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City Profile

Caloocan, Luzon

Philippines · Comprehensive city data and intelligence

Compare Caloocan Custom Comparison
76
Overall Score

Caloocan is a major, densely populated highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines, uniquely split into two distinct geographic sections known as South and North Caloocan. Historically renowned as a cradle of the Philippine Revolution and home to the iconic Andres Bonifacio Monument, the city blends deep historical roots with a fast-paced, working-class character. People move to Caloocan for its strategic positioning as a gateway to Metro Manila and Northern Luzon, offering relative proximity to the capital's core commercial districts alongside expanding residential options in the northern barangays.

About Luzon

Luzon is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines, serving as the nation's economic and political center, home to over half of the Filipino population. Its economy is diverse, leading the country in both industry and agriculture, with major sectors including electronics, automotive, food processing, textiles, rice, corn, coconuts, sugarcane, and mining for gold, copper, and iron. The climate is tropical, and while the cost of living can be significantly lower than Western nations, particularly in rural areas, major cities like Metro Manila can have expenses comparable to international cities. Lifestyle varies from bustling urban centers to more relaxed provincial living, with transportation often relying on buses, tricycles, and jeepneys outside of major metropolitan areas.

1,738,045
Population
$0K
Avg Salary
21
Cost Index
76.5
Quality Score
How this 77/100 was calculated five components, with every reading behind them
Component Readings used Points Weight Contributes
Safety Safety score: 65 / 100 65.0 30% 19.5
Affordability Cost of living index (100 = national baseline): 21.0 100.0 25% 25.0
Economy & jobs Median household income: $6,500 Income needed to live here: no usable reading Unemployment rate: 4.5% 68.8 20% 13.8
Growth Population growth rate: 1.24% Job growth rate: 3.8% 76.0 15% 11.4
Business climate assessment Business climate assessment: 68 / 100 68.0 10% 6.8
Overall score 76.5

Provenance. These figures were produced by the research pass recorded as Gemini (ungrounded) (q=55, partial — below threshold), last refreshed 17 October 2026. They are researched estimates drawn from public sources, not a licensed data feed.

Each component is scored against fixed published endpoints, so this number is comparable with any other city and does not move as the dataset grows. Scoring framework 2026.10 — full methodology, weights and accepted ranges.

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Performance

Quality Scores

Business
68
Livability
71
Affordability
85
Growth
72

Expenses

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Caloocan remains notably lower than the national and regional averages for Metro Manila, making it an attractive destination for budget-conscious families and working professionals. Everyday expenses such as local market produce, public transportation fares, and neighborhood services are relatively affordable, helping cushion residents against broader inflationary pressures. While utility rates and imported goods align with national pricing trends, housing and rent remain significantly more economical compared to primary business centers like Makati or Bonifacio Global City.

Average Rent
$220/mo
Groceries
$180/mo
Transport
$45/mo
Utilities
$65/mo
Healthcare
$90/mo
Gym membership (monthly)
$25.00
Cinema ticket
$5.00
Restaurant meal (mid-range)
$6.00
Monthly groceries
$150.00
Doctor visit (without insurance)
$20.00

Income

Salary Insights

Caloocan's economy is anchored by vibrant wholesale and retail trade, a strong manufacturing sector concentrated in industrial enclaves, and expanding commercial retail complexes. Major employers range from large logistics providers and automotive parts distributors along its famous commercial strips to shopping mall developments and health services. While traditional on-site manufacturing and trade dominate local employment, the remote work scene is gradually growing among younger professionals seeking metropolitan income levels while enjoying lower local housing costs.

The average salary in Caloocan is $340 per year. You would need approximately $300 to live comfortably.

Employment

Top Industries

Manufacturing +1.50% Wholesale and Retail Trade +4.00% Accommodation and Food Service +9.50% Transportation and Storage +3.20% Human Health and Social Work +11.90%

Weather

Climate

🌡️
28°C
Avg Temp
☀️
30°C
Summer High
❄️
24°C
Winter Low
🌧️
103.90"
Annual Rain
💧
78.00%
Humidity
🌤️
121
Sunny Days

Mobility

Transport

Getting around Caloocan relies heavily on an extensive network of jeepneys, buses, tricycles, and the LRT Line 1 extension connecting commuters directly into the heart of Manila. The city serves as a crucial transportation nexus, further enhanced by major thoroughfares and expressways like the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) that facilitate regional travel. While public transit coverage is extensive, traffic density during peak hours contributes to longer commute times for motorists and transit riders alike.

