Cost of Living Comparison Between George and Makati Cost of Living Comparison Between George and Makati

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,140 in George versus $1,228 in Makati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,911 in George versus $2,025 in Makati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,681 in George versus $2,822 in Makati.

Living in George costs roughly 7% less than in Makati, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: George 17% lower, Makati 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.41 R 185

$6.57 ₱410

73.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.94 R 694

$39.99 ₱2,496

7.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 R 84.0

$4.59 ₱287

13.07%

Cappuccino

$2.22 R 35.84

$2.76 ₱172

-19.57%

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

$1.09 R 17.56

$1.07 ₱67.1

1.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 R 12.10

$0.45 ₱28.11

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 R 44.67

$2.42 ₱151

14.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 R 52.7

$3.25 ₱203

0.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 R 19.06

$1.83 ₱114

-35.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 R 17.49

$1.29 ₱80.4

-16.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 R 25.08

$1.03 ₱64.2

50.49%

Eggs

$2.78 R 44.92

$2.38 ₱148

16.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.21 R 149

$7.31 ₱456

25.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 R 91.1

$4.84 ₱302

16.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.70 R 108

$7.19 ₱448

-6.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.72 R 27.83

$3.98 ₱249

-56.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.43

$2.03 ₱127

-22.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 R 24.81

$3.26 ₱204

-53.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 R 28.10

$2.31 ₱144

-24.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 R 27.65

$3.47 ₱216

-50.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.12

$3.47 ₱217

-57.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 R 20.95

$1.12 ₱69.9

16.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R 17.22

$1.11 ₱69.2

-4.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 R 55.6

$2.70 ₱169

27.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.96 R 80.1

$7.86 ₱490

-36.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 R 20.59

$1.40 ₱87.2

-9.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 R 28.42

$2.08 ₱130

-15.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 R 25.86

$0.90 ₱56.0

77.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.10 R 470

$57.3 ₱3,574

-49.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.59 R 9.61

$0.61 ₱38.01

-3.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 R 7.75

$0.21 ₱13.07

128.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.63 R 140

$1.88 ₱117

359.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 R 21.36

$1.25 ₱78.1

5.60%

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

$31.0K R 501.5K

$21.3K ₱1.3M

45.87%

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

$30.0K R 485.5K

$19.7K ₱1.2M

52.45%

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

$128 R 2,063

$154 ₱9,591

-17.01%

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

$18.40 R 298

$15.78 ₱985

16.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.82 R 741

$32.11 ₱2,004

42.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.32 R 490

$54.6 ₱3,406

-44.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.68 R 205

$14.41 ₱899

-12.01%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 R 101

$7.39 ₱461

-15.16%

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

$144 R 2,331

$790 ₱49.3K

-81.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,381 R 87.0K

$7,405 ₱462.1K

-27.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.0 R 1,197

$59.8 ₱3,733

23.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.41 R 670

$37.65 ₱2,349

9.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 R 1,882

$82.2 ₱5,127

41.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 R 1,397

$103 ₱6,454

-16.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 R 7,110

$748 ₱46.7K

-41.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 R 6,146

$430 ₱26.8K

-11.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$792 R 12.8K

$2,276 ₱142.0K

-65.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$974 R 15.7K

$1,080 ₱67.4K

-9.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$890 R 14.4K

$6,003 ₱374.6K

-85.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$654 R 10.6K

$3,832 ₱239.1K

-82.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,371 R 22.2K

$610 ₱38.0K

124.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

7.5

45.60%

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

Last update for George: August 31, 2026

Last update for Makati: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $440 in George and $748 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George pays 125% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $43.00 in George vs $40.00 in Makati. Groceries flip the comparison at $195 vs $231, with George cheaper for home cooking.

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

George vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 125% higher in George, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $440 in George versus $748 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in George – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $40.00 in Makati. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,140 per month in George versus $1,228 in Makati – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,140 in George versus $1,228 in Makati, a $1,500 budget is realistic in George but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes George the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, George is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Makati, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, George 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 George gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.