Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Makati

For one person, living is cheaper in Bangkok: $1,114 a month against $1,228 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $1,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Makati outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

55

Cost of Living Index in Bangkok
Learn more

Bangkok Living Index
60

Cost of Living Index in Makati
Learn more

Makati Living Index

Jump to prices

Bangkok

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,114

/mo nomad

Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,228

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bangkok and in Makati

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bangkok and in Makati actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,114 in Bangkok versus $1,228 in Makati.

Bangkok $1,114
Makati $1,228

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,784 in Bangkok versus $2,028 in Makati.

Bangkok $1,784
Makati $2,028

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,455 in Bangkok versus $2,828 in Makati.

Bangkok $2,455
Makati $2,828

Living in Bangkok costs roughly 9% less than in Makati, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 18% lower, Makati 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.90 ฿96.9

$6.22 ₱392

-53.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.45 ฿1,185

$39.57 ₱2,491

-10.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 ฿216

$4.88 ₱307

32.38%

Cappuccino

$2.74 ฿91.7

$2.55 ₱161

7.45%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 ฿22.26

$1.06 ₱67.0

-36.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.32

$0.50 ₱31.54

-32.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 ฿90.0

$2.38 ₱150

13.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 ฿153

$3.21 ₱202

42.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.6

$1.90 ₱120

-1.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 ฿49.56

$1.29 ₱81.5

14.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿47.37

$1.06 ₱67.0

33.96%

Eggs

$2.55 ฿85.3

$2.47 ₱155

3.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.98 ฿568

$7.29 ₱459

132.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 ฿124

$4.86 ₱306

-23.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.79 ฿428

$7.03 ₱442

81.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.90 ฿130

$4.04 ₱254

-3.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 ฿58.2

$1.94 ₱122

-10.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ฿90.9

$3.22 ₱203

-15.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 ฿65.2

$2.29 ₱144

-14.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

$3.48 ₱219

-51.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$3.59 ₱226

-57.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ฿43.18

$1.06 ₱66.8

21.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.37

$1.11 ₱69.7

-53.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿151

$2.69 ₱169

68.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.90 ฿498

$8.11 ₱511

83.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.3

$1.32 ₱82.9

34.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿106

$1.98 ₱124

60.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ฿35.75

$0.90 ₱56.4

18.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.69 ฿1,193

$56.8 ₱3,575

-37.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 ฿34.04

$0.67 ₱41.91

52.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 ฿40.56

$0.21 ₱13.16

476.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.94 ฿199

$1.93 ₱121

207.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿48.06

$1.25 ₱78.8

15.20%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$31.8K ฿1.1M

$21.3K ₱1.3M

49.76%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.3K ฿910.9K

$19.6K ₱1.2M

39.33%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$106 ฿3,546

$153 ₱9,620

-30.56%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$15.05 ฿503

$16.06 ₱1,011

-6.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿588

$32.37 ₱2,038

-45.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 ฿1,918

$54.9 ₱3,456

4.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.78 ฿628

$14.14 ₱890

32.81%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿250

$7.22 ₱454

3.60%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$563 ฿18.8K

$794 ₱50.0K

-29.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K ฿544.0K

$7,321 ₱460.9K

122.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.4 ฿2,386

$61.2 ₱3,850

16.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.53 ฿1,455

$36.86 ₱2,321

18.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 ฿3,198

$81.5 ₱5,129

17.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ฿3,559

$103 ₱6,510

2.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$680 ฿22.7K

$815 ₱51.3K

-16.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 ฿11.3K

$417 ₱26.3K

-18.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,002 ฿66.9K

$2,274 ₱143.2K

-11.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$725 ฿24.2K

$1,069 ₱67.3K

-32.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,106 ฿204.1K

$5,869 ₱369.5K

4.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,111 ฿104.0K

$3,738 ₱235.4K

-16.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.2K

$601 ₱37.9K

0.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

7.5

-30.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bangkok: October 13, 2026

Last update for Makati: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bangkok

$338 30.4%

Makati

$417 34% 23.4% $79

Groceries & Markets

Bangkok

$272 24.5%

Makati

$231 18.8% 15.1% $41

Clothing & Footwear

Bangkok

$143 12.8%

Makati

$127 10.4% 10.8% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bangkok

$139 12.5%

Makati

$201 16.4% 45% $62

Eating Out

Bangkok

$102 9.2%

Makati

$120 9.7% 17% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Bangkok

$72 6.5%

Makati

$69 5.6% 4.2% $3

Getting Around

Bangkok

$47 4.2%

Makati

$62 5.1% 31.9% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $680 in Bangkok and $815 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangkok pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Bangkok vs $40.00 in Makati. Groceries flip the comparison at $272 vs $231, with Makati cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Bangkok

🇵🇭 Makati

🕒 Local time

02:28 2:28 AM

03:28 3:28 AM

1 h ahead of Bangkok

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,666,264 Capital

582,602

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bangkok Makati 2,210 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Bangkok
Makati

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bangkok vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Makati differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($1,114 vs $1,228 including rent). Bangkok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1% higher in Bangkok, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $680 in Bangkok versus $815 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bangkok – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $40.00 in Makati. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,114 per month in Bangkok versus $1,228 in Makati – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,114 in Bangkok versus $1,228 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bangkok but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Bangkok the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Bangkok and Makati are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bangkok gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.