Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Bacong Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Bacong

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,226 per month in Makati vs $636 in Bacong, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,005 per month in Makati vs $986 in Bacong, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,783 per month in Makati vs $1,336 in Bacong, rent included.

Makati costs about 93% more than Bacong, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Makati and Bacong are more affordable than the global median – Makati 10% lower, Bacong 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 ₱407

$2.83 ₱178

128.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.29 ₱2,531

$19.42 ₱1,220

107.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₱295

$3.24 ₱204

45.06%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₱166

$1.99 ₱125

33.17%

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

$1.11 ₱69.8

$0.63 ₱39.55

76.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱28.47

$0.33 ₱20.77

36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ₱148

$0.86 ₱53.8

173.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ₱201

$1.78 ₱112

79.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱120

$1.66 ₱104

15.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ₱80.7

$1.21 ₱76.3

5.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ₱65.8

$0.91 ₱56.9

15.38%

Eggs

$2.48 ₱156

$2.06 ₱129

20.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.98 ₱439

$6.08 ₱382

14.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 ₱305

$4.15 ₱261

16.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.77 ₱425

$6.10 ₱383

10.98%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 ₱259

$3.32 ₱209

24.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱126

$1.07 ₱67.0

86.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 ₱201

$3.02 ₱190

5.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱143

$1.39 ₱87.1

64.03%

Potato (1kg)

$3.52 ₱221

$2.29 ₱144

53.71%

Onion (1kg)

$3.59 ₱225

$2.72 ₱171

31.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₱69.4

$1.40 ₱87.7

-21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₱71.8

$0.78 ₱48.89

46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 ₱161

$2.96 ₱186

-13.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 ₱502

$6.20 ₱389

28.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₱82.9

$1.08 ₱67.9

22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₱127

$1.26 ₱79.1

61.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₱61.6

$0.23 ₱14.66

326.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 ₱3,619

$11.47 ₱721

402.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₱42.21

$0.71 ₱44.59

-5.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.17

$0.34 ₱21.23

-38.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₱118

$2.35 ₱148

-20.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱78.1

$0.90 ₱56.8

37.78%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$21.5K ₱1.3M

-1.76%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$19.4K ₱1.2M

1.37%

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

$152 ₱9,557

$50.6 ₱3,178

200.75%

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

$16.13 ₱1,014

$9.51 ₱597

69.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.63 ₱1,987

$26.70 ₱1,678

18.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 ₱3,422

$31.95 ₱2,007

70.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.45 ₱908

$4.71 ₱296

206.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 ₱437

$4.84 ₱304

43.60%

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

$803 ₱50.4K

$31.43 ₱1,975

2454.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,454 ₱468.3K

$6,846 ₱430.1K

8.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 ₱3,761

$31.79 ₱1,997

88.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.50 ₱2,356

$19.51 ₱1,226

92.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 ₱5,139

$55.7 ₱3,501

46.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ₱6,555

$23.46 ₱1,474

344.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 ₱47.3K

$150 ₱9,425

401.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱27.0K

$173 ₱10.8K

148.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,279 ₱143.2K

$423 ₱26.5K

439.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 ₱66.2K

$302 ₱19.0K

249.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,865 ₱368.5K

$2,495 ₱156.8K

135.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,745 ₱235.3K

$1,180 ₱74.1K

217.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₱38.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

7.33

2.32%

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

Last update for Makati: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bacong: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $752 in Makati versus $150 in Bacong. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Makati versus $19.00 in Bacong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $187 – making Bacong 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

Makati vs Bacong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Makati is pricier by about 93%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,840 per month in Makati and $955 in Bacong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bacong, 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 $19.00 in Bacong. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,226 in Makati and $636 in Bacong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bacong, where all-in costs run around $636, than in Makati at $1,226. In Bacong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Makati it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bacong – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Bacong. 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.