45 min
Avg Commute
62.00/10
Transit Score
58.00/10
Walkability
Medium
Car Dependency
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At a Glance

Pros & Cons

Advantages
Caloocan's overall cost of living and consumer prices rank significantly lower than core Metro Manila business districts per Numbeo data.
The city functions as a strategic transportation gateway linking Metro Manila to Northern Luzon via major expressways like NLEX per official municipal reports.
Extensive public transit integration via the LRT Line 1 provides direct connectivity to central Manila per local transport studies.
North Caloocan offers expanding residential subdivisions and master-planned communities providing more spacious housing options per official urban planning data.
A vibrant local economy driven by wholesale trade, retail complexes, and emerging service sectors supports local employment per PSA economic data.
Drawbacks
Heavy traffic congestion along major arterial roads frequently leads to extended commute times per municipal traffic studies.
Population density in South Caloocan creates crowded living conditions and strains local infrastructure per census data.
Local average wages trail behind the broader National Capital Region average per Philippine Statistics Authority regional reports.
Vulnerability to seasonal flooding during heavy monsoon rains affects low-lying urban sectors per disaster management assessments.
Air quality in dense commercial corridors experiences moderate pollution levels typical of major metropolitan hubs per environmental reports.

Head to Head

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Nearby Cities

Manila
77
Makati
78
Las Piñas
78
Muntinlupa
85

Community Q&A

Questions about Caloocan

What people ask about living in and moving to Caloocan, Luzon.

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Gathering the most common questions about Caloocan…

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

The consumer market basket tracks everyday necessities, including staple grocery items (such as milk, bread, eggs, and produce), residential energy bills (electricity, gas, and water), public and private transit costs, routine outpatient medical care, and standard consumer goods and services to ensure a representative monthly budget.

Even in close geographic proximity, local tax jurisdictions, municipal utility rates, zoning laws, and micro-housing markets can create wide cost discrepancies. For example, a city with strict land-use regulations or higher local sales taxes will typically exhibit elevated housing and consumer goods costs compared to an adjacent county with looser zoning and lower tax burdens.

Even in close geographic proximity, local tax jurisdictions, municipal utility rates, zoning laws, and micro-housing markets can create wide cost discrepancies. For example, a city with strict land-use regulations or higher local sales taxes will typically exhibit elevated housing and consumer goods costs compared to an adjacent county with looser zoning and lower tax burdens.

Local tax climates significantly shift a city's affordability score by directly affecting disposable income. Urblytica factors in state income tax brackets, local municipal property tax millage rates, and combined sales taxes to measure the true tax drag on median household earnings.

Core economic indexes and consumer price metrics undergo a comprehensive quarterly recalibration. This update cycle integrates the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) releases, municipal utility rate adjustments, and regional housing data feeds to ensure all index comparisons reflect current economic conditions.

Housing is weighted as the single largest component in Urblytica's cost-of-living algorithm, typically accounting for roughly 30% to 35% of the composite score. It incorporates both median monthly gross rent and median single-family home purchase prices relative to local median income levels.

Normalization involves adjusting raw economic inputs against localized purchasing power parities (PPPs) and population-weighted density scales. This ensures fair, apples-to-apples comparisons between dense metropolitan hubs and smaller suburban or rural towns.

Utility indexing applies a rolling annual average that captures seasonal climate variations, such as increased summer air conditioning loads in southern climates or heavier winter heating demands in northern regions, providing a realistic year-round average utility expense.

Remote workers leverage the index to calculate real purchasing power parity when moving from a high-cost-of-living area to a lower-cost region. By comparing index differentials against their fixed salary, users can determine if their net savings and lifestyle quality will improve post-relocation.

While the raw Cost of Living Index measures pure expense levels, it is frequently paired with Urblytica’s local wage index and median household income benchmarks. This combined view highlights whether local salaries keep pace with local consumer goods and housing expenses.

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