Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cavite and Makati

For one person, living is cheaper in Cavite: $564 a month against $1,230 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cavite, Philippines
Makati, Philippines
Cavite
🇵🇭 Philippines
$564
/mo nomad
Makati
🇵🇭 Philippines
$1,230
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cavite 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 Cavite and in Makati actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $564 per month in Cavite vs $1,230 in Makati, rent included.

  • Cavite $564
  • Makati $1,230

A couple spends around $879 per month in Cavite vs $2,137 in Makati, rent included.

  • Cavite $879
  • Makati $2,137

A family of three spends $1,194 per month in Cavite vs $3,044 in Makati, rent included.

  • Cavite $1,194
  • Makati $3,044

Cavite is about 54% cheaper than Makati, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Cavite and Makati are more affordable than the global median – Cavite 59% lower, Makati 10% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cavite
Makati
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.34 ₱149
$6.40 ₱409
-63.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$15.86 ₱1,014
$38.45 ₱2,457
-58.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$2.26 ₱144
$4.78 ₱306
-52.72%
Cappuccino
$1.77 ₱113
$2.59 ₱166
-31.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.58 ₱37.32
$1.09 ₱69.9
-46.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ₱21.18
$0.49 ₱31.39
-32.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.95 ₱60.5
$2.39 ₱153
-60.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 ₱98.7
$3.18 ₱203
-51.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cavite
Makati
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 ₱88.1
$1.80 ₱115
-23.33%
White Bread (500g)
$1.09 ₱69.6
$1.26 ₱80.8
-13.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.89 ₱56.9
$1.03 ₱65.9
-13.59%
Eggs
$1.95 ₱125
$2.37 ₱151
-17.72%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.10 ₱326
$6.91 ₱441
-26.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.40 ₱217
$4.93 ₱315
-31.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.12 ₱391
$6.74 ₱431
-9.20%
Apples (1kg)
$2.03 ₱130
$4.12 ₱263
-50.73%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 ₱67.7
$1.90 ₱122
-44.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.34 ₱150
$3.19 ₱204
-26.65%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.05 ₱67.4
$2.25 ₱144
-53.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.66 ₱106
$3.55 ₱227
-53.24%
Onion (1kg)
$1.45 ₱92.4
$3.50 ₱223
-58.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.49 ₱31.23
$1.07 ₱68.1
-54.21%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 ₱30.64
$1.13 ₱71.9
-57.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.99 ₱127
$2.60 ₱166
-23.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.61 ₱295
$7.85 ₱502
-41.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.92 ₱58.8
$1.29 ₱82.6
-28.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 ₱81.3
$1.93 ₱124
-34.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Cavite
Makati
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.88 ₱56.4
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$13.30 ₱850
$56.3 ₱3,595
-76.36%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.65 ₱41.74
$0.65 ₱41.59
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.24 ₱15.36
$0.21 ₱13.38
14.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.93 ₱123
$1.90 ₱122
1.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.17 ₱74.5
$1.28 ₱81.6
-8.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.6K ₱1.3M
$20.8K ₱1.3M
-1.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.2K ₱1.2M
$18.9K ₱1.2M
1.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cavite
Makati
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.2 ₱5,633
$151 ₱9,669
-41.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52 ₱864
$15.59 ₱996
-13.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.40 ₱1,495
$31.38 ₱2,005
-25.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cavite
Makati
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.02 ₱2,940
$53.3 ₱3,403
-13.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$14.04 ₱897
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.03 ₱321
$7.22 ₱461
-30.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cavite
Makati
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$131 ₱8,387
$776 ₱49.6K
-83.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.6K ₱679.7K
$7,391 ₱472.2K
43.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cavite
Makati
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$28.81 ₱1,840
$59.9 ₱3,826
-51.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.03 ₱1,216
$36.96 ₱2,361
-48.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$71.4 ₱4,563
$81.0 ₱5,177
-11.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$54.4 ₱3,477
$101 ₱6,446
-46.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cavite
Makati
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$134 ₱8,555
$829 ₱53.0K
-83.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$81.0 ₱5,177
$429 ₱27.4K
-81.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$238 ₱15.2K
$2,151 ₱137.4K
-88.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$191 ₱12.2K
$1,308 ₱83.6K
-85.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$5,714 ₱365.1K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,568 ₱228.0K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cavite
Makati
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$222 ₱14.2K
$587 ₱37.5K
-62.21%
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 Cavite: October 26, 2026

Last update for Makati: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Cavite
$150
Makati
$227 51.7% $77
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cavite
$125
Makati
$198 58.5% $73
Accommodation & Living
Cavite
$81
Makati
$429 429% $348
Clothing & Footwear
Cavite
$78
Makati
$125 60.5% $47
Eating Out
Cavite
$58
Makati
$121 109% $63
Sport & Entertainment
Cavite
$56
Makati
$68 20.8% $12
Getting Around
Cavite
$15 *
Makati
$61 306% $46

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $134 in Cavite versus $829 in Makati. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Makati are about 2.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16 in Cavite versus $38 in Makati. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $150 vs $227 – making Cavite the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Cavite
🇵🇭 Makati
🕒 Local time
23:46 11:46 PM
23:46 11:46 PM
Same time as Cavite
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
100,674
582,602
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 63.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.11 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cavite Makati 15 km
From you
  • Cavite
  • 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
Cavite vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cavite cheaper than Makati?
Yes – Makati is pricier by about 118%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $845 per month in Cavite and $1,845 in Makati. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cavite, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $134 there versus $829 in Makati.
What are total monthly expenses in Cavite and in Makati?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $564 in Cavite and $1,230 in Makati. That’s a gap of about 118%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 76% less in Cavite. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Cavite or in Makati?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cavite, where all-in costs run around $564, than in Makati at $1,230. In Cavite it covers expenses comfortably, while in Makati it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Cavite or Makati more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Cavite – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Cavite. 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.

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