How much are the rents in Manila right now? (2026)

Authored by the expert who managed and guided the team behind the Philippines Property Pack

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BAMBOOROUTES

A team specialized in real estate investing in APAC countries (Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, etc.).

We are a team of financial experts, legal professionals, developers, and local real estate specialists dedicated to helping people like you avoid mistakes when investing in real estate in a foreign place, particularly in Manila. If you’d like to learn more about us, you can check our presentation page.

What are typical rents in Manila as of 2026?

What's the average monthly rent for a studio in Manila as of 2026?

As of 2026, the average monthly rent for a studio in Manila is about ₱19,000, which is roughly $310 or €270.

Most studios in Manila rent for about ₱12,000 to ₱24,000 per month, or around $200 to $390 and €170 to €340.

The biggest rent differences come from location, furniture, building age, LRT access, and whether the studio is near DLSU, UST, UP Manila, PGH, Recto, España, or Taft Avenue.

What's the average monthly rent for a 1-bedroom in Manila as of 2026?

As of 2026, the average monthly rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Manila is about ₱24,000, which is roughly $390 or €340.

Most 1-bedroom apartments in Manila rent for about ₱20,000 to ₱32,000 per month, or around $330 to $520 and €290 to €460.

Cheaper 1-bedroom rents are often found in older parts of Paco, Santa Mesa, Tondo, and Sampaloc, while higher rents are more common in Malate, Ermita, Taft, and Roxas Boulevard.

What's the average monthly rent for a 2-bedroom in Manila as of 2026?

As of 2026, the average monthly rent for a 2-bedroom apartment in Manila is about ₱38,000, which is roughly $620 or €540.

Most 2-bedroom apartments in Manila rent for about ₱28,000 to ₱50,000 per month, or around $460 to $820 and €400 to €710.

Cheaper 2-bedroom rents are often found in Santa Mesa, Pandacan, Tondo, and parts of Sampaloc, while the most expensive 2-bedroom units are usually in Malate, Ermita, Roxas Boulevard, and central Taft.

By the way, you will find much more detailed rent ranges in our property pack covering the real estate market in Manila.

What's the average rent per square meter in Manila as of 2026?

As of 2026, the average rent per square meter in Manila is about ₱820 per month, which is roughly $13 or €12 per square meter.

A realistic Manila range is about ₱650 to ₱1,100 per square meter per month, or around $11 to $18 and €9 to €16.

Manila rent per square meter is usually lower than Makati and BGC, but small furnished studios near Taft, España, Recto, and PGH can still feel expensive because the units are compact.

Rent per square meter goes above average when a Manila unit is furnished, newly renovated, close to LRT, close to a major university, in a secure elevator building, or near the bayfront.

How much have rents changed year-over-year in Manila in 2026?

As of 2026, average rents in Manila are roughly flat to up 3% year-over-year in nominal terms.

The main reason is simple: Manila has steady tenant demand from students, hospitals, review centers, and LRT corridors, but Metro Manila still has a lot of vacant condominium supply.

Compared with the previous year, Manila rent growth in 2026 is still modest, because tenants have more options and landlords cannot raise prices aggressively in weaker buildings.

What's the outlook for rent growth in Manila in 2026?

As of 2026, projected rent growth in Manila is about 0% to 2% for average units.

The main factors are high Metro Manila vacancy, student enrollment cycles, hospital-worker demand, transport access, and the ability of tenants to pay higher rents.

The strongest rent growth in Manila is likely around Taft near DLSU, Pedro Gil near PGH, España near UST, Recto near FEU and UE, and Legarda near San Beda and CEU.

The main risks are too much condo supply, weak affordability, older buildings losing appeal, and landlords overpricing units that are not furnished or not close to transit.

Which neighborhoods rent best in Manila as of 2026?

Which neighborhoods have the highest rents in Manila as of 2026?

As of 2026, the top high-rent areas in Manila are Malate, Ermita, and Roxas Boulevard, where many good units rent around ₱30,000 to ₱50,000 per month, or about $490 to $820 and €430 to €710.

These Manila neighborhoods command premium rents because they offer furnished condos, LRT access, universities, hospitals, nightlife, embassies, bay views, and shorter trips to Makati or Pasay.

