Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Baguio Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Baguio

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Makati versus $788 in Baguio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,009 in Makati versus $1,154 in Baguio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,786 in Makati versus $1,520 in Baguio.

Living in Makati is roughly 56% more expensive than Baguio, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, Baguio 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ₱419

$3.57 ₱220

90.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 ₱2,784

$13.38 ₱825

237.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ₱304

$2.64 ₱162

86.74%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱177

$2.36 ₱145

21.61%

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

$1.19 ₱73.5

$0.65 ₱40.14

83.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.76

$0.38 ₱23.18

47.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱151

$1.39 ₱85.5

75.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₱225

$1.89 ₱117

93.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.88 ₱116

13.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.4

$1.19 ₱73.4

20.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.5

$1.12 ₱68.8

-3.57%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.22 ₱137

5.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱503

$9.21 ₱568

-11.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱273

$3.74 ₱231

18.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱471

$8.33 ₱514

-8.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₱282

$2.74 ₱169

66.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.80 ₱111

6.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$2.39 ₱147

12.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱139

$1.20 ₱74.3

87.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$1.81 ₱112

81.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$2.29 ₱141

24.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.8

$0.73 ₱45.12

47.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.3

$0.72 ₱44.25

37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱181

$3.26 ₱201

-9.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ₱511

$9.08 ₱560

-8.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.1

$1.06 ₱65.5

13.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$2.31 ₱143

1.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.71

$0.26 ₱15.91

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

$10.85 ₱669

-67.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.0

$0.92 ₱57.0

-11.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.44

$0.24 ₱14.88

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.40 ₱148

49.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.8

$1.12 ₱69.0

-1.79%

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

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$31.8K ₱2.0M

7.82%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$20.3K ₱1.3M

5.70%

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

$172 ₱10.6K

$147 ₱9,087

16.73%

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

$26.94 ₱1,661

$35.37 ₱2,181

-23.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.49 ₱2,250

$26.43 ₱1,630

38.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₱3,452

$22.38 ₱1,380

150.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 ₱727

$4.18 ₱257

182.06%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₱487

$5.60 ₱346

41.07%

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

$321 ₱19.8K

$154 ₱9,495

108.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 ₱464.8K

$4,706 ₱290.2K

60.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,717

$47.79 ₱2,947

26.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₱2,197

$27.10 ₱1,671

31.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 ₱5,277

$76.1 ₱4,690

12.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,516

$45.80 ₱2,824

166.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₱41.1K

$345 ₱21.3K

92.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$145 ₱8,959

168.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 ₱139.4K

$549 ₱33.8K

311.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 ₱63.1K

$261 ₱16.1K

292.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,010 ₱370.6K

$2,417 ₱149.1K

148.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₱237.5K

$933 ₱57.5K

312.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.0K

$181 ₱11.2K

275.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

4.5

48.22%

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

Last update for Makati: May 30, 2026

Last update for Baguio: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Makati and $345 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 276% 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 $13.00 in Baguio for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $205 per month, with Baguio 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 Baguio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baguio wins on cost – living expenses run 56% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baguio the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Makati pays 276% 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 $345 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Makati versus $788 in Baguio – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Baguio runs roughly 203% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $788 in Baguio versus $1,232 in Makati, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Baguio but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Baguio the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Baguio delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $788 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Baguio hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Baguio 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 Baguio gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.