Cost Of Living In Quezon City Philippines For Expats 2024

Cost of living in Quezon City? Quezon City is one of the highest urbanized cities in the Philippines and, in recent years, has become one of the most popular cities in the country. As a result, many questions the overall cost of living in Quezon City and whether Quezon City is safe or not, and in today’s article, we will be covering these two areas and more.

Table of Contents

How Much Is Rent In Quezon City Philippines

Over the years, rental prices in Quezon City have slowly increased, and many factors impact the rental prices for the city. Still, one of the reasons is that Quezon City has locals and foreigners living in Manila.

In other words, Quezon City is a one-hour ride away from Manila, and it provides residents with a refreshing break from life in the madness of metro manila. Many real estate experts have suggested that the popularity and a simple supply and demand mechanism, this is the real reason why rental costs have increased in the city.

So how much is the rent in Quezon City? A one-bedroom condominium or apartment in the city center can range between 16,000 – 22,000 Pesos. A two-bedroom unit or a family-sized apartment can range between 22,000 – 35,000 Pesos. Rental prices can be lowered by up to 46% if renting a property outside the city center.

Many cost of living websites and comparisons online gives similar figures to those I have experienced above; however, the lower fees tend to be low-quality condominiums. If you are a foreigner thinking about moving to Quezon City, it is highly unlikely that you will rent a low-quality condominium for 14K-16K pesos. In context, my last condominiums cost me 22K & 24K pesos, respectively.

So now that we’ve looked at how much rent is in Quezon City, the next significant factor of living costs is the food…

How Much Is The Food Costs In Quezon City Philippines

The food costs in Quezon City tend to be reasonably similar to other parts of Manila (give or take). Still, in my experience, I’ve found a good selection of western foods in Quezon City, which increased my food budget ever so slightly.

On average, you can expect to pay anywhere from $100 – $300 for food. It’s challenging to estimate as we all eat very differently; however, below is a list of different items and restaurant costs to compare the food costs in Quezon City.

Restaurants	Average Price (PHP)
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant	150.00 ₱
Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course	800.00 ₱
McMeal at McDonald’s (or Equivalent Combo Meal)	135.00 ₱
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter draught)	55.00 ₱
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)	100.00 ₱
Cappuccino (regular)	104.44 ₱
Coke/Pepsi (0.33 liter bottle)	31.00 ₱
Water (0.33 liter bottle)	15.33 ₱
Markets	Average Price (PHP)
Milk (regular), (1 liter)	84.62 ₱
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g)	61.56 ₱
Rice (white), (1kg)	46.38 ₱
Eggs (regular) (12)	99.41 ₱
Local Cheese (1kg)	497.76 ₱
Chicken Fillets (1kg)	223.26 ₱
Beef Round (1kg) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)	322.06 ₱
Apples (1kg)	120.67 ₱
Banana (1kg)	83.67 ₱
Oranges (1kg)	104.42 ₱
Tomato (1kg)	57.22 ₱
Potato (1kg)	91.18 ₱
Onion (1kg)	84.00 ₱
Lettuce (1 head)	61.67 ₱
Water (1.5 liter bottle)	41.05 ₱
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range)	350.00 ₱
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)	56.11 ₱
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)	82.50 ₱
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro)	120.00 ₱

Source: https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/in/Quezon-City

How Much Is Transport Costs In Quezon City Philippines

There are a few different options for transportation when living in Quezon City, for example, taxi, bus, jeepney, private motorbike/car, etc.

In Quezon City, Jeepneys are a very low-cost way of traveling around the city. A short journey can cost as little as ten or so pesos. If you are traveling more than 1.5km, then extra payments will need to be made; alternatively, many locals and foreigners choose private taxis to form faster transportation.

It’s always important to be vigilant of any taxi scams as, unfortunately, there are still some scams across Quezon City; however, there shouldn’t be any problem whatsoever in many cases. At the beginning of the journey, the meter price starts around 40-60 pesos, but looking for a cheaper form of transportation using a taxi service with grab is often recommended.

Quezon City Crime Rate / Is Quezon City Philippines Safe?

There are many different types of public safety to consider, but in our modern world, the biggest concern is the spread of COVID-19. Covid is still a major concern around the Philippines and indeed in Quezon City.

Over the last 48 hours, there have been reports of cases of COVID-19 spiking. This morning, Rappler reported that at least 51 people have tested positive for COVID-19 following a pool party in Quezon City. Currently, it’s too early to say. Still, several reports from government officials have speculated that borders will start to open for tourism shortly, which has raised some eyebrows in the local community.

Unfortunately, there are many areas of concern in the Philippines in terms of crime, including murder, organized crime, illegal drug trade, domestic violence, human trafficking, corruption, and many others.

Quezon City became national news as the 2018 crime rate in Quezon City was the highest across the Philippines. The current population was just under 3,000,000; however, the total number of crimes (that were recorded) reached 41,152.

Since the crime rate of 2018, the Philippines national police, crime research, analyst center, and other organizations/bodies in the Philippines have tackled crime across the city. Since this time, as we look over the last several years, the crime rate has dropped in Quezon City.

In total, it has been reported that the official crime rate dropped by 17% last year, and officials aim to continue this decrease as we look into 2025 and beyond. However, being highly vigilant is still essential when living in the city.

What Is Life Like In Quezon City Philippines?

We have covered some of the most significant areas of concern for today’s article, including how much is rent in Quezon City, the crime rates, and the overall costs of living in Quezon City. But what is life like in Quezon City?

Quezon City is a fairly diverse city. Over the last several years, Quezon City has become more popular with foreigners and ex-pats looking to live and stay in the Philippines full time. Additionally, Quezon City is also a reasonably common area for retirees from other countries outside of Asia.

Quezon City has a lot to offer and offers its residents a breath of fresh air, especially if they have been previously living in Manila. The total amount you will need to live in Quezon City can range from $900 – $1300 for foreigners. It is suggested to aim for the higher end of the estimation as Quezon City tends to be slightly more expensive than other cities. Cost of living in Quezon City.

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