Cost of Living Comparison Between Lucena and Makati Cost of Living Comparison Between Lucena and Makati

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $487 per month in Lucena vs $1,232 in Makati, rent included.

A couple spends around $848 per month in Lucena vs $2,009 in Makati, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,208 per month in Lucena vs $2,786 in Makati, rent included.

Lucena is about 60% cheaper than Makati, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lucena and Makati are more affordable than the global median – Lucena 64% lower, Makati 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.65 ₱102

$6.80 ₱419

-75.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.04 ₱557

$45.15 ₱2,784

-79.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$1.82 ₱112

$4.93 ₱304

-63.08%

Cappuccino

$1.06 ₱65.5

$2.87 ₱177

-63.07%

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

$0.67 ₱41.13

$1.19 ₱73.5

-43.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₱21.33

$0.56 ₱34.76

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.00 ₱61.6

$2.44 ₱151

-59.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 ₱89.1

$3.66 ₱225

-60.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 ₱104

$2.14 ₱132

-21.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ₱77.7

$1.43 ₱88.4

-11.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₱57.7

$1.08 ₱66.5

-12.96%

Eggs

$2.02 ₱124

$2.34 ₱144

-13.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.00 ₱432

$8.16 ₱503

-14.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.46 ₱90.2

$4.43 ₱273

-67.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.74 ₱169

$7.64 ₱471

-64.14%

Apples (1kg)

$0.87 ₱53.8

$4.57 ₱282

-80.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ₱63.6

$1.92 ₱118

-46.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 ₱56.4

$2.70 ₱166

-66.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 ₱42.82

$2.25 ₱139

-69.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 ₱64.3

$3.29 ₱203

-68.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ₱72.0

$2.86 ₱177

-59.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ₱78.3

$1.08 ₱66.8

17.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₱42.91

$0.99 ₱61.3

-29.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 ₱194

$2.94 ₱181

7.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 ₱457

$8.28 ₱511

-10.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ₱100

$1.20 ₱74.1

35.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₱57.1

$2.34 ₱144

-60.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ₱17.61

$0.51 ₱31.71

-43.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.06

$0.81 ₱50.0

-6.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.27

$0.12 ₱7.44

108.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 ₱129

$3.58 ₱221

-41.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.6

$1.10 ₱67.8

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

$26.1K ₱1.6M

$34.3K ₱2.1M

-23.76%

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

$20.7K ₱1.3M

$21.5K ₱1.3M

-3.61%

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

$62.4 ₱3,847

$172 ₱10.6K

-63.74%

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

$7.24 ₱447

$26.94 ₱1,661

-73.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.53 ₱772

$36.49 ₱2,250

-65.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.43 ₱2,123

$56.0 ₱3,452

-38.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 ₱727

Cinema Ticket

$6.99 ₱431

$7.90 ₱487

-11.52%

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

$81.3 ₱5,015

$321 ₱19.8K

-74.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,829 ₱174.5K

$7,538 ₱464.8K

-62.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.39 ₱1,997

$60.3 ₱3,717

-46.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.34 ₱1,809

$35.62 ₱2,197

-17.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.7 ₱3,310

$85.6 ₱5,277

-37.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.8 ₱5,724

$122 ₱7,516

-23.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$131 ₱8,084

$666 ₱41.1K

-80.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$79.3 ₱4,891

$390 ₱24.0K

-79.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$597 ₱36.8K

$2,260 ₱139.4K

-73.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 ₱24.1K

$1,024 ₱63.1K

-61.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,010 ₱370.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₱237.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$321 ₱19.8K

$682 ₱42.0K

-52.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.13

6.67

21.89%

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

Last update for Lucena: June 2, 2026

Last update for Makati: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $131 in Lucena versus $666 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 112% 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 $9.00 in Lucena versus $45.00 in Makati. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $139 vs $234 – making Lucena 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

Lucena vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $487 in Lucena, $1,232 in Makati – roughly 153% apart. Makati costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $731 per month in Lucena and $1,849 in Makati. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Lucena and $45.00 in Makati. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 69% more in Makati, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lucena, where all-in costs run around $487, than in Makati at $1,232. In Lucena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Makati it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Makati has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $487 in Lucena to $1,232 in Makati. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Lucena. 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.