Chisinau vs Manila Cost of Living Comparison
Takeaway for Chisinau vs Manila: everyday costs favor Manila (~30% CPI gap), housing index favors Manila, wage stretch favors Chisinau. Use category winners, not a single headline, when the binding constraint is rent or income.
Overall Cost Winner
Manila
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Internet (164% gap, Chisinau ahead); Transport (74% gap, Chisinau ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $302 lower in Manila than in Chisinau (~54% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $302 (favoring Manila).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Manila | CPI 19.1 vs 27.1 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Manila | Rent index 6.2 vs 14.2 (lower is better) |
| Food | Manila | Groceries index 26.9 vs 32.4 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Chisinau | One-way ticket 7.79 vs 13.57 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Chisinau | Utilities (85m²) 505.52 vs 725.4 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Chisinau | Internet 538.27 vs 1420.97 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Manila | Restaurant index 13.2 vs 24 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Manila | Avg net salary 66736.8 vs 39508.88 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Chisinau | PP index 35.8 vs 18.4 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Internet: Chisinau leads with a 164% gap.
Internet 538.27 vs 1420.97 (lower is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Manila — Lower housing / rent index (56% gap).
- Families: Manila — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Manila; purchasing power favors Chisinau.
- Remote Workers: Manila — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Manila (~30% gap).
- Budget Living: Manila — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Manila is the overall cost winner on CPI (~30% lower everyday-cost index than Chisinau).
- Housing: Manila leads on rent index (56% gap).
- Food / groceries: Manila is lower (17% gap).
- Purchasing power: Chisinau scores higher (49% gap).
- Largest category gap: Internet (164%), favoring Chisinau.
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$302 cheaper in Manila.
Analysis
Chisinau versus Manila is not a single number. With a 30% CPI spread, groceries and services tend to move with Manila, while housing follows Manila's rent index. Purchasing power (35.8 vs 18.4) decides whether local wages offset local prices.
Trust & data transparency
Last updated: 2026-08-21
Data Sources
This page uses CityCost index inputs. Platform sources (see also Data sources):
- Regional
- Regional
On-page labels for this view: Regional · Regional.
Methodology
Each indexed city is associated with a reference basket of common living costs (for example rent, groceries samples, transport tickets, utilities, restaurant meals, and net salary where available). From those items, the platform derives relative indices such as CPI, rent, groceries, restaurants, and local purchasing power, using New York City = 100 as the familiar baseline convention for relative comparison.