Cost of Living Comparison Between Laoag City and Makati Cost of Living Comparison Between Laoag City and Makati

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $798 per month in Laoag City vs $1,223 in Makati, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,205 per month in Laoag City vs $2,017 in Makati, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,612 per month in Laoag City vs $2,812 in Makati, rent included.

Laoag City is about 35% cheaper than Makati, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Laoag City and Makati are more affordable than the global median – Laoag City 40% lower, Makati 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 ₱215

$6.85 ₱412

-47.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.35 ₱925

$44.09 ₱2,655

-65.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.23 ₱195

$4.97 ₱300

-35.01%

Cappuccino

$2.35 ₱142

$2.96 ₱178

-20.61%

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

$0.79 ₱47.51

$1.15 ₱69.1

-31.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₱23.96

$0.57 ₱34.46

-29.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 ₱78.2

$2.32 ₱140

-43.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱131

$3.54 ₱213

-38.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 ₱111

$2.17 ₱130

-15.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ₱72.9

$1.49 ₱89.9

-18.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₱59.3

$1.06 ₱64.1

-7.55%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱140

$2.22 ₱134

4.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 ₱479

$8.26 ₱497

-3.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.83 ₱471

$4.42 ₱266

77.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.93 ₱478

$7.54 ₱454

5.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 ₱171

$4.56 ₱275

-37.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 ₱95.2

$1.90 ₱115

-16.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 ₱156

$2.71 ₱163

-4.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ₱96.4

$2.17 ₱131

-26.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 ₱133

$3.31 ₱199

-33.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 ₱154

$2.81 ₱169

-9.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ₱66.8

$1.09 ₱65.5

1.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ₱43.76

$1.02 ₱61.3

-28.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 ₱188

$2.99 ₱180

4.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.27 ₱498

$8.52 ₱513

-2.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₱57.5

$1.25 ₱75.2

-23.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ₱118

$2.29 ₱138

-14.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.58

$0.55 ₱32.85

-52.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.57 ₱215

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱46.13

$0.78 ₱46.81

-1.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ₱15.72

$0.12 ₱7.06

116.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.18 ₱131

$3.48 ₱209

-37.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 ₱64.7

$1.15 ₱69.5

-6.96%

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

$26.5K ₱1.6M

$33.5K ₱2.0M

-21.12%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$21.7K ₱1.3M

-4.22%

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

$113 ₱6,829

$169 ₱10.2K

-32.90%

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

$33.05 ₱1,990

$26.89 ₱1,619

22.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.20 ₱1,578

$36.15 ₱2,177

-27.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.93 ₱899

$55.4 ₱3,339

-73.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.34 ₱261

$11.69 ₱704

-62.87%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ₱348

$7.93 ₱477

-27.24%

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

$154 ₱9,252

$324 ₱19.5K

-52.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,369 ₱263.1K

$7,613 ₱458.5K

-42.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.16 ₱2,720

$59.2 ₱3,565

-23.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.99 ₱1,626

$35.26 ₱2,124

-23.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,612

$86.1 ₱5,188

-11.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.4 ₱3,157

$122 ₱7,375

-57.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 ₱16.3K

$661 ₱39.8K

-59.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$207 ₱12.5K

$397 ₱23.9K

-47.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$431 ₱25.9K

$2,254 ₱135.8K

-80.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱23.5K

$1,023 ₱61.6K

-61.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,423 ₱145.9K

$6,076 ₱366.0K

-60.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$933 ₱56.2K

$3,885 ₱234.0K

-75.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 ₱10.1K

$706 ₱42.5K

-76.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

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

Last update for Laoag City: June 16, 2026

Last update for Makati: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $270 in Laoag City versus $661 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 run about 321% higher in Makati, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Laoag City versus $44.00 in Makati. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $235 – making Laoag City 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

Laoag City vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Makati costs about 53% more than Laoag City, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,197 per month in Laoag City and $1,834 in Makati. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $798 in Laoag City and $1,223 in Makati. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $154 per month in Laoag City and $324 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 Laoag City, where all-in costs run around $798, than in Makati at $1,223. In Laoag City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Makati it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Laoag City costs $798 versus $1,223 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 Laoag City. 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.