The typical tenants in these higher-rent Manila areas are medical workers, young professionals, expats, embassy staff, hospitality workers, and students with bigger budgets.

By the way, we’ve written a blog article detailing Sources and methodology: we compared neighborhood listings on Rentpad, Lamudi, and LRTA. We gave weight to actual Manila corridors, not broad Metro Manila averages. We then used our own location scoring for rental depth.

Where do young professionals prefer to rent in Manila right now?

The top Manila neighborhoods for young professionals are Malate, Ermita, and Taft, with Paco, Santa Mesa, and San Miguel also popular for more budget-conscious renters.

Young professionals in these Manila areas usually pay about ₱18,000 to ₱35,000 per month, or around $300 to $570 and €260 to €500.

Young professionals like these neighborhoods because Manila offers LRT access, hospitals, restaurants, coworking-friendly cafes, nightlife, government offices, and shorter commutes to nearby business districts.

By the way, you will find a detailed tenant analysis in our property pack covering the real estate market in Manila.

Where do families prefer to rent in Manila right now?

The top family-friendly rental areas in Manila are Paco, Santa Mesa, and parts of Sampaloc, with San Andres, Pandacan, and quieter pockets of Malate also working for some families.

Families in these Manila neighborhoods usually pay about ₱30,000 to ₱60,000 per month for 2-bedroom or 3-bedroom homes, or around $490 to $980 and €430 to €860.

Families like these areas because they can find larger spaces, better rent per square meter, markets, schools, hospitals, and less nightlife than the busiest parts of Malate and Ermita.

Important nearby education options include UST around Sampaloc, CEU and San Beda around San Miguel, De La Salle University near Taft, and several private schools around Paco and Santa Mesa.

Which areas near transit or universities rent faster in Manila in 2026?

As of 2026, the fastest-renting Manila areas near transit or universities are Taft near DLSU, España near UST, and Recto or Legarda near FEU, UE, San Beda, and CEU.

Well-priced small units in these Manila areas often stay listed for about 20 to 45 days, while weaker or overpriced units can take much longer.

A walkable location near LRT or a major Manila university can add about ₱2,000 to ₱6,000 per month, or around $30 to $100 and €30 to €90, compared with similar units farther away.

Which neighborhoods are most popular with expats in Manila right now?

The Manila neighborhoods most popular with expats are Malate, Ermita, and Roxas Boulevard, with some expats also choosing furnished units around Taft and PGH.

Expats in these Manila neighborhoods usually pay about ₱25,000 to ₱60,000 per month, or around $410 to $980 and €360 to €860.

These areas attract expats because Manila offers furnished condos, hospital access, bayfront views, restaurants, nightlife, embassies, security, and easy access to Intramuros, Pasay, Makati, and the airport.

The most visible expat groups in Manila include Americans, Koreans, Chinese, Japanese, Europeans, and regional Asian professionals, although Manila city has a smaller expat market than Makati or BGC.

And if you are also an expat, you may want to read our Sources and methodology: we used Rentpad, Lamudi, and Numbeo. We checked furnished-unit pricing and expat-friendly locations. We also used our own Manila expat-rental notes.

Who rents, and what do tenants want in Manila right now?

What tenant profiles dominate rentals in Manila?

The top tenant profiles in Manila are students and reviewees, young professionals and hospital workers, and small families or cost-sensitive expats.

A practical 2026 estimate is that students and reviewees represent about 35% of active rental demand, young professionals and hospital workers about 30%, and small families plus expats about 25%, with the rest spread across other renters.

Students usually want furnished studios near universities, young workers often want studios or 1-bedroom condos near LRT, and families usually want larger 2-bedroom or 3-bedroom homes in quieter Manila neighborhoods.

If you want to optimize your cashflow, you can read our Sources and methodology: we used PSA census data, PSA FIES, and CHED NCR. We matched the data with Manila’s universities, hospitals, and listings. We also used our own tenant-profile analysis.

Do tenants prefer furnished or unfurnished in Manila?

In Manila, about 60% to 70% of studio and 1-bedroom tenants prefer furnished rentals, while larger family units are more evenly split between furnished, semi-furnished, and unfurnished.

A furnished Manila apartment often earns about ₱3,000 to ₱8,000 more per month, or around $50 to $130 and €40 to €110, compared with a similar unfurnished unit.

