Cost of Living · AE vs PH
🇦🇪 Dubai vs 🇵🇭 Manila: what everyday life costs
Monthly essentials: $1,546 in United Arab Emirates vs $697 in Philippines — 54.94% cheaper.
Biggest differences
Much cheaper in Philippines
- 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center: -60.12%
- 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center: -60.12%
- 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center: -60.12%
Closest to United Arab Emirates prices
- 👟 Running shoes (brand): -23.09%
- 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand): -23.09%
- 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle: -23.09%
The full basket (32 items)
| Item | United Arab Emirates | Philippines | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center | $1,058 | $422 (24,263 PHP) | -60.12% |
| 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center | $846 | $338 (19,410 PHP) | -60.12% |
| 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center | $1,934 | $772 (44,366 PHP) | -60.12% |
| Food out | |||
| 🍜 Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $12.12 | $5.89 (339 PHP) | -51.4% |
| 🍽️ Dinner for two, mid-range | $50.50 | $24.53 (1,411 PHP) | -51.43% |
| 🍔 Fast-food combo meal | $7.68 | $3.98 (229 PHP) | -48.18% |
| Groceries | |||
| 🥛 Milk, 1L | $0.83 | $0.49 (28 PHP) | -40.96% |
| 🍞 Bread, fresh loaf 500g | $2.40 | $1.42 (82 PHP) | -40.83% |
| 🥚 Eggs, dozen | $2.55 | $1.51 (87 PHP) | -40.78% |
| 🍗 Chicken breast, 1kg | $7.50 | $4.44 (255 PHP) | -40.8% |
| 🍚 White rice, 1kg | $3.00 | $1.77 (102 PHP) | -41% |
| 🍎 Apples, 1kg | $3.60 | $2.13 (122 PHP) | -40.83% |
| 🧀 Local cheese, 1kg | $9.00 | $5.32 (306 PHP) | -40.89% |
| 💧 Water, 1.5L bottle | $1.50 | $0.89 (51 PHP) | -40.67% |
| Drinks | |||
| 🍺 Domestic beer, pint (draught) | $4.04 | $1.96 (113 PHP) | -51.49% |
| 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle | $6.93 | $5.33 (307 PHP) | -23.09% |
| ☕ Cappuccino | $3.37 | $1.64 (94 PHP) | -51.34% |
| 🥤 Coke/Pepsi, 330ml | $1.73 | $1.02 (59 PHP) | -41.04% |
| Transport | |||
| 🚇 Public transport, monthly pass | $45.37 | $23.53 (1,353 PHP) | -48.14% |
| 🎫 Public transport, one-way | $1.92 | $1.00 (58 PHP) | -47.92% |
| 🚕 Taxi start (normal tariff) | $2.69 | $1.31 (75 PHP) | -51.3% |
| 🛣️ Taxi, per km | $1.21 | $0.59 (34 PHP) | -51.24% |
| ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L | $0.82 | $0.63 (36 PHP) | -23.17% |
| Utilities & comms | |||
| 💡 Basic utilities, 85m² apartment | $140 | $72.40 (4,163 PHP) | -48.14% |
| 🌐 Internet, 60Mbps+ unlimited | $48.86 | $25.34 (1,457 PHP) | -48.14% |
| 📱 Mobile plan, 10GB+ data | $31.41 | $16.29 (937 PHP) | -48.14% |
| Lifestyle | |||
| 🏋️ Gym membership, month | $33.67 | $16.35 (940 PHP) | -51.44% |
| 🎬 Cinema seat | $9.43 | $4.58 (263 PHP) | -51.43% |
| 💈 Men's haircut | $20.20 | $9.81 (564 PHP) | -51.44% |
| 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand) | $47.63 | $36.63 (2,106 PHP) | -23.09% |
| 👟 Running shoes (brand) | $77.94 | $59.94 (3,447 PHP) | -23.09% |
| 💻 Coworking hot desk, month | $168 | $81.76 (4,702 PHP) | -51.43% |
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 United Arab Emirates?
- A single person's monthly essentials run about $697 in Philippines versus $1,546 in United Arab Emirates — 54.94% 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 $4.04 in United Arab Emirates.
- How much is rent in Philippines compared to United Arab Emirates?
- A 1-bedroom city-center apartment is estimated at $422/month in Philippines versus $1,058/month in United Arab Emirates (-60.12%). 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.