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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $767 in Maasin City versus $1,228 in Makati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,163 in Maasin City versus $2,025 in Makati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,559 in Maasin City versus $2,822 in Makati.

Living in Maasin City costs roughly 38% less than in Makati, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maasin City 44% lower, Makati 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.99 ₱187

$6.57 ₱411

-54.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.76 ₱1,486

$39.99 ₱2,501

-40.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.11 ₱257

$4.59 ₱287

-10.46%

Cappuccino

$2.48 ₱155

$2.76 ₱173

-10.14%

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

$0.61 ₱38.21

$1.07 ₱67.2

-42.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱31.17

$0.45 ₱28.17

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 ₱113

$2.42 ₱151

-25.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 ₱136

$3.25 ₱203

-32.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱119

$1.83 ₱115

3.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 ₱69.6

$1.29 ₱80.6

-13.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 ₱53.7

$1.03 ₱64.3

-16.50%

Eggs

$1.87 ₱117

$2.38 ₱149

-21.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.14 ₱634

$7.31 ₱457

38.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.62 ₱289

$4.84 ₱303

-4.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱482

$7.19 ₱449

7.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 ₱101

$3.98 ₱249

-59.30%

Banana (1kg)

$0.62 ₱38.98

$2.03 ₱127

-69.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ₱102

$3.26 ₱204

-49.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ₱93.1

$2.31 ₱144

-35.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$3.47 ₱217

-31.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 ₱123

$3.47 ₱217

-43.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 ₱75.3

$1.12 ₱70.0

7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₱42.51

$1.11 ₱69.4

-38.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 ₱179

$2.70 ₱169

5.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.24 ₱390

$7.86 ₱491

-20.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱78.4

$1.40 ₱87.4

-10.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₱104

$2.08 ₱130

-19.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.43

$0.90 ₱56.1

-72.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ₱708

$57.3 ₱3,581

-80.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.4

$0.61 ₱38.09

32.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.39

$0.21 ₱13.10

9.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₱118

$1.88 ₱117

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ₱82.3

$1.25 ₱78.3

5.60%

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

$21.4K ₱1.3M

$21.3K ₱1.3M

0.48%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$19.7K ₱1.2M

-1.73%

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

$121 ₱7,573

$154 ₱9,611

-21.22%

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

$14.79 ₱925

$15.78 ₱987

-6.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.48 ₱1,718

$32.11 ₱2,008

-14.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.71 ₱1,983

$54.6 ₱3,413

-41.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.14 ₱259

$14.41 ₱901

-71.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.76 ₱360

$7.39 ₱462

-22.06%

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

$134 ₱8,402

$790 ₱49.4K

-82.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,061 ₱504.0K

$7,405 ₱463.0K

8.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.68 ₱2,044

$59.8 ₱3,741

-45.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.00 ₱1,251

$37.65 ₱2,354

-46.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 ₱4,850

$82.2 ₱5,137

-5.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.2 ₱3,637

$103 ₱6,468

-43.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 ₱16.7K

$748 ₱46.8K

-64.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 ₱9,701

$430 ₱26.9K

-63.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 ₱28.3K

$2,276 ₱142.3K

-80.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$308 ₱19.3K

$1,080 ₱67.5K

-71.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,821 ₱176.4K

$6,003 ₱375.4K

-53.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,006 ₱62.9K

$3,832 ₱239.6K

-73.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$126 ₱7,905

$610 ₱38.1K

-79.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

7.5

-4.00%

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

Last update for Maasin City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Makati: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $268 in Maasin City and $748 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 382% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $24.00 in Maasin City vs $40.00 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $231 per month, with Maasin City 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

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

Maasin City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 382% lower in Makati. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $268 in Maasin City versus $748 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Maasin City – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $40.00 in Makati. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $767 in Maasin City versus $1,228 in Makati, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Maasin City but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Maasin City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Maasin City 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, Maasin City 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 Maasin City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.