Monthly Budget Calculator
Visualize where your peso goes. Add, rename or remove categories to match your life.
Use your net pay after SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG and tax.
Expenses
Budget breakdown
- Rent / Mortgage26.7%₱12,000
- Food & Groceries17.8%₱8,000
- Utilities (Meralco, water)7.8%₱3,500
- Transport / Fuel8.9%₱4,000
- Internet & Mobile4.4%₱2,000
- Insurance / HMO5.6%₱2,500
- Loan / Credit Card6.7%₱3,000
- Dining & Leisure6.7%₱3,000
- Savings & Investing15.6%₱7,000
You're spending less than you earn — direct the surplus to savings or investing.
Printed from MoneyHub PH Monthly Budget Calculator — moneyhubph.com/calculators/monthly-budget
Frequently asked questions
How should I split my monthly budget in the Philippines?
A common starting point is the 50/30/20 rule — 50% needs (housing, food, utilities, transport), 30% wants (dining, subscriptions, leisure), and 20% savings & debt repayment. Adjust to your reality; renters in Metro Manila often need 55–60% for needs.
Should I include SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG and tax here?
Use your take-home (net) pay as the monthly income. Mandatory contributions and withholding tax are already deducted before you receive your salary.
What if my expenses exceed my income?
The summary will flag a deficit. Trim 'wants' first, renegotiate fixed bills, or add an income source. A consistent deficit is the fastest path to credit card debt.
How much should I save each month?
Aim for at least 20% of take-home pay split between an emergency fund (3–6 months of expenses in a high-yield savings account) and long-term investing (MP2, index funds, UITFs).
How to use the monthly budget calculator
Start with your take-home pay — the amount that actually lands in your account after SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, and withholding tax. Budgeting against your gross salary is the most common mistake Filipino households make, because the deductions on a private-sector payslip can take 10 to 15 percent off the top before you ever see the money.
Then assign every peso to a category. Rent or amortization, utilities, groceries, transportation, tuition, load and internet, insurance premiums, and debt payments are the fixed core. Whatever is left is where savings and discretionary spending compete, and the pie chart above is there to show you honestly how big that slice really is.
A widely used starting split is 50 percent needs, 30 percent wants, 20 percent savings and debt repayment. In Metro Manila, where rent and transport eat a larger share of income, many people run closer to 60/20/20. Either version works as long as savings has its own line and gets funded on payday rather than at the end of the month.
- Build an emergency fund of three to six months of expenses before investing — it is what keeps a hospital bill or a job loss from becoming credit card debt.
- Budget for the 13th month pay and any bonus separately: treat them as savings or debt payoff, not as extra monthly income.
- Irregular income? Budget using your lowest earning month of the last twelve, then treat anything above that as a bonus.
- Review the plan every quarter and after any change in rent, tuition, or salary.
Frequently asked questions
How much of my salary should go to savings in the Philippines?
Aim for at least 20 percent of take-home pay across emergency savings, retirement, and investments. If that is out of reach right now, start with 10 percent and raise it by one percentage point every time you get a raise — the habit matters more than the starting amount.
Should I budget with gross or net pay?
Always net, meaning your take-home pay after mandatory contributions and tax. Use our take-home pay calculator to get that number precisely, then bring it here.
What counts as a need versus a want?
A need is an expense you cannot skip next month without a real consequence: housing, utilities, basic food, transport to work, tuition, insurance, and minimum debt payments. Everything else, including subscriptions, dining out, and upgrades, is a want — useful, but flexible when money gets tight.
How do I budget when I am paid twice a month?
Split your fixed bills across the two cut-offs so neither payday carries all of them, and schedule your savings transfer on the first cut-off. That way saving happens before spending, which is the whole point.