in Manila, and day-to-day spending is a little lower. Makati is the most expensive city here; Davao and Baguio are the cheapest.
Where do these numbers come from?
From Numbeo, a site where residents report the prices they pay, updated 2 October 2026. They are estimates from an independent source, not official statistics. Manila and Cebu City have the most reports; Baguio has few.
How much is health insurance for expats in the Philippines?
One broker put the average international health plan at about USD 4,597 a year for an individual and USD 12,668 for a family (2024). Its sample quotes at age 65 ran from USD 370 to 753 a month. These are averages from an independent source; your quote depends on age, cover and health.
Can foreigners join PhilHealth?
SRRV holders enrol through the PRA. Other foreigners with an ACR I-Card enrol at a Local Health Insurance Office. The last published foreigner rates we found are from 2017: PHP 15,000 a year for PRA retirees and PHP 17,000 for other foreigners. The 2026 premium for foreigners is not confirmed, so check with PhilHealth.
Sources
- Numbeo - Cost of Living (city pages above, 2026-10-02) (secondary source)
- PhilHealth - Expands coverage to foreign nationals (2017) (official)
- Malaya - PhilHealth premium rate stays at 5% (2025) (secondary source)
- Pacific Prime - Cost of health insurance for expats in the Philippines 2026 (secondary source)
Rules last checked: Fri, 16 October 2026. Rules change; if something here differs from the Bureau of Immigration, the BIR, the PRA or a Philippine embassy, trust the official source.