Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lipa and Makati

For one person, living is cheaper in Lipa: $596 a month against $1,230 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

29

Cost of Living Index in Lipa
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Lipa Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Makati
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Makati Living Index

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Lipa

🇵🇭 Philippines

$596

/mo nomad

Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,230

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $596 per month in Lipa vs $1,230 in Makati, rent included.

Lipa $596
Makati $1,230

A couple spends around $924 per month in Lipa vs $2,137 in Makati, rent included.

Lipa $924
Makati $2,137

A family of three spends $1,252 per month in Lipa vs $3,044 in Makati, rent included.

Lipa $1,252
Makati $3,044

Lipa is about 52% cheaper than Makati, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Lipa and Makati are more affordable than the global median – Lipa 56% lower, Makati 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.12 ₱199

$6.40 ₱408

-51.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.87 ₱1,011

$38.45 ₱2,450

-58.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.78 ₱177

$4.78 ₱305

-41.84%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ₱117

$2.59 ₱165

-29.34%

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

$0.42 ₱26.59

$1.09 ₱69.7

-61.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₱19.53

$0.49 ₱31.30

-36.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ₱65.2

$2.39 ₱152

-57.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₱96.8

$3.18 ₱202

-52.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 ₱96.5

$1.80 ₱115

-16.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 ₱70.1

$1.26 ₱80.6

-12.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 ₱52.6

$1.03 ₱65.7

-19.42%

Eggs

$1.72 ₱109

$2.37 ₱151

-27.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.13 ₱327

$6.91 ₱440

-25.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.26 ₱208

$4.93 ₱314

-33.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 ₱498

$6.74 ₱430

15.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 ₱145

$4.12 ₱262

-44.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ₱99.8

$1.90 ₱121

-17.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 ₱145

$3.19 ₱203

-28.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.01 ₱64.3

$2.25 ₱143

-55.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 ₱106

$3.55 ₱226

-52.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 ₱109

$3.50 ₱223

-51.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ₱38.38

$1.07 ₱67.9

-43.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.12

$1.13 ₱71.7

-56.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 ₱186

$2.60 ₱165

11.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.39 ₱535

$7.85 ₱500

6.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ₱56.9

$1.29 ₱82.3

-31.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₱124

$1.93 ₱123

0.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ₱17.24

$0.88 ₱56.3

-69.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.80 ₱306

$56.3 ₱3,585

-91.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 ₱43.30

$0.65 ₱41.48

4.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱15.33

$0.21 ₱13.34

14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₱119

$1.90 ₱121

-1.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱70.0

$1.28 ₱81.4

-14.06%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

0.04%

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

$15.4K ₱983.0K

$18.9K ₱1.2M

-18.22%

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

$135 ₱8,608

$151 ₱9,643

-10.73%

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

$17.10 ₱1,089

$15.59 ₱993

9.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.80 ₱1,453

$31.38 ₱1,999

-27.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.49 ₱2,006

$53.3 ₱3,394

-40.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.83 ₱244

$14.04 ₱895

-72.72%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 ₱323

$7.22 ₱460

-29.92%

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

$132 ₱8,379

$776 ₱49.4K

-83.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ₱676.2K

$7,391 ₱471.0K

43.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.79 ₱1,834

$59.9 ₱3,816

-51.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.29 ₱1,229

$36.96 ₱2,355

-47.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 ₱4,567

$81.0 ₱5,163

-11.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.7 ₱3,546

$101 ₱6,429

-44.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$79.1 ₱5,041

$829 ₱52.8K

-90.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.6 ₱3,731

$429 ₱27.3K

-86.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 ₱15.4K

$2,151 ₱137.0K

-88.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 ₱11.3K

$1,308 ₱83.4K

-86.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,714 ₱364.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,568 ₱227.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$222 ₱14.1K

$587 ₱37.4K

-62.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

-20.00%

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

Last update for Lipa: October 25, 2026

Last update for Makati: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lipa

$175 29.3%

Makati

$198 16.1% 13.3% $23

Groceries & Markets

Lipa

$168 28.2%

Makati

$227 18.5% 35.2% $59

Clothing & Footwear

Lipa

$79 13.2%

Makati

$125 10.2% 58.9% $47

Eating Out

Lipa

$66 11.1%

Makati

$121 9.9% 83% $55

Accommodation & Living

Lipa

$59 9.8%

Makati

$429 34.8% 632% $370

Sport & Entertainment

Lipa

$42 7%

Makati

$68 5.5% 62.7% $26

Getting Around

Lipa

$7.8 1.3%

Makati

$61 5% 691% $54

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $79 in Lipa 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 2.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16 in Lipa versus $38 in Makati. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $168 vs $227 – making Lipa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Lipa

🇵🇭 Makati

🕒 Local time

12:05 12:05 PM

Same time as Lipa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

332,386

582,602

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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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

Lipa vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $596 in Lipa, $1,230 in Makati – Lipa comes out roughly 52% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $894 per month in Lipa and $1,845 in Makati. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lipa, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $79 there versus $829 in Makati.

Public transport costs about 91% less in Lipa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $132 per month in Lipa and $776 in Makati. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Lipa, where all-in costs run around $596, than in Makati at $1,230. In Lipa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Makati it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lipa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Lipa. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Makati makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.