Splitt
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Splitt
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Log an expense in 5 seconds · built for couples · settle by GCash
📊 Cost-of-living data — Numbeo, October 2026
Source: Numbeo — Cost of Living in Manila (crowd-sourced, updated Oct 2026). Ranges in this article apply these figures to a couple with no children in a mid-range condo. Rent varies heavily by area, so treat every figure as a guide, not a quote.
A couple's shared budget is mostly decided by one thing: the city, and inside the city, the rent. Here is a typical month for two people renting a one-bedroom condo in a mid-range Metro Manila area. Makati and BGC sit well above this; a provincial city sits below it.
Outside city centre
Cooking at home
Restaurants + delivery
Power, water, internet
Jeepney, MRT, Grab, fuel
Outings, subscriptions
| Category | Mid-range Metro Manila | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 🏠 Rent (1BR condo, outside centre) | ₱18,000 | 31% |
| 🛒 Groceries | ₱15,000 | 25% |
| 🍽️ Eating out & delivery | ₱8,000 | 14% |
| 💡 Utilities + internet | ₱8,000 | 14% |
| 🚕 Transport | ₱5,000 | 8% |
| 🎬 Leisure & subscriptions | ₱5,000 | 8% |
| Total shared / month | ~₱59,000 | 100% |
Excludes personal spending (individual clothes, phone load, personal subscriptions). In Makati or BGC, rent alone pushes the total past ₱75,000; in a provincial city it can fall below ₱40,000.
| Area | 1BR rent (outside centre) | Couple total / month |
|---|---|---|
| Makati / BGC | ~₱30,000 | ₱75,000–₱110,000 |
| Metro Manila (other) | ~₱18,000 | ₱50,000–₱80,000 |
| Cebu | ~₱14,000 | ₱45,000–₱70,000 |
| Davao | ~₱11,000 | ₱40,000–₱60,000 |
| Provincial city | ~₱8,000 | ₱35,000–₱50,000 |
Rent figures blend Numbeo and local market estimates; day-to-day costs are broadly similar, so the gap between places is mostly rent.
Almost every couple underestimates two things: eating out and the small GCash payments that disappear from memory the moment they happen. A ₱350 dinner here, a ₱180 Grab there, a ₱500 grocery top-up — paid instantly by whoever had their phone out, and forgotten by both of you by the weekend. Over a month that is easily ₱8,000–₱12,000 that nobody can account for, and it is the single most common reason the end-of-month number feels higher than it "should".
You do not need a shared bank account or a spreadsheet. The simplest setup two people can use in the Philippines:
That is exactly what Splitt does. It is free, it is built only for two people (not groups), there is nothing to install beyond a tap, and it never touches your bank — you settle with your own GCash, whenever you like.
Track your shared spending for one month with your partner. The first month always surprises both of you.
Start tracking together →A couple renting a one-bedroom condo in Metro Manila typically spends ₱45,000–₱80,000 per month on shared living. Makati and BGC are the most expensive (often ₱75,000–₱110,000 because of rent); Cebu, Davao and provincial cities are cheaper (₱35,000–₱60,000). Rent is the deciding factor.
Rent, by far — usually 30–45% of total shared spending. Numbeo puts a one-bedroom condo in Metro Manila at about ₱17,660 outside the centre and ₱34,117 in the centre; in the provinces the same unit is often ₱8,000–₱12,000.
Most couples track who paid and settle the difference by GCash or Maya. Splitt keeps the running balance automatically — each of you logs a spend in seconds, it shows who owes whom, and you clear it with one GCash transfer whenever you like. Free, and built only for two.
Yes, mainly because of rent. A one-bedroom condo in the centre of Metro Manila averages about ₱34,117 per Numbeo, versus ₱17,660 outside the centre and much less in Cebu or Davao. A couple usually spends noticeably less outside Makati and BGC.