Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maasin City and Makati

For one person, living is cheaper in Maasin City: $755 a month against $1,228 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Maasin City
🇵🇭 Philippines
$755
/mo nomad
Makati
🇵🇭 Philippines
$1,228
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $755 in Maasin City versus $1,228 in Makati.

  • Maasin City $755
  • Makati $1,228

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,132 in Maasin City versus $2,028 in Makati.

  • Maasin City $1,132
  • Makati $2,028

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,508 in Maasin City versus $2,828 in Makati.

  • Maasin City $1,508
  • Makati $2,828

Living in Maasin City costs roughly 39% less than in Makati, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maasin City 44% lower, Makati 9% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Maasin City
Makati
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.11 ₱196
$6.22 ₱392
-50.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.45 ₱1,476
$39.57 ₱2,491
-40.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.86 ₱243
$4.88 ₱307
-20.90%
Cappuccino
$2.57 ₱162
$2.55 ₱161
0.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.58 ₱99.6
$1.06 ₱67.0
49.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ₱30.61
$0.50 ₱31.54
-2.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.72 ₱108
$2.38 ₱150
-27.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21 ₱139
$3.21 ₱202
-31.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Maasin City
Makati
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.96 ₱123
$1.90 ₱120
3.16%
White Bread (500g)
$1.18 ₱74.3
$1.29 ₱81.5
-8.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.91 ₱57.3
$1.06 ₱67.0
-14.15%
Eggs
$1.86 ₱117
$2.47 ₱155
-24.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.92 ₱625
$7.29 ₱459
36.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.41 ₱277
$4.86 ₱306
-9.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.35 ₱463
$7.03 ₱442
4.55%
Apples (1kg)
$1.62 ₱102
$4.04 ₱254
-59.90%
Banana (1kg)
$0.67 ₱41.93
$1.94 ₱122
-65.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.58 ₱99.2
$3.22 ₱203
-50.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.54 ₱97.2
$2.29 ₱144
-32.75%
Potato (1kg)
$2.34 ₱148
$3.48 ₱219
-32.76%
Onion (1kg)
$1.91 ₱120
$3.59 ₱226
-46.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.20 ₱75.9
$1.06 ₱66.8
13.21%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 ₱42.21
$1.11 ₱69.7
-39.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.02 ₱190
$2.69 ₱169
12.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.33 ₱398
$8.11 ₱511
-21.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 ₱77.5
$1.32 ₱82.9
-6.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 ₱108
$1.98 ₱124
-13.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Maasin City
Makati
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.24 ₱15.18
$0.90 ₱56.4
-73.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.06 ₱760
$56.8 ₱3,575
-78.76%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.74 ₱46.38
$0.67 ₱41.91
10.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.23 ₱14.49
$0.21 ₱13.16
9.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.92 ₱121
$1.93 ₱121
-0.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.37 ₱86.0
$1.25 ₱78.8
9.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.9K ₱1.3M
$21.3K ₱1.3M
-1.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.3K ₱1.2M
$19.6K ₱1.2M
-1.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maasin City
Makati
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$122 ₱7,695
$153 ₱9,620
-20.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.04 ₱884
$16.06 ₱1,011
-12.58%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.70 ₱1,744
$32.37 ₱2,038
-14.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Maasin City
Makati
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.38 ₱1,913
$54.9 ₱3,456
-44.64%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.24 ₱267
$14.14 ₱890
-70.01%
Cinema Ticket
$5.53 ₱348
$7.22 ₱454
-23.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Maasin City
Makati
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$135 ₱8,488
$794 ₱50.0K
-83.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,885 ₱496.4K
$7,321 ₱460.9K
7.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Maasin City
Makati
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$32.99 ₱2,077
$61.2 ₱3,850
-46.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.59 ₱1,233
$36.86 ₱2,321
-46.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.0 ₱4,786
$81.5 ₱5,129
-6.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$56.9 ₱3,581
$103 ₱6,510
-45.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Maasin City
Makati
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$269 ₱17.0K
$815 ₱51.3K
-66.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$174 ₱11.0K
$417 ₱26.3K
-58.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$474 ₱29.8K
$2,274 ₱143.2K
-79.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$301 ₱19.0K
$1,069 ₱67.3K
-71.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,140 ₱134.7K
$5,869 ₱369.5K
-63.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$977 ₱61.5K
$3,738 ₱235.4K
-73.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Maasin City
Makati
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$125 ₱7,886
$601 ₱37.9K
-79.17%
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: October 13, 2026

Last update for Makati: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Maasin City
$188
Makati
$231 22.8% $43
Accommodation & Living
Maasin City
$174
Makati
$417 140% $243
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maasin City
$164
Makati
$201 22.7% $37
Eating Out
Maasin City
$89
Makati
$120 35% $31
Clothing & Footwear
Maasin City
$83
Makati
$127 52.5% $44
Sport & Entertainment
Maasin City
$41
Makati
$69 67.3% $28
Getting Around
Maasin City
$15
Makati
$62 316% $47

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $269 in Maasin City and $815 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 380% 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: $23.00 in Maasin City vs $40.00 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $231 per month, with Maasin City cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Maasin City
🇵🇭 Makati
🕒 Local time
00:17 12:17 AM
00:17 12:17 AM
Same time as Maasin City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
85,560
582,602
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Maasin City Makati 640 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Maasin City
  • 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
Maasin City vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Makati cheaper than Maasin City?
Maasin City is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 63% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Maasin City or Makati?
On paper, salaries run 380% 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.
What is the rent difference between Maasin City and Makati?
Rent for a central apartment: $269 in Maasin City versus $815 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Maasin City and in Makati?
Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Maasin City or in Makati?
Dining out is cheaper in Maasin City – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $40.00 in Makati. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Maasin City or in Makati?
At $755 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.
Is Maasin City or Makati more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Maasin City or Makati?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Maasin City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Maasin City vs other spots: cost of living compared

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