Cost of Living Comparison Between Butuan and Makati Cost of Living Comparison Between Butuan and Makati

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $731 in Butuan versus $1,232 in Makati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,129 in Butuan versus $2,009 in Makati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,527 in Butuan versus $2,786 in Makati.

Living in Butuan costs roughly 41% less than in Makati, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Butuan 45% lower, Makati 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ₱272

$6.80 ₱419

-35.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.09 ₱992

$45.15 ₱2,784

-64.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.33 ₱144

$4.93 ₱304

-52.74%

Cappuccino

$1.63 ₱100

$2.87 ₱177

-43.21%

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

$0.33 ₱20.25

$1.19 ₱73.5

-72.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₱19.22

$0.56 ₱34.76

-44.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ₱71.8

$2.44 ₱151

-52.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 ₱112

$3.66 ₱225

-50.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ₱102

$2.14 ₱132

-22.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ₱63.8

$1.43 ₱88.4

-27.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ₱61.1

$1.08 ₱66.5

-8.33%

Eggs

$1.98 ₱122

$2.34 ₱144

-15.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.73 ₱353

$8.16 ₱503

-29.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 ₱223

$4.43 ₱273

-18.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.37 ₱454

$7.64 ₱471

-3.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.38 ₱85.1

$4.57 ₱282

-69.80%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 ₱33.96

$1.92 ₱118

-71.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 ₱53.8

$2.70 ₱166

-67.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 ₱86.6

$2.25 ₱139

-37.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 ₱136

$3.29 ₱203

-33.13%

Onion (1kg)

$3.19 ₱197

$2.86 ₱177

11.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 ₱85.3

$1.08 ₱66.8

27.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₱32.27

$0.99 ₱61.3

-47.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 ₱150

$2.94 ₱181

-17.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.29 ₱511

$8.28 ₱511

0.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₱44.55

$1.20 ₱74.1

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₱53.5

$2.34 ₱144

-62.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.34

$0.51 ₱31.71

-45.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱46.67

$0.81 ₱50.0

-6.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.46

$0.12 ₱7.44

108.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.15 ₱132

$3.58 ₱221

-39.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₱70.2

$1.10 ₱67.8

3.64%

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

$22.3K ₱1.4M

$34.3K ₱2.1M

-34.89%

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

$20.9K ₱1.3M

$21.5K ₱1.3M

-2.91%

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

$106 ₱6,539

$172 ₱10.6K

-38.36%

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

$33.91 ₱2,091

$26.94 ₱1,661

25.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.49 ₱2,188

$36.49 ₱2,250

-2.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.79 ₱2,084

$56.0 ₱3,452

-39.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.32 ₱266

$11.79 ₱727

-63.36%

Cinema Ticket

$4.38 ₱270

$7.90 ₱487

-44.56%

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

$72.1 ₱4,443

$321 ₱19.8K

-77.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,766 ₱108.9K

$7,538 ₱464.8K

-76.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.95 ₱2,834

$60.3 ₱3,717

-23.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.10 ₱623

$35.62 ₱2,197

-71.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.9 ₱4,370

$85.6 ₱5,277

-17.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.0 ₱4,191

$122 ₱7,516

-44.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 ₱16.2K

$666 ₱41.1K

-60.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 ₱10.8K

$390 ₱24.0K

-54.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 ₱36.5K

$2,260 ₱139.4K

-73.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱24.5K

$1,024 ₱63.1K

-61.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,749 ₱169.5K

$6,010 ₱370.6K

-54.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,070 ₱66.0K

$3,852 ₱237.5K

-72.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.56

6.67

43.33%

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

Last update for Butuan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Makati: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $262 in Butuan and $666 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $16.00 in Butuan vs $45.00 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $164 vs $234 per month, with Butuan cheaper across the board.

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

Butuan vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Butuan wins on cost – living expenses run 68% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Butuan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,097 in Butuan and $1,849 in Makati to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $262 in Butuan versus $666 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $72.1 in Butuan versus $321 in Makati. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Butuan – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $45.00 in Makati. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $731 in Butuan versus $1,232 in Makati, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Butuan but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Butuan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Butuan delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $731 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Butuan hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Butuan 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 Butuan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.