Caloocan vs Manila

How to read the comparison chart

The grouped bars score each city 0–100 on cost, climate and safety — taller is better. Caloocan leads on any axis where its bar is higher, Manila where its is. The cost bar uses a higher-is-cheaper scale, so Manila's taller cost bar reflects its lower cost of living, not a higher price.

Caloocan vs Manila: the short answer

Manila comes out ahead on overall livability (55/100), only marginally above Caloocan (53/100). The two cities diverge most on natural-disaster exposure. On affordability Manila is the cheaper base — nearly identical prices on our cost index (Caloocan 44 vs Manila 44, where a higher score means a lower cost of living, normalised from World Bank price levels). For climate, Manila runs warmer in summer (about 29.4°C peak vs 29.4°C in Caloocan), while winter lows sit near 25.9°C in Caloocan and 25.9°C in Manila. On natural-disaster exposure Manila is the safer choice (safety 50/100); the dominant modelled hazard is storms (hurricane/cyclone) for Caloocan and storms (hurricane/cyclone) for Manila.

Which city should you choose?

• On a tight budget → Manila — lower everyday costs..
• You want warmth → Manila — hotter summers.
• Safety is the priority → Manila — lower disaster risk.
• Best all-rounder → Manila — highest overall livability.

Data & methodology

Cost scores are normalised from World Bank price-level data. Climate figures (summer highs, winter lows) are drawn from 1991–2020 climate normals. Disaster-safety blends USGS earthquake history (magnitude 4.5+ within 300 km since 1980), tropical-cyclone basin position, flood/elevation exposure and Köppen climate zone. The livability score is the weighted composite of cost, climate and safety. All figures are planning indicators for 2026, not guarantees — verify specifics before relocating.

Compiled by the CityLivably data team from open public datasets (World Bank, USGS, climate normals).

FAQ

Is Caloocan or Manila better to live in?

Manila scores higher overall — 55 vs 53 on our 0–100 livability index, which weights cost, climate and safety.

Which is cheaper, Caloocan or Manila?

Manila has the lower cost of living (cost index 44 vs 44; higher = cheaper, from World Bank price levels).

Which is warmer, Caloocan or Manila?

Manila — summer highs reach about 29.4°C versus 29.4°C in Caloocan.

Which is safer from natural disasters, Caloocan or Manila?

Manila (disaster-safety 50/100). Main hazard: storms (hurricane/cyclone) in Caloocan, storms (hurricane/cyclone) in Manila.

What is the main natural-disaster risk in Caloocan?

storms (hurricane/cyclone) is the dominant modelled hazard for Caloocan on our risk index.

How is the Caloocan vs Manila comparison calculated?

Cost comes from World Bank price levels, climate from 1991–2020 normals, and disaster risk from USGS earthquake data, cyclone-basin position and flood exposure; livability is their weighted composite.