Furnished rentals are especially popular with students, reviewees, medical interns, expats, and young professionals who want to move in quickly without buying appliances.

Which amenities increase rent the most in Manila?

The five amenities that increase rent the most in Manila are reliable air-conditioning, fast internet readiness, building security, elevator access, and walking distance to LRT, universities, or hospitals.

These amenities can add about ₱1,000 to ₱8,000 per month each, or around $20 to $130 and €15 to €110, depending on the building, unit size, and Manila neighborhood.

In our property pack covering the real estate market in Manila, we cover what are the best investments a landlord can make.

What renovations get the best ROI for rentals in Manila?

The best ROI renovations in Manila are air-conditioning replacement, bathroom refresh, kitchenette upgrade, repainting with better lighting, and built-in storage.

Typical costs range from about ₱15,000 to ₱150,000 per item, or around $250 to $2,500 and €210 to €2,100, and each upgrade can lift rent by roughly ₱1,000 to ₱8,000 per month when it solves a real tenant problem.

Landlords in Manila should be careful with luxury finishes, expensive imported furniture, oversized appliances, and heavy renovations in old buildings where tenants mainly care about cleanliness, cooling, safety, and location.

How strong is rental demand in Manila as of 2026?

What's the vacancy rate for rentals in Manila as of 2026?

As of 2026, a strong estimate for Manila condominium rental vacancy is about 20% to 25%.

The realistic range is closer to 10% to 15% for well-priced small units near Taft, España, Recto, Legarda, and PGH, but 25% to 35% for older, poorly located, or overpriced units.

This is higher than a normal healthy market, because Colliers expects Metro Manila condominium vacancy to reach about 25.6% by the end of 2026.

Finally please note that you will have all the indicators you need in our property pack covering the real estate market in Manila.

How many days do rentals stay listed in Manila as of 2026?

As of 2026, the average Manila rental stays listed for about 45 to 60 days.

Good furnished studios near LRT stations, universities, and hospitals can rent in 20 to 45 days, while older or overpriced 2-bedroom units can stay listed for 60 to 90 days or more.

Compared with one year ago, days on market in Manila are slightly longer for average units, because tenants have more choices and negotiate harder in a high-vacancy Metro Manila market.

Which months have peak tenant demand in Manila?

The peak months for tenant demand in Manila are May to August and December to January.

May to August is strong because of university moves, review-center demand, internships, and medical rotations, while December to January is helped by job starts and family relocations.

The quieter months are usually February, March, October, and November, when fewer students and workers are forced to move immediately.

What will my monthly costs be in Manila as of 2026?

What property taxes should landlords expect in Manila as of 2026?

As of 2026, a typical Manila landlord might pay about ₱25,000 to ₱45,000 per year in property tax for a small to mid-range condo, or roughly $410 to $740 and €360 to €640.

The realistic annual property-tax range in Manila can run from about ₱10,000 to ₱90,000, or around $160 to $1,480 and €140 to €1,290, depending on declared value, assessment level, and unit size.

Manila property tax is based on assessed value, not simply the market price, and the final bill depends on local assessment levels, the basic real property tax, and the Special Education Fund.

Please note that, in our property pack covering the real estate market in Manila, we cover what exemptions or deductions may be available to reduce property taxes for landlords.

What utilities do landlords often pay in Manila right now?

In Manila, landlords most often pay condo association dues, sometimes water, and sometimes internet only when the lease is marketed as semi-inclusive or fully inclusive.

Typical landlord-paid costs can be about ₱3,000 to ₱8,000 per month for association dues, ₱300 to ₱800 for water, and ₱1,500 to ₱2,500 for internet, or about $80 to $185 and €70 to €160 combined.

The common Manila practice is that tenants pay electricity and internet, while landlords pay association dues, because electricity can be expensive and varies a lot with air-conditioning use.

How is rental income taxed in Manila as of 2026?

As of 2026, rental income in Manila is taxable in the Philippines, and the exact treatment depends on whether the landlord is an individual, a business, VAT-registered, or subject to other percentage-tax rules.

Common deductions can include repairs, association dues, property tax, insurance, management fees, depreciation where allowed, and other documented costs linked to earning the rent.

Manila landlords should avoid collecting rent without proper records, mixing personal and rental expenses, ignoring BIR registration rules, and assuming condo dues or repairs are automatically handled the same way for every taxpayer.

