Manila. We’ll always come home to Manila, says the famous song. This infamous city bustles with life and opportunity. There’s no other place where you can experience fast-paced living in the Philippines other than in Manila.
But living in the city can sometimes get too exhausting. Sometimes, you just want to take a break, breathe fresh air, and enjoy a chill, slow-paced lifestyle, something that only life in the province can give to you.
Living Manila and in other provinces have stark differences. They not only differ in the way of living; they also differ in how much it would cost to live there. For your own benefit, we compared how much it will cost for you to live in Manila versus living in provinces like Laguna and Cebu.
LIVING IN MANILA BE LIKE…
Manila is not only the capital of the Philippines, it’s also where most businesses are located. This is the main reason why people in the province relocate in this city: in hopes that they can find better jobs and opportunities, something that lacks in the province. Because of the boost of people and businesses, it’s no surprise that Manila has higher cost of living than most provinces. The following is a chart of how much it will cost for an individual to live in the city:
Rent:
Apartment (single room) = P9,095.24
Buy:
Apartment = P 87, 264 (avg. down payment)
Transportation:
Jeepney = P 7.00
Bus = P 12.00
Gasoline (1 liter) = P40.49
Utilities:
Electricity, water, heating (avg) = P4,166.58
Average salary (net after tax) = P23, 166.43
LIVING IN LAGUNA BE LIKE…
Laguna, one of the provinces in the South known for its vicinity to Manila, is famous for its agriculture. However, this province has made an effort to complement their agrarian industries with medium scale industries. Before, Laguna is known for jobs that focuses on handicrafts and creating agricultural products. Today, Laguna focuses more on factory-type jobs like textile spinning, production of wood and paper, and many more.
This is how much it will cost you to live in one of its towns, Calamba:
Rent:
Apartment (single room) = P5,000.00
Buy:
Apartment = undisclosed
Transportation:
Jeepney = P 7.00
Gasoline (1 liter) = P45
Utilities:
Electricity, water, heating (avg) = P3,600
Average salary (net after tax) = P14,600
As you can see, utilities and apartment rent are cheaper in provinces like Laguna. However, the amount that you take home if you work there is much lesser than in Manila, thanks to the provincial rate that the government is currently upholding.
LIVING IN CEBU BE LIKE…
Cebu is experiencing a fast increase in their development rate thanks to its booming tourism and the continuous rush of investors. Cebu is the perfect mixture of city and provincial life. While it’s still home to many historical landmarks like the Magellan’s Cross, Cebu managed to cross over to industrialization through the rise of many BPO companies.
Here’s a look on how much it will cost you to live there:
Rent:
Apartment (single room) = P17, 375
Buy:
Apartment = P 95, 632 (avg. down payment)
Transportation:
Jeepney = P 7.00
Gasoline (1 liter) = P38.83
Utilities:
Electricity, water, heating (avg) = P4,089
Average salary (net after tax) = P12, 623
Real estate in Cebu costs higher than in Manila because of its strong hold on tourism. Most properties in this land are near wonderful beaches and exciting sights, making its average down payment a bit higher than other places in the Philippines.
Protip: do your research before moving in to a new place, whether it’s a city or a province. Check out our portal to see the best properties in each area.
