Cost of Living Comparison Between General Trias and Makati Cost of Living Comparison Between General Trias and Makati

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $625 per month in General Trias vs $1,226 in Makati, rent included.

A couple spends around $983 per month in General Trias vs $2,005 in Makati, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,341 per month in General Trias vs $2,783 in Makati, rent included.

General Trias is about 49% cheaper than Makati, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both General Trias and Makati are more affordable than the global median – General Trias 54% lower, Makati 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 ₱246

$6.47 ₱407

-39.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.65 ₱1,046

$40.29 ₱2,531

-58.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.56 ₱161

$4.70 ₱295

-45.53%

Cappuccino

$1.80 ₱113

$2.65 ₱166

-32.08%

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

$0.41 ₱25.77

$1.11 ₱69.8

-63.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₱21.03

$0.45 ₱28.47

-26.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ₱64.1

$2.35 ₱148

-56.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₱97.4

$3.20 ₱201

-51.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ₱102

$1.91 ₱120

-14.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 ₱70.1

$1.28 ₱80.7

-12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ₱62.4

$1.05 ₱65.8

-5.71%

Eggs

$2.05 ₱129

$2.48 ₱156

-17.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.21 ₱327

$6.98 ₱439

-25.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 ₱217

$4.85 ₱305

-28.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.87 ₱495

$6.77 ₱425

16.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₱144

$4.12 ₱259

-44.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₱98.0

$2.00 ₱126

-22.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱146

$3.19 ₱201

-26.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 ₱66.9

$2.28 ₱143

-53.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 ₱105

$3.52 ₱221

-52.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 ₱107

$3.59 ₱225

-52.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ₱41.19

$1.10 ₱69.4

-40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₱32.74

$1.14 ₱71.8

-54.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 ₱189

$2.57 ₱161

17.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.53 ₱536

$7.99 ₱502

6.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱62.0

$1.32 ₱82.9

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₱124

$2.03 ₱127

-2.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.75

$0.98 ₱61.6

-71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.69 ₱609

$57.6 ₱3,619

-83.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱47.43

$0.67 ₱42.21

11.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.80

$0.21 ₱13.17

19.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 ₱122

$1.87 ₱118

4.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₱75.2

$1.24 ₱78.1

-3.23%

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

$11.4K ₱719.1K

$21.1K ₱1.3M

-45.77%

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

$19.3K ₱1.2M

$19.7K ₱1.2M

-1.64%

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

$32.01 ₱2,011

$152 ₱9,557

-78.96%

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

$17.66 ₱1,110

$16.13 ₱1,014

9.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.11 ₱1,326

$31.63 ₱1,987

-33.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.13 ₱1,893

$54.5 ₱3,422

-44.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.12 ₱321

$14.45 ₱908

-64.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.21 ₱327

$6.95 ₱437

-25.04%

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

$133 ₱8,358

$803 ₱50.4K

-83.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ₱661.7K

$7,454 ₱468.3K

41.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.32 ₱1,842

$59.9 ₱3,761

-51.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.64 ₱1,234

$37.50 ₱2,356

-47.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 ₱4,543

$81.8 ₱5,139

-11.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.4 ₱3,545

$104 ₱6,555

-45.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$96.8 ₱6,079

$752 ₱47.3K

-87.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$145 ₱9,134

$429 ₱27.0K

-66.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 ₱31.6K

$2,279 ₱143.2K

-77.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 ₱20.6K

$1,054 ₱66.2K

-68.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,496 ₱156.8K

$5,865 ₱368.5K

-57.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$993 ₱62.4K

$3,745 ₱235.3K

-73.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₱38.3K

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 General Trias: September 13, 2026

Last update for Makati: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $96.8 in General Trias versus $752 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 General Trias versus $40.00 in Makati. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $175 vs $231 – making General Trias 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

General Trias vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Makati costs about 96% more than General Trias, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $938 per month in General Trias and $1,840 in Makati. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 495% less in General Trias. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $133 per month in General Trias and $803 in Makati. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in General Trias, where all-in costs run around $625, than in Makati at $1,226. In General Trias it covers expenses comfortably, while in Makati it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. General Trias costs $625 versus $1,226 in Makati. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 General Trias. 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.