We cover these mistakes, among others, in our Sources and methodology: we used BIR income tax guidance, Republic Act 7160, and Manila landlord-cost estimates from our work. We kept the tax explanation simple because personal tax status changes the answer. We recommend tax advice before relying on one fixed rate.

We did some research and made this infographic to help you quickly compare rental yields of the major cities in the Philippines versus those in neighboring countries. It provides a clear view of how this country positions itself as a real estate investment destination, which might interest you if you’re planning to invest there.

What sources have we used to write this blog article?

Whether it’s in our blog articles or the market analyses included in our property pack about Manila, we always rely on the strongest methodology we can, and we don’t throw out numbers at random.

We also aim to be fully transparent, so below we’ve listed the authoritative sources we used, and explained how we used them and the methods behind our estimates.

Source	Why this source is useful	How we used it
Colliers Q1 2026 Residential Philippines	Colliers is a major property consultancy that tracks Metro Manila residential supply, vacancy, and rent conditions.	We used it to understand the 2026 rental cycle in Metro Manila. We treated it as the main market-vacancy source, not as a bedroom-level rent source.
BusinessMirror on Colliers vacancy	BusinessMirror gives a clear public summary of Colliers’ Q1 2026 vacancy numbers.	We used it to cross-check the 25.6% Metro Manila vacancy figure. We only used the article where it directly reported Colliers data.
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas RPPI	BSP is the Philippine central bank and its RPPI is an official house-price index.	We used it to understand the residential price backdrop. We did not use it for rent levels because RPPI tracks home prices from bank housing loans.
Philippine Statistics Authority FIES	PSA is the national statistics agency and FIES is the official income and spending survey.	We used it to test rent affordability in NCR. We compared Manila rent estimates with household income and spending levels.
Philippine Statistics Authority Census of Population and Housing	PSA census data is the official base for population, households, and housing tenure.	We used it to frame Manila’s renter base. We used it for demand context, not live rental prices.
Rentpad Manila long-term rentals	Rentpad is a Philippine rental-listing platform with live long-term rental ads.	We used it to sample Manila studio, 1-bedroom, and 2-bedroom asking rents. We adjusted for outliers and obvious luxury listings.
Lamudi Manila rentals	Lamudi is one of the larger property portals in the Philippines.	We used it to cross-check asking rents and furnished-unit premiums. We did not rely on it alone because listings can be duplicated or aspirational.
Numbeo Manila property data	Numbeo is not official, but it gives transparent crowd-sourced rent ranges that are updated often.	We used it as a sanity check for city-centre and outside-centre rent levels. We weighted it below professional and live-listing sources.
Global Property Guide Philippines rent data	Global Property Guide is a long-running international property data provider.	We used it as a second private-sector rent benchmark. We treated it as a cross-check, not as the only rent source.
Meralco June 2026 residential rates	Meralco is the main electricity distributor serving Manila and publishes official monthly rate advisories.	We used it to estimate electricity-cost pressure in June 2026. We separated tenant-paid electricity from landlord-paid costs.
Maynilad April 2026 tariff notice	Maynilad is the main West Zone water concessionaire covering much of Manila.	We used it to understand water-cost direction. We only used it as a cost-context source because water billing varies by building.
Light Rail Transit Authority route map	LRTA is the official source for Manila’s LRT routes and stations.	We used it to identify rent-fast locations near LRT-1 and LRT-2. We connected transit access to Taft, Recto, Legarda, and nearby rental markets.
CHED NCR	CHED is the official higher-education regulator for the Philippines.	We used it to support the importance of Manila’s University Belt. We used it for demand mapping, not rent pricing.
Lawphil Republic Act 7160	Lawphil is widely used for Philippine legal reference texts.	We used it for the national legal basis of real property tax. We paired it with Manila-specific assessment rules.
BIR income tax page	BIR is the Philippine tax authority.	We used it to frame rental-income tax in simple terms. We kept the section cautious because exact tax depends on the landlord’s status and records.
Manila City Ordinance No. 7905	This Manila ordinance source helps explain local assessment levels and property-tax mechanics.	We used it to estimate Manila property-tax planning ranges. We still recommend checking the actual tax declaration for each unit.