Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Albay Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Albay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Makati versus $772 in Albay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,009 in Makati versus $1,205 in Albay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,786 in Makati versus $1,638 in Albay.

Living in Makati is roughly 60% more expensive than Albay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, Albay 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ₱419

$3.49 ₱215

94.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 ₱2,784

$18.06 ₱1,113

150.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ₱304

$3.33 ₱205

48.05%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱177

$2.46 ₱152

16.67%

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

$1.19 ₱73.5

$0.77 ₱47.44

54.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.76

$0.39 ₱24.14

43.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱151

$1.35 ₱83.3

80.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₱225

$2.09 ₱129

75.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.92 ₱119

11.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.4

$1.21 ₱74.5

18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.5

$0.96 ₱59.1

12.50%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.06 ₱127

13.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱503

$7.99 ₱493

2.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱273

$4.15 ₱256

6.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱471

$7.50 ₱462

1.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₱282

$2.85 ₱176

60.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.58 ₱97.7

21.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$2.69 ₱166

0.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱139

$1.57 ₱96.6

43.31%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$2.20 ₱135

49.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$2.53 ₱156

13.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.8

$1.07 ₱65.7

0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.3

$0.72 ₱44.23

37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱181

$2.78 ₱172

5.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ₱511

$8.52 ₱526

-2.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.1

$1.20 ₱73.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.96 ₱121

19.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.71

$0.28 ₱17.28

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.0

$0.81 ₱50.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.44

$0.24 ₱14.85

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.18 ₱134

64.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.8

$1.14 ₱70.0

-3.51%

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

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$26.5K ₱1.6M

29.31%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$20.4K ₱1.3M

5.32%

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

$172 ₱10.6K

$110 ₱6,806

55.84%

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

$26.94 ₱1,661

$32.34 ₱1,994

-16.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.49 ₱2,250

$27.56 ₱1,699

32.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₱3,452

$33.25 ₱2,050

68.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 ₱727

$4.51 ₱278

161.42%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₱487

$5.87 ₱362

34.58%

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

$321 ₱19.8K

$152 ₱9,356

111.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 ₱464.8K

$4,241 ₱261.5K

77.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,717

$45.77 ₱2,822

31.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₱2,197

$26.78 ₱1,651

33.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 ₱5,277

$75.8 ₱4,674

12.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,516

$53.3 ₱3,287

128.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₱41.1K

$268 ₱16.5K

148.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$177 ₱10.9K

120.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 ₱139.4K

$594 ₱36.6K

280.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 ₱63.1K

$402 ₱24.8K

154.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,010 ₱370.6K

$2,794 ₱172.3K

115.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₱237.5K

$889 ₱54.8K

333.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.0K

$163 ₱10.0K

318.71%

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 Makati: May 30, 2026

Last update for Albay: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Makati and $268 in Albay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 319% 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: $45.00 in Makati vs $18.00 in Albay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $204 per month, with Albay 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

Makati vs Albay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Makati and Albay differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $772 including rent). Albay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Makati pays 319% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $666 in Makati versus $268 in Albay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $321 in Makati versus $152 in Albay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Albay – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $45.00 in Makati. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $772 in Albay versus $1,232 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Albay but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Albay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Makati and Albay 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 Albay 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.