Cost of Living Comparison Between Cauayan City and Makati Cost of Living Comparison Between Cauayan City and Makati

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $725 per month in Cauayan City vs $1,237 in Makati, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,099 per month in Cauayan City vs $2,035 in Makati, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,473 per month in Cauayan City vs $2,833 in Makati, rent included.

Cauayan City is about 41% cheaper than Makati, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cauayan City and Makati are more affordable than the global median – Cauayan City 47% lower, Makati 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.89 ₱244

$6.43 ₱403

-39.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.58 ₱1,039

$40.02 ₱2,509

-58.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.89 ₱181

$4.58 ₱287

-36.90%

Cappuccino

$1.84 ₱115

$2.60 ₱163

-29.23%

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

$0.60 ₱37.82

$1.13 ₱70.6

-46.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₱21.40

$0.48 ₱30.10

-29.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ₱61.3

$2.41 ₱151

-59.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₱99.5

$3.25 ₱204

-51.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ₱102

$1.94 ₱121

-15.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 ₱73.3

$1.23 ₱76.9

-4.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₱61.3

$1.07 ₱66.9

-8.41%

Eggs

$2.12 ₱133

$2.47 ₱155

-14.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.07 ₱318

$7.28 ₱457

-30.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.51 ₱220

$4.85 ₱304

-27.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.14 ₱510

$6.91 ₱433

17.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ₱145

$3.98 ₱250

-41.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.7

$2.00 ₱125

-23.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ₱145

$3.22 ₱202

-27.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 ₱67.3

$2.37 ₱148

-54.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 ₱109

$3.45 ₱216

-49.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 ₱109

$3.42 ₱215

-49.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ₱38.42

$1.11 ₱69.6

-45.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.53

$1.16 ₱72.7

-54.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

$2.57 ₱161

16.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.95 ₱561

$8.08 ₱506

10.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₱57.9

$1.35 ₱84.4

-31.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 ₱125

$2.05 ₱129

-2.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.63

$0.98 ₱61.6

-74.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.35 ₱712

$57.9 ₱3,628

-80.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱49.46

$0.61 ₱38.53

29.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.70

$0.23 ₱14.43

8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 ₱122

$1.86 ₱116

4.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 ₱57.8

$1.18 ₱74.0

-22.03%

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

$21.7K ₱1.4M

0.07%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$19.4K ₱1.2M

1.87%

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

$140 ₱8,755

$154 ₱9,681

-9.56%

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

$10.73 ₱673

$16.28 ₱1,021

-34.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 ₱1,460

$31.31 ₱1,963

-25.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.52 ₱2,038

$54.0 ₱3,383

-39.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.90 ₱307

$14.31 ₱897

-65.76%

Cinema Ticket

$5.32 ₱333

$7.10 ₱445

-25.07%

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

$134 ₱8,389

$783 ₱49.1K

-82.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K ₱682.7K

$7,374 ₱462.3K

47.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.78 ₱1,804

$60.3 ₱3,780

-52.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.30 ₱1,210

$37.61 ₱2,358

-48.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.6 ₱3,546

$82.2 ₱5,151

-31.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.6 ₱3,550

$104 ₱6,550

-45.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$273 ₱17.1K

$755 ₱47.3K

-63.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 ₱10.7K

$429 ₱26.9K

-60.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 ₱31.1K

$2,337 ₱146.5K

-78.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 ₱22.2K

$1,072 ₱67.2K

-66.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,645 ₱165.8K

$5,941 ₱372.4K

-55.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,059 ₱66.4K

$3,816 ₱239.2K

-72.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$606 ₱38.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

7.5

-10.00%

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

Last update for Cauayan City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Makati: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $273 in Cauayan City versus $755 in Makati. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Cauayan City versus $40.00 in Makati. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $177 vs $232 – making Cauayan City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Cauayan City vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $725 in Cauayan City, $1,237 in Makati – roughly 71% apart. Makati costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,087 per month in Cauayan City and $1,855 in Makati. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cauayan City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $134 per month in Cauayan City and $783 in Makati. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Makati, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cauayan City, where all-in costs run around $725, than in Makati at $1,237. In Cauayan City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Makati it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Makati has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $725 in Cauayan City to $1,237 in Makati. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Cauayan City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Makati makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.