Cost of Living Comparison Between Dumaguete and Makati Cost of Living Comparison Between Dumaguete and Makati

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $861 in Dumaguete versus $1,232 in Makati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,330 in Dumaguete versus $2,009 in Makati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,800 in Dumaguete versus $2,786 in Makati.

Living in Dumaguete costs roughly 30% less than in Makati, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dumaguete 36% lower, Makati 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.21 ₱198

$6.80 ₱419

-52.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.15 ₱873

$45.15 ₱2,784

-68.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.39 ₱270

$4.93 ₱304

-10.95%

Cappuccino

$2.32 ₱143

$2.87 ₱177

-19.16%

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

$0.77 ₱47.19

$1.19 ₱73.5

-35.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₱22.29

$0.56 ₱34.76

-35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.07 ₱66.1

$2.44 ₱151

-56.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₱132

$3.66 ₱225

-41.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ₱107

$2.14 ₱132

-18.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ₱88.6

$1.43 ₱88.4

0.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱63.6

$1.08 ₱66.5

-4.63%

Eggs

$2.00 ₱124

$2.34 ₱144

-14.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.46 ₱583

$8.16 ₱503

15.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 ₱315

$4.43 ₱273

15.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.99 ₱493

$7.64 ₱471

4.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 ₱108

$4.57 ₱282

-61.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 ₱85.4

$1.92 ₱118

-28.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.05 ₱250

$2.70 ₱166

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 ₱85.4

$2.25 ₱139

-38.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 ₱148

$3.29 ₱203

-27.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 ₱162

$2.86 ₱177

-8.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 ₱52.8

$1.08 ₱66.8

-20.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₱37.54

$0.99 ₱61.3

-38.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.59 ₱159

$2.94 ₱181

-11.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 ₱493

$8.28 ₱511

-3.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 ₱75.4

$1.20 ₱74.1

1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ₱121

$2.34 ₱144

-16.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 ₱30.84

$0.51 ₱31.71

-1.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.90 ₱549

$3.58 ₱221

148.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱47.88

$0.81 ₱50.0

-3.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₱16.83

$0.12 ₱7.44

125.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 ₱56.1

$3.58 ₱221

-74.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱70.6

$1.10 ₱67.8

4.55%

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

$22.7K ₱1.4M

$34.3K ₱2.1M

-33.84%

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

$38.5K ₱2.4M

$21.5K ₱1.3M

79.19%

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

$74.3 ₱4,580

$172 ₱10.6K

-56.82%

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

$44.54 ₱2,747

$26.94 ₱1,661

65.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.05 ₱1,791

$36.49 ₱2,250

-20.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.73 ₱1,463

$56.0 ₱3,452

-57.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.50 ₱216

$11.79 ₱727

-70.31%

Cinema Ticket

$6.15 ₱379

$7.90 ₱487

-22.15%

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

$70.7 ₱4,361

$321 ₱19.8K

-77.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,887 ₱116.4K

$7,538 ₱464.8K

-74.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 ₱6,646

$60.3 ₱3,717

78.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.97 ₱2,218

$35.62 ₱2,197

0.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 ₱6,799

$85.6 ₱5,277

28.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.5 ₱5,209

$122 ₱7,516

-30.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 ₱14.9K

$666 ₱41.1K

-63.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$213 ₱13.1K

$390 ₱24.0K

-45.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 ₱27.1K

$2,260 ₱139.4K

-80.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 ₱25.7K

$1,024 ₱63.1K

-59.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,117 ₱192.2K

$6,010 ₱370.6K

-48.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$689 ₱42.5K

$3,852 ₱237.5K

-82.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$283 ₱17.5K

$682 ₱42.0K

-58.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

6.67

-2.55%

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

Last update for Dumaguete: May 31, 2026

Last update for Makati: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $242 in Dumaguete and $666 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 140% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $14.00 in Dumaguete vs $45.00 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $211 vs $234 per month, with Dumaguete 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

Dumaguete vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dumaguete and Makati differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($861 vs $1,232 including rent). Dumaguete is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Makati earns 140% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $242 in Dumaguete versus $666 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $861 per month in Dumaguete versus $1,232 in Makati – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dumaguete runs roughly 149% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $861 in Dumaguete versus $1,232 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dumaguete but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Dumaguete 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, Dumaguete 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 Dumaguete gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.