Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Iloilo and Makati

For one person, living is cheaper in Iloilo: $725 a month against $1,230 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Iloilo, Philippines
Makati, Philippines
Iloilo
🇵🇭 Philippines
$725
/mo nomad
Makati
🇵🇭 Philippines
$1,230
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $725 per month in Iloilo vs $1,230 in Makati, rent included.

  • Iloilo $725
  • Makati $1,230

A couple spends around $1,045 per month in Iloilo vs $2,137 in Makati, rent included.

  • Iloilo $1,045
  • Makati $2,137

A family of three spends $1,366 per month in Iloilo vs $3,044 in Makati, rent included.

  • Iloilo $1,366
  • Makati $3,044

Iloilo is about 41% cheaper than Makati, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Iloilo and Makati are more affordable than the global median – Iloilo 47% lower, Makati 10% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Iloilo
Makati
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.76 ₱175
$6.40 ₱407
-56.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.94 ₱1,206
$38.45 ₱2,449
-50.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.09 ₱197
$4.78 ₱305
-35.36%
Cappuccino
$2.04 ₱130
$2.59 ₱165
-21.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.67 ₱42.53
$1.09 ₱69.7
-38.53%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ₱21.20
$0.49 ₱31.29
-32.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.08 ₱68.6
$2.39 ₱152
-54.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.76 ₱112
$3.18 ₱202
-44.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Iloilo
Makati
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 ₱104
$1.80 ₱115
-8.89%
White Bread (500g)
$1.13 ₱71.8
$1.26 ₱80.6
-10.32%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.82 ₱52.3
$1.03 ₱65.6
-20.39%
Eggs
$1.96 ₱125
$2.37 ₱151
-17.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.02 ₱383
$6.91 ₱440
-12.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.95 ₱251
$4.93 ₱314
-19.88%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.21 ₱396
$6.74 ₱429
-7.86%
Apples (1kg)
$3.15 ₱200
$4.12 ₱262
-23.54%
Banana (1kg)
$1.03 ₱65.5
$1.90 ₱121
-45.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.88 ₱184
$3.19 ₱203
-9.72%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.42 ₱90.6
$2.25 ₱143
-36.89%
Potato (1kg)
$2.28 ₱145
$3.55 ₱226
-35.77%
Onion (1kg)
$2.68 ₱171
$3.50 ₱223
-23.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.39 ₱88.3
$1.07 ₱67.9
29.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81 ₱51.7
$1.13 ₱71.7
-28.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.96 ₱188
$2.60 ₱165
13.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.25 ₱398
$7.85 ₱500
-20.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.11 ₱70.8
$1.29 ₱82.3
-13.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.22 ₱77.6
$1.93 ₱123
-36.79%
🚌 Getting Around
Iloilo
Makati
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.21 ₱13.33
$0.88 ₱56.3
-76.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$7.20 ₱459
$56.3 ₱3,583
-87.20%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.79 ₱50.5
$0.65 ₱41.46
21.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.32 ₱20.65
$0.21 ₱13.33
52.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.28 ₱145
$1.90 ₱121
20.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.16 ₱73.9
$1.28 ₱81.4
-9.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ₱1.3M
$20.8K ₱1.3M
1.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.2K ₱1.2M
$18.9K ₱1.2M
1.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Iloilo
Makati
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.9 ₱4,008
$151 ₱9,639
-58.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.13 ₱581
$15.59 ₱993
-41.44%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.66 ₱1,698
$31.38 ₱1,999
-15.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Iloilo
Makati
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$9.52 ₱606
$53.3 ₱3,393
-82.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$14.04 ₱894
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.64 ₱295
$7.22 ₱460
-35.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Iloilo
Makati
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$31.62 ₱2,014
$776 ₱49.4K
-95.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$7,391 ₱470.7K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Iloilo
Makati
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$23.81 ₱1,516
$59.9 ₱3,814
-60.24%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$17.38 ₱1,107
$36.96 ₱2,354
-52.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$54.7 ₱3,484
$81.0 ₱5,161
-32.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$23.87 ₱1,520
$101 ₱6,426
-76.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Iloilo
Makati
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$396 ₱25.2K
$829 ₱52.8K
-52.19%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$290 ₱18.5K
$429 ₱27.3K
-32.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,158 ₱73.7K
$2,151 ₱137.0K
-46.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$419 ₱26.7K
$1,308 ₱83.3K
-67.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,698 ₱235.5K
$5,714 ₱363.9K
-35.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$998 ₱63.6K
$3,568 ₱227.3K
-72.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Iloilo
Makati
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$200 ₱12.7K
$587 ₱37.4K
-65.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.33
7.5
-2.27%

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

Last update for Iloilo: October 26, 2026

Last update for Makati: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Iloilo
$290
Makati
$429 47.6% $138
Groceries & Markets
Iloilo
$184
Makati
$227 23.7% $44
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Iloilo
$99
Makati
$198 101% $100
Eating Out
Iloilo
$69
Makati
$121 76.4% $53
Clothing & Footwear
Iloilo
$54
Makati
$125 133% $72
Sport & Entertainment
Iloilo
$19
Makati
$68 260% $49
Getting Around
Iloilo
$10
Makati
$61 488% $51

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $396 in Iloilo versus $829 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 in Makati are about 2.9 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Iloilo versus $38 in Makati. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $184 vs $227 – making Iloilo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Iloilo
🇵🇭 Makati
🕒 Local time
16:19 4:19 PM
16:19 4:19 PM
Same time as Iloilo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
457,626
582,602
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 63.69 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.08 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Iloilo Makati 460 km
From you
  • Iloilo
  • 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
Iloilo vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Iloilo cheaper than Makati?
Yes – Makati is pricier by about 70%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,087 per month in Iloilo and $1,845 in Makati. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Iloilo, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $396 there versus $829 in Makati.
Is eating out cheaper in Iloilo or in Makati?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Iloilo and $38 in Makati. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Iloilo and in Makati?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $725 in Iloilo and $1,230 in Makati. That makes Iloilo about 41% cheaper.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Iloilo or in Makati?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Iloilo, where all-in costs run around $725, than in Makati at $1,230. In Iloilo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Makati it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city suits remote workers better?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Iloilo costs $725 versus $1,230 in Makati. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Which city is safer, Iloilo or Makati?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Iloilo. If higher salaries 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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