Cost of Living · CN vs PH
🇨🇳 Shanghai vs 🇵🇭 Manila: what everyday life costs
Monthly essentials: $1,011 in China vs $697 in Philippines — 31.11% cheaper.
Biggest differences
Much cheaper in Philippines
- 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center: -35.11%
- 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center: -35.11%
- 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center: -35.1%
Closest to China prices
- 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle: -11.61%
- 👟 Running shoes (brand): -11.62%
- 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand): -11.63%
The full basket (32 items)
| Item | China | Philippines | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center | $650 | $422 (24,263 PHP) | -35.11% |
| 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center | $520 | $338 (19,410 PHP) | -35.1% |
| 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center | $1,189 | $772 (44,366 PHP) | -35.11% |
| Food out | |||
| 🍜 Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $8.27 | $5.89 (339 PHP) | -28.78% |
| 🍽️ Dinner for two, mid-range | $34.45 | $24.53 (1,411 PHP) | -28.8% |
| 🍔 Fast-food combo meal | $5.42 | $3.98 (229 PHP) | -26.57% |
| Groceries | |||
| 🥛 Milk, 1L | $0.62 | $0.49 (28 PHP) | -20.97% |
| 🍞 Bread, fresh loaf 500g | $1.82 | $1.42 (82 PHP) | -21.98% |
| 🥚 Eggs, dozen | $1.93 | $1.51 (87 PHP) | -21.76% |
| 🍗 Chicken breast, 1kg | $5.68 | $4.44 (255 PHP) | -21.83% |
| 🍚 White rice, 1kg | $2.27 | $1.77 (102 PHP) | -22.03% |
| 🍎 Apples, 1kg | $2.73 | $2.13 (122 PHP) | -21.98% |
| 🧀 Local cheese, 1kg | $6.81 | $5.32 (306 PHP) | -21.88% |
| 💧 Water, 1.5L bottle | $1.14 | $0.89 (51 PHP) | -21.93% |
| Drinks | |||
| 🍺 Domestic beer, pint (draught) | $2.76 | $1.96 (113 PHP) | -28.99% |
| 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle | $6.03 | $5.33 (307 PHP) | -11.61% |
| ☕ Cappuccino | $2.30 | $1.64 (94 PHP) | -28.7% |
| 🥤 Coke/Pepsi, 330ml | $1.31 | $1.02 (59 PHP) | -22.14% |
| Transport | |||
| 🚇 Public transport, monthly pass | $32.05 | $23.53 (1,353 PHP) | -26.58% |
| 🎫 Public transport, one-way | $1.36 | $1.00 (58 PHP) | -26.47% |
| 🚕 Taxi start (normal tariff) | $1.84 | $1.31 (75 PHP) | -28.8% |
| 🛣️ Taxi, per km | $0.83 | $0.59 (34 PHP) | -28.92% |
| ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L | $0.72 | $0.63 (36 PHP) | -12.5% |
| Utilities & comms | |||
| 💡 Basic utilities, 85m² apartment | $98.60 | $72.40 (4,163 PHP) | -26.57% |
| 🌐 Internet, 60Mbps+ unlimited | $34.51 | $25.34 (1,457 PHP) | -26.57% |
| 📱 Mobile plan, 10GB+ data | $22.19 | $16.29 (937 PHP) | -26.59% |
| Lifestyle | |||
| 🏋️ Gym membership, month | $22.97 | $16.35 (940 PHP) | -28.82% |
| 🎬 Cinema seat | $6.43 | $4.58 (263 PHP) | -28.77% |
| 💈 Men's haircut | $13.78 | $9.81 (564 PHP) | -28.81% |
| 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand) | $41.45 | $36.63 (2,106 PHP) | -11.63% |
| 👟 Running shoes (brand) | $67.82 | $59.94 (3,447 PHP) | -11.62% |
| 💻 Coworking hot desk, month | $115 | $81.76 (4,702 PHP) | -28.8% |
Estimated from World Bank — Consumption price levels with per-item elasticity — model figures, not quotes. Compare any pair in the interactive tool.
Related
Frequently asked questions
- How much cheaper is Philippines than China?
- A single person's monthly essentials run about $697 in Philippines versus $1,011 in China — 31.11% less. Rents differ the most; world-priced goods like petrol and electronics the least.
- What does a beer cost in Philippines?
- A domestic draught pint is roughly $1.96 in Philippines (≈ 112.71 PHP), versus about $2.76 in China.
- How much is rent in Philippines compared to China?
- A 1-bedroom city-center apartment is estimated at $422/month in Philippines versus $650/month in China (-35.11%). Housing is the most locally-priced item in the basket.
- How are these prices estimated?
- Curated US baseline prices scaled by each country's purchasing-power price level with per-item elasticities (housing 1.4, services 1.1, groceries 0.8, world-priced goods 0.4) — model estimates for orientation, not quotes.