BYD Seagull (Dynamic)
₱1,125,404 / 5 yr
₱18,757/mo₱18.76/km
Lowest 5-yr cost
EV vs petrol cost in Metro Manila, the Philippines (2026) — the true 5-year total
As of July 2026: of the 42 models we price, the cheapest to own over 5 years in Metro Manila, the Philippines is the Wuling Macaron 120 km at ₱875,257 — an electric car. That makes electric the outright winner in this market — though we still say it plainly wherever a petrol or hybrid model wins.
What an EV really costs to own in Metro Manila versus petrol or a hybrid, at Metro Manila's electricity price of 14.48₱/kWh — depreciation, charging, insurance, maintenance and registration, every figure sourced and dated. Petrol, fuel and incentives are the Philippines-wide; only electricity changes by grid area.
Example comparison — change the vehicles belowOver 5 years, the BYD Seagull (Dynamic) (EV) is the cheapest at ₱1,125,404 — about ₱69,609 less than the Geely Coolray 1.5T Premium (₱18,757/mo, ₱18.76/km).
Total cost of ownership, cheapest first
Geely Coolray 1.5T Premium Plus
₱1,195,013 / 5 yr
₱19,917/mo₱19.92/km
+₱69,609 more than the BYD Seagull (6%)
BYD Dolphin
₱1,541,152 / 5 yr
₱25,686/mo₱25.69/km
+₱415,748 more than the BYD Seagull (37%)
Cumulative cost over time
Total spend by each year — purchase, charging/fuel, depreciation, insurance and financing combined. Where two lines cross is your payback point.
BYD SeagullGeely Coolray 1.5T PremiumBYD Dolphin
Geely Coolray 1.5T Premium never beats BYD Seagull within 5 yrs · BYD Dolphin never beats BYD Seagull within 5 yrs
Where the money goes (full breakdown)
| Cost component | Electric · BYD Seagull | Gas · Geely Coolray 1.5T Premium | Electric · BYD Dolphin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depreciation (estimated) | ₱571,120 (51%) | ₱482,540 (40%) | ₱848,420 (55%) |
| Charging / fuel | ₱116,794 (10%) | ₱273,750 (23%) | ₱166,849 (11%) |
| ↳ of which charging loss | 12% (~₱14,015) | — | 12% (~₱20,022) |
| Maintenance | ₱54,000 (5%) | ₱90,000 (8%) | ₱54,000 (4%) |
| Insurance | ₱190,000 (17%) | ₱140,000 (12%) | ₱190,000 (12%) |
| Financing interest | ₱181,489 (16%) | ₱196,723 (16%) | ₱269,883 (18%) |
| Registration & fees | ₱12,000 (1%) | ₱12,000 (1%) | ₱12,000 (1%) |
| Total cost of ownership | ₱1,125,404 | ₱1,195,013 | ₱1,541,152 |
Metro Manila reference numbers
- Electricity (Metro Manila)
- 14.48₱/kWhMeralco · 2026-08-06
- Petrol (the Philippines)
- ₱73.00/LDOE (national avg RON95)
- Charging loss (modeled)
- 12%EPA / SAE J1634
- Maintenance (₱/yr)
- EV ₱10800 vs petrol ₱18000est.
- Insurance (₱/yr, avg)
- EV ₱38,000 vs petrol ₱28,000est.
- EV purchase rebate
- none (price-embedded tax relief + perks only)DOE EVIDA
What is different about Metro Manila's numbers
Home electricity in Metro Manila is 14.48₱/kWh — level with the 14.48₱ Philippines average (Meralco, 2026-08-06), which makes Metro Manila the only grid area we price in the Philippines — its rate is the national figure every other page here uses. Petrol stays Philippines-wide at ₱73.00/L (DOE (national avg RON95)), as do registration and incentives, so Metro Manila changes exactly one input on this page.
What the Meralco figure for Metro Manila actually is: Meralco residential overall ₱14.4833/kWh, June 2026. Largest distribution utility (Metro Manila + surrounds); the realistic home-charging anchor. Visayas (VECO) runs higher, Mindanao (Davao Light) lower, but Meralco is the safe single anchor.
Run all 38 models that have their own cost page through the kernel at both rate sets and the average electric car's 5-year total in Metro Manila lands within a dollar of its Philippines-average figure — the rate we hold for Metro Manila is the national average, to the cent, while a petrol or hybrid car's total does not move by a cent — in the Philippines only electricity changes by grid area. Net effect: Metro Manila leaves the gap an EV has to close essentially where the national numbers put it. At Metro Manila rates EVs take 1 of the 10 head-to-head matchups we track, against 1 at the Philippines average — we publish that whichever way it falls.
