Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Bacolod

For one person, living is cheaper in Bacolod: $607 a month against $1,228 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

60

Cost of Living Index in Makati
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Makati Living Index
37

Cost of Living Index in Bacolod
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Bacolod Living Index

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Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,228

/mo nomad

Bacolod

🇵🇭 Philippines

$607

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Makati and in Bacolod

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Makati and in Bacolod actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,228 per month in Makati vs $607 in Bacolod, rent included.

Makati $1,228
Bacolod $607

A couple spends around $2,028 per month in Makati vs $885 in Bacolod, rent included.

Makati $2,028
Bacolod $885

A family of three spends $2,828 per month in Makati vs $1,162 in Bacolod, rent included.

Makati $2,828
Bacolod $1,162

Makati costs about 102% more than Bacolod, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Makati and Bacolod are more affordable than the global median – Makati 9% lower, Bacolod 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.22 ₱392

$2.34 ₱147

165.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.57 ₱2,491

$12.87 ₱810

207.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 ₱307

$4.03 ₱254

21.09%

Cappuccino

$2.55 ₱161

$2.46 ₱155

3.66%

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

$1.06 ₱67.0

$0.70 ₱43.96

51.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱31.54

$0.38 ₱23.61

31.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 ₱150

$1.37 ₱86.3

73.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ₱202

$1.78 ₱112

80.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱120

$1.61 ₱101

18.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 ₱81.5

$1.16 ₱73.2

11.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ₱67.0

$0.95 ₱60.0

11.58%

Eggs

$2.47 ₱155

$1.66 ₱105

48.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.29 ₱459

$8.92 ₱561

-18.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 ₱306

$6.95 ₱437

-30.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.03 ₱442

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 ₱254

$3.37 ₱212

19.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 ₱122

$2.42 ₱152

-19.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 ₱203

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 ₱144

$0.53 ₱33.60

332.08%

Potato (1kg)

$3.48 ₱219

Onion (1kg)

$3.59 ₱226

$2.00 ₱126

79.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 ₱66.8

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₱69.7

$1.03 ₱64.8

7.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.69 ₱169

$2.77 ₱175

-2.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 ₱511

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₱82.9

$0.91 ₱57.4

45.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₱124

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ₱56.4

$0.18 ₱11.18

400.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.8 ₱3,575

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₱41.91

$0.61 ₱38.66

9.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.16

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 ₱121

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₱78.8

$1.28 ₱80.5

-2.34%

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

$21.3K ₱1.3M

$22.1K ₱1.4M

-3.63%

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

$19.6K ₱1.2M

$24.0K ₱1.5M

-18.48%

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

$153 ₱9,620

$137 ₱8,646

11.26%

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

$16.06 ₱1,011

$7.99 ₱503

101.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.37 ₱2,038

$28.20 ₱1,776

14.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 ₱3,456

$15.87 ₱999

245.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.14 ₱890

$2.44 ₱153

479.51%

Cinema Ticket

$7.22 ₱454

$4.37 ₱275

65.22%

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

$794 ₱50.0K

$31.23 ₱1,966

2443.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,321 ₱460.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.2 ₱3,850

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.86 ₱2,321

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.5 ₱5,129

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 ₱6,510

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 ₱51.3K

$267 ₱16.8K

205.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 ₱26.3K

$178 ₱11.2K

134.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,274 ₱143.2K

$475 ₱29.9K

378.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 ₱67.3K

$347 ₱21.8K

208.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,869 ₱369.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,738 ₱235.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$601 ₱37.9K

$206 ₱13.0K

191.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

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

Last update for Makati: October 12, 2026

Last update for Bacolod: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Makati

$417 34%

Bacolod

$178 29.4% 57.3% $239

Groceries & Markets

Makati

$231 18.8%

Bacolod

$155 * 25.5% 33.2% $77

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Makati

$201 16.4%

Bacolod

$174 28.6% 13.8% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Makati

$127 10.4%

Bacolod

- * 0% 100%

Eating Out

Makati

$120 9.7%

Bacolod

$75 12.4% 37.3% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Makati

$69 5.6%

Bacolod

$25 4.1% 64.5% $45

Getting Around

Makati

$62 5.1%

Bacolod

$1.3 * 0.2% 97.9% $61

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $815 in Makati versus $267 in Bacolod. 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 192% 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 $40.00 in Makati versus $13.00 in Bacolod. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $155 – making Bacolod the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Makati

🇵🇭 Bacolod

🕒 Local time

12:19 12:19 PM

Same time as Makati

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

582,602

561,875

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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

Makati vs Bacolod: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,228 in Makati, $607 in Bacolod – roughly 102% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,842 per month in Makati and $911 in Bacolod. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bacolod, 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 $40.00 in Makati and $13.00 in Bacolod. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% 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 Bacolod, where all-in costs run around $607, than in Makati at $1,228. In Bacolod 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 $607 in Bacolod to $1,228 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 Bacolod. 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.