Manila vs Seoul Cost of Living
Manila (Philippines) · Overall index 32.9 — Seoul (South Korea) · Overall index 53.3
Summary
- Overall, Seoul is 62% more expensive than Manila.
- Transport in Seoul is 80% more expensive than in Manila.
- Dining out in Seoul is 79% more expensive than in Manila.
| Item | Manila | Seoul | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +62% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $859 | $1,128 | +31% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $487 | $885 | +82% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,321 | $2,631 | +99% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,063 | $1,576 | +48% |
| Groceries | +56% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.62 | $0.97 | +56% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.85 | $3.03 | +64% |
| Rice (1kg) | $2.02 | $3.33 | +65% |
| Eggs (12) | $2.34 | $3.32 | +42% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $5.71 | $9.47 | +66% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $5.35 | $8.39 | +57% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $9.31 | $14.8 | +59% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.54 | $4.15 | +63% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.97 | $1.53 | +58% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $2.09 | $3.36 | +61% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.66 | $3.73 | +40% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.2 | $2.22 | +85% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.3 | $1.86 | +43% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.23 | $1.71 | +39% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.15 | $1.67 | +45% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $7.3 | $11.7 | +60% |
| Transport | +80% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.03 | $1.68 | +63% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $41.6 | $68.9 | +66% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.37 | $2.76 | +101% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.64 | $1.34 | +109% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.31 | $0.53 | +71% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $10,901 | $18,844 | +73% |
| Dining out | +79% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $9.18 | $14.8 | +61% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $42.6 | $84.8 | +99% |
| Fast food combo meal | $3.96 | $7.96 | +101% |
| Cappuccino | $1.79 | $3.11 | +74% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.03 | $1.89 | +83% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.96 | $4.53 | +53% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $3.25 | $5.53 | +70% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.7 | $1.43 | +104% |
| Telecom | +47% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $29.8 | $45.1 | +51% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $30.2 | $47.3 | +57% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.15 | $0.22 | +47% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $8.29 | $11.3 | +36% |
| Utilities & household | +58% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $81.4 | $130 | +60% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.09 | $0.16 | +78% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $2.06 | $3.13 | +52% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.62 | $1.03 | +66% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $10.9 | $15.9 | +46% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $38.5 | $60.9 | +58% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $6.49 | $9.46 | +46% |
| Men's haircut | $13.8 | $22.9 | +66% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $10.8 | $16.6 | +54% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $955 | $1,561 | +63% |
3,117 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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