Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Bago Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Bago

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,237 in Makati versus $729 in Bago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,035 in Makati versus $1,112 in Bago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Makati versus $1,496 in Bago.

Living in Makati is roughly 70% more expensive than in Bago, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 10% lower, Bago 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.43 ₱403

$3.83 ₱240

67.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.02 ₱2,509

$16.69 ₱1,047

139.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 ₱287

$2.89 ₱181

58.48%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₱163

$2.17 ₱136

19.82%

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

$1.13 ₱70.6

$0.61 ₱38.49

85.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₱30.10

$0.34 ₱21.35

41.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ₱151

$1.11 ₱69.8

117.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₱204

$1.91 ₱120

70.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₱121

$1.69 ₱106

14.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 ₱76.9

$1.12 ₱70.0

9.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱66.9

$0.97 ₱61.1

10.31%

Eggs

$2.47 ₱155

$1.86 ₱117

32.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.28 ₱457

$5.21 ₱327

39.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 ₱304

$4.20 ₱264

15.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.91 ₱433

$7.17 ₱450

-3.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 ₱250

$2.37 ₱149

67.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱126

$1.57 ₱98.2

27.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 ₱202

$2.40 ₱151

34.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 ₱149

$1.18 ₱74.3

100.85%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱216

$2.13 ₱133

61.97%

Onion (1kg)

$3.42 ₱215

$2.03 ₱127

68.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ₱69.6

$0.84 ₱52.5

32.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱72.7

$0.56 ₱35.11

107.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 ₱161

$2.91 ₱182

-11.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 ₱506

$8.18 ₱513

-1.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₱84.4

$0.98 ₱61.6

37.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₱129

$1.96 ₱123

4.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₱61.6

$0.25 ₱15.53

292.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.9 ₱3,629

$11.25 ₱706

414.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 ₱38.54

$0.78 ₱49.15

-21.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.44

$0.25 ₱15.79

-8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ₱116

$1.98 ₱124

-6.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₱74.0

$1.12 ₱70.3

5.36%

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

$21.7K ₱1.4M

-0.19%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

0.46%

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

$154 ₱9,683

$123 ₱7,696

25.82%

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

$16.28 ₱1,021

$14.93 ₱936

9.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.31 ₱1,963

$25.13 ₱1,576

24.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.0 ₱3,384

$32.23 ₱2,021

67.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.31 ₱897

$4.70 ₱295

204.47%

Cinema Ticket

$7.10 ₱445

$5.11 ₱320

38.94%

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

$783 ₱49.1K

$131 ₱8,242

495.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,374 ₱462.3K

$8,056 ₱505.1K

-8.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,780

$32.69 ₱2,050

84.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.61 ₱2,358

$19.43 ₱1,218

93.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 ₱5,152

$71.6 ₱4,492

14.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ₱6,551

$56.0 ₱3,513

86.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$755 ₱47.3K

$269 ₱16.9K

180.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱26.9K

$174 ₱10.9K

146.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,337 ₱146.5K

$503 ₱31.5K

364.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 ₱67.2K

$350 ₱22.0K

205.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,941 ₱372.5K

$2,640 ₱165.5K

125.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,816 ₱239.3K

$1,032 ₱64.7K

269.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$606 ₱38.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

6.75

11.11%

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

Last update for Makati: September 6, 2026

Last update for Bago: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $755 in Makati and $269 in Bago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Makati vs $17.00 in Bago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $180 per month, with Bago 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 Bago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bago is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 70% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,855 in Makati and $1,093 in Bago to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $755 in Makati versus $269 in Bago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $783 in Makati versus $131 in Bago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $729 in Bago versus $1,237 in Makati, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bago but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Bago the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bago 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, Makati and Bago 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 Bago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.