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: $1,058 in George versus $1,188 in Makati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,755 in George versus $2,011 in Makati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,452 in George versus $2,833 in Makati.

Living in George costs roughly 11% less than in Makati, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: George 21% lower, Makati 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.25 R 185

$6.53 ₱402

72.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.45 R 632

$45.00 ₱2,770

-14.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.15 R 84.7

$4.79 ₱295

7.52%

Cappuccino

$1.91 R 31.34

$2.95 ₱181

-35.25%

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

$1.57 R 25.77

$1.20 ₱73.8

30.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 R 19.58

$0.58 ₱35.43

105.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.58 R 42.48

$2.34 ₱144

10.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 R 48.85

$3.56 ₱219

-16.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 R 18.06

$2.14 ₱132

-48.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 R 17.51

$1.43 ₱88.1

-25.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 R 27.15

$1.11 ₱68.6

48.65%

Eggs

$2.96 R 48.67

$2.33 ₱144

27.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.60 R 158

$7.99 ₱492

20.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.87 R 80.1

$4.52 ₱279

7.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.43 R 122

$7.71 ₱475

-3.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 R 29.22

$4.54 ₱279

-60.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 R 26.25

$1.98 ₱122

-19.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.65

$2.72 ₱168

-47.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 R 25.51

$2.28 ₱141

-32.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.80

$3.45 ₱212

-54.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 R 28.04

$2.80 ₱173

-38.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 R 21.16

$1.14 ₱70.0

13.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 R 15.03

$0.99 ₱60.7

-8.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 R 51.4

$2.99 ₱184

4.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.77 R 78.4

$8.01 ₱493

-40.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 R 19.20

$1.25 ₱76.9

-6.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 R 25.66

$2.24 ₱138

-30.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 R 13.39

$0.51 ₱31.57

58.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.98 R 427

$3.58 ₱220

625.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 R 18.66

$0.76 ₱47.05

50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 R 14.57

$0.13 ₱8.20

584.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.00 R 65.7

$3.45 ₱212

15.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 R 20.10

$1.15 ₱71.0

6.09%

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

$21.2K R 349.0K

$34.1K ₱2.1M

-37.67%

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

$20.7K R 340.2K

$22.0K ₱1.4M

-6.03%

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

$126 R 2,078

$170 ₱10.4K

-25.48%

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

$15.98 R 263

$27.66 ₱1,703

-42.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 R 852

$35.79 ₱2,203

44.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.62 R 454

$54.8 ₱3,371

-49.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.02 R 181

$12.03 ₱741

-8.40%

Cinema Ticket

$5.56 R 91.4

$8.20 ₱505

-32.20%

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

$128 R 2,099

$324 ₱20.0K

-60.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,849 R 79.7K

$7,680 ₱472.8K

-36.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.4 R 1,173

$58.9 ₱3,628

21.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.02 R 526

$35.88 ₱2,209

-10.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.3 R 1,615

$84.1 ₱5,175

16.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.2 R 1,434

$124 ₱7,609

-29.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 R 6,420

$657 ₱40.4K

-40.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 R 5,414

$390 ₱24.0K

-15.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 R 11.8K

$2,273 ₱140.0K

-68.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$799 R 13.1K

$1,008 ₱62.0K

-20.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$360 R 5,910

$6,013 ₱370.2K

-94.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$246 R 4,051

$3,732 ₱229.8K

-93.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,383 R 22.7K

$605 ₱37.3K

128.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.88

6.67

63.12%

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

Last update for George: July 13, 2026

Last update for Makati: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $391 in George and $657 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George pays 128% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in George vs $45.00 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $235 per month, with George 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

George vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 128% 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: $391 in George versus $657 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 $38.00 versus $45.00 in Makati. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,058 per month in George versus $1,188 in Makati – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,058 in George versus $1,188 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 12% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.