Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Makati

For one person, living is cheaper in Delhi: $520 a month against $1,257 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Delhi
🇮🇳 India
$520
/mo nomad
Makati
🇵🇭 Philippines
$1,257
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $520 per month in Delhi vs $1,257 in Makati, rent included.

  • Delhi $520
  • Makati $1,257

A couple spends around $858 per month in Delhi vs $2,052 in Makati, rent included.

  • Delhi $858
  • Makati $2,052

A family of three spends $1,195 per month in Delhi vs $2,847 in Makati, rent included.

  • Delhi $1,195
  • Makati $2,847

Delhi is about 59% cheaper than Makati, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Delhi and Makati are more affordable than the global median – Delhi 61% lower, Makati 6% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Delhi
Makati
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.67 ₹355
$6.56 ₱411
-44.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$20.95 ₹2,027
$40.13 ₱2,517
-47.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.74 ₹362
$4.75 ₱298
-21.26%
Cappuccino
$2.33 ₹226
$2.65 ₱166
-12.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ₹35.82
$1.08 ₱67.6
-65.74%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.20 ₹18.91
$0.50 ₱31.47
-60.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.02 ₹195
$2.44 ₱153
-17.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.19 ₹308
$3.10 ₱195
2.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Delhi
Makati
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.68 ₹65.9
$1.83 ₱115
-62.84%
White Bread (500g)
$0.52 ₹50.2
$1.24 ₱77.7
-58.06%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.83 ₹80.0
$1.01 ₱63.5
-17.82%
Eggs
$1.07 ₹104
$2.37 ₱148
-54.85%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.43 ₹428
$7.35 ₱461
-39.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.37 ₹326
$4.91 ₱308
-31.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$6.81 ₱427
-
Apples (1kg)
$1.99 ₹192
$4.09 ₱257
-51.34%
Banana (1kg)
$0.72 ₹70.1
$2.00 ₱125
-64.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.02 ₹98.4
$3.27 ₱205
-68.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.52 ₹50.1
$2.29 ₱144
-77.29%
Potato (1kg)
$0.27 ₹25.96
$3.59 ₱225
-92.48%
Onion (1kg)
$0.37 ₹35.42
$3.45 ₱216
-89.28%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.43 ₹41.64
$1.07 ₱67.0
-59.81%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.31 ₹30.39
$1.11 ₱69.7
-72.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.92 ₹476
$2.66 ₱167
84.96%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.34 ₹808
$8.01 ₱502
4.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.64 ₹159
$1.35 ₱84.5
21.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.70 ₹261
$1.98 ₱124
36.36%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$6.15 ₹596
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Delhi
Makati
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.46 ₹44.04
$0.99 ₱61.9
-53.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.29 ₹1,480
$57.4 ₱3,599
-73.36%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.03 ₹99.8
$0.66 ₱41.39
56.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.27 ₹26.38
$0.23 ₱14.46
17.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.53 ₹148
$1.88 ₱118
-18.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.05 ₹102
$1.26 ₱79.0
-16.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$10.5K ₹1.0M
$21.5K ₱1.3M
-51.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.4K ₹1.8M
$19.8K ₱1.2M
-7.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Delhi
Makati
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$42.67 ₹4,129
$155 ₱9,726
-72.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.04 ₹391
$15.90 ₱997
-74.59%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$6.75 ₹653
$32.67 ₱2,049
-79.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Delhi
Makati
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$19.40 ₹1,878
$55.4 ₱3,473
-64.96%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.06 ₹780
$14.51 ₱910
-44.45%
Cinema Ticket
$5.08 ₹492
$6.98 ₱438
-27.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Delhi
Makati
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$100 ₹9,696
$783 ₱49.1K
-87.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,268 ₹219.5K
$7,340 ₱460.4K
-69.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Delhi
Makati
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.14 ₹2,336
$59.6 ₱3,738
-59.49%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.38 ₹2,747
$37.48 ₱2,351
-24.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$53.3 ₹5,160
$82.5 ₱5,171
-35.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$44.13 ₹4,271
$102 ₱6,383
-56.63%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Delhi
Makati
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$264 ₹25.5K
$828 ₱51.9K
-68.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$154 ₹14.9K
$416 ₱26.1K
-62.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$736 ₹71.2K
$2,318 ₱145.4K
-68.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$397 ₹38.5K
$1,067 ₱66.9K
-62.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,494 ₹241.4K
$6,082 ₱381.5K
-59.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,017 ₹98.4K
$3,765 ₱236.1K
-73.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Delhi
Makati
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$585 ₹56.7K
$616 ₱38.6K
-4.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.33
7.5
11.07%

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

Last update for Delhi: October 6, 2026

Last update for Makati: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Delhi
$154
Makati
$416 170% $262
Groceries & Markets
Delhi
$108
Makati
$230 113% $122
Eating Out
Delhi
$87
Makati
$123 41.1% $36
Clothing & Footwear
Delhi
$67
Makati
$127 87.6% $59
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Delhi
$53
Makati
$204 281% $150
Sport & Entertainment
Delhi
$30
Makati
$69 135% $40
Getting Around
Delhi
$20
Makati
$63 224% $44

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $264 in Delhi versus $828 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 run about 5% higher in Makati, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Delhi versus $40.00 in Makati. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $108 vs $230 – making Delhi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇳 Delhi
🇵🇭 Makati
🕒 Local time
15:41 3:41 PM
18:11 6:11 PM
2 h 30 min ahead of Delhi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
16,787,941 Capital
582,602
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 96.78 INR (100 INR = 1.03 USD). 1 EUR = 108 INR (1,000 INR = 9.22 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.28 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Delhi Makati 4,760 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Delhi
  • 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
Delhi vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Delhi and in Makati compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $520 in Delhi, $1,257 in Makati – roughly 142% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Delhi compared to Makati?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $780 per month in Delhi and $1,885 in Makati. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Delhi and Makati?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Delhi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Delhi and $40.00 in Makati. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Delhi or Makati?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $520 in Delhi and $1,257 in Makati. That's a gap of about 142%.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Delhi, where all-in costs run around $520, than in Makati at $1,257. In Delhi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Makati it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Delhi and Makati?
It depends on your priorities. Makati has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $520 in Delhi to $1,257 in Makati. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Delhi or Makati safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Delhi and Makati?
If budget matters most, go with Delhi. 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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