Running cost at Metro Manila prices: a Wuling Macaron 120 km draws about ₱133.28 of electricity per 100 km charging at home in Metro Manila with the ~12% charging loss counted, against ₱511.00 of petrol for a 7 L/100km car — a petrol car would have to do 1.8 L/100km to match the EV's energy bill in Metro Manila. Only the most frugal small hybrids get near that, so on energy alone an EV is still well ahead in Metro Manila. Energy is only one line of the total: depreciation and insurance decide the 5-year figure, which is why most of the matchups on this page still go to the petrol or hybrid car.
Cheapest to own in Metro Manila, the Philippines
Ranked by true 5-year cost at Metro Manila's own electricity rate (12,000 km/yr, all-in). Tap a column to sort, or filter by type:
| Type | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wuling Macaron 120 km | Electric | ₱663,000 | ₱875,257 | ₱14,588 |
| Toyota Wigo 1.0 GR-S | Petrol | ₱735,000 | ₱963,051 | ₱16,051 |
| Toyota Raize 1.2 E CVT | Petrol | ₱847,000 | ₱1,018,110 | ₱16,969 |
| Mitsubishi Mirage G4 GLX 1.2 CVT | Petrol | ₱841,000 | ₱1,027,362 | ₱17,123 |
| Toyota Vios 1.3 XLE | Petrol | ₱908,000 | ₱1,105,825 | ₱18,430 |
| BYD Seal 5 DM-i | Plug-in hybrid | ₱958,000 | ₱1,124,916 | ₱18,749 |
| BYD Seagull (Dynamic) | Electric | ₱968,000 | ₱1,125,404 | ₱18,757 |
| Toyota Avanza 1.3 E CVT | Petrol | ₱1,016,000 | ₱1,132,016 | ₱18,867 |
| Geely Coolray 1.5T Premium Plus | Petrol | ₱1,049,000 | ₱1,195,013 | ₱19,917 |
| Nissan Almera 1.0 Turbo VL | Petrol | ₱1,209,000 | ₱1,261,469 | ₱21,024 |
| BYD Dolphin | Electric | ₱1,438,000 | ₱1,541,152 | ₱25,686 |
| BYD eMAX 7 | Electric | ₱1,548,000 | ₱1,671,661 | ₱27,861 |
| BYD Atto 3 (Dynamic) | Electric | ₱1,638,000 | ₱1,728,853 | ₱28,814 |
| Nissan Leaf 40 kWh | Electric | ₱1,998,000 | ₱2,023,975 | ₱33,733 |
That is the Metro Manila-relevant slice of the fleet. All 38 models we price, at the Philippines average rate, are on the Philippines hub.
Matchups that change hands in Metro Manila
None of them. That is arithmetic rather than luck in Metro Manila: the rate we hold for it is the Philippines average, so all 10 head-to-head matchups land exactly where the national numbers put them. All 10 Philippines matchups →
← All the Philippines EV costs (national average)
FAQ
Is an electric car cheaper to own than a petrol car in Metro Manila, the Philippines?
Often, yes — as of July 2026 the cheapest model we track in Metro Manila, the Philippines is electric: the Wuling Macaron 120 km at ₱875,257 over 5 years, all-in. But the verdict depends on the model and your mileage — some EVs still cost more once depreciation and insurance are counted, and each comparison page states plainly when the petrol or hybrid car wins.
Which EV is cheapest to own in Metro Manila, the Philippines?
As of July 2026, the Wuling Macaron 120 km — about ₱875,257 over 5 years all-in: depreciation, charging (including losses), insurance, maintenance, registration and financing.
What do electricity and petrol cost in Metro Manila, the Philippines right now?
Our totals use 14.48₱/kWh for home electricity (Meralco) and ₱73.00/L for petrol (DOE (national avg RON95)), as of August 6, 2026.
What does the 5-year total include?
Depreciation, charging or fuel (including the ~12% AC charging loss most calculators omit), insurance, maintenance, registration and financing interest — every source dated.
How much does it cost to charge an EV in Metro Manila?
About ₱133.28 per 100 km charging at home at Metro Manila's residential rate (14.48₱/kWh, Meralco), including the ~12% charging loss — using a Wuling Macaron 120 km as the reference. A petrol car doing 7 L/100km burns about ₱511.00 over the same distance. Cost to charge every model in the Philippines →
Estimates for planning, not financial advice. the Philippines depreciation, insurance and maintenance are dated estimates calibrated to the Philippines sources. How we calculate →