Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Bangalore

For one person, living is cheaper in Bangalore: $535 a month against $1,257 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Makati
🇵🇭 Philippines
$1,257
/mo nomad
Bangalore
🇮🇳 India
$535
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Makati and in Bangalore

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 Bangalore actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,257 in Makati versus $535 in Bangalore.

  • Makati $1,257
  • Bangalore $535

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,052 in Makati versus $927 in Bangalore.

  • Makati $2,052
  • Bangalore $927

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,847 in Makati versus $1,318 in Bangalore.

  • Makati $2,847
  • Bangalore $1,318

Living in Makati is roughly 135% more expensive than in Bangalore, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 6% lower, Bangalore 60% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Makati
Bangalore
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.56 ₱411
$3.04 ₹294
115.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.13 ₱2,517
$17.83 ₹1,725
125.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.75 ₱298
$4.78 ₹463
-0.63%
Cappuccino
$2.65 ₱166
$2.24 ₹217
18.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 ₱67.6
$0.39 ₹37.49
176.92%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ₱31.47
$0.14 ₹13.64
257.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.44 ₱153
$2.34 ₹226
4.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10 ₱195
$3.91 ₹379
-20.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Makati
Bangalore
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.83 ₱115
$0.61 ₹58.6
200.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.24 ₱77.7
$0.57 ₹55.2
117.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.01 ₱63.5
$0.81 ₹77.9
24.69%
Eggs
$2.37 ₱148
$1.12 ₹109
111.61%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.35 ₱461
$5.93 ₹574
23.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.91 ₱308
$3.85 ₹373
27.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.81 ₱427
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$4.09 ₱257
$2.78 ₹269
47.12%
Banana (1kg)
$2.00 ₱125
$0.75 ₹72.2
166.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.27 ₱205
$1.22 ₹118
168.03%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.29 ₱144
$0.40 ₹39.19
472.50%
Potato (1kg)
$3.59 ₱225
$0.38 ₹36.40
844.74%
Onion (1kg)
$3.45 ₱216
$0.36 ₹34.72
858.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ₱67.0
$0.42 ₹40.31
154.76%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.11 ₱69.7
$0.32 ₹31.21
246.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.66 ₱167
$4.61 ₹446
-42.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.01 ₱502
$9.01 ₹872
-11.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.35 ₱84.5
$1.86 ₹180
-27.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98 ₱124
$2.92 ₹283
-32.19%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$6.35 ₹614
-
🚌 Getting Around
Makati
Bangalore
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.99 ₱61.9
$0.51 ₹48.89
94.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$57.4 ₱3,599
$15.71 ₹1,520
265.31%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.66 ₱41.39
$1.01 ₹97.8
-34.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.23 ₱14.46
$0.30 ₹29.43
-23.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.88 ₱118
$2.10 ₹203
-10.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 ₱79.0
$1.08 ₹104
16.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.5K ₱1.3M
$12.6K ₹1.2M
70.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.8K ₱1.2M
$19.1K ₹1.8M
3.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Makati
Bangalore
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$155 ₱9,726
$30.32 ₹2,934
411.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.90 ₱997
$4.11 ₹398
286.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.67 ₱2,049
$10.23 ₹990
219.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Makati
Bangalore
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.4 ₱3,473
$18.61 ₹1,801
197.53%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.51 ₱910
$5.95 ₹576
143.87%
Cinema Ticket
$6.98 ₱438
$4.60 ₹446
51.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Makati
Bangalore
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$783 ₱49.1K
$104 ₹10.1K
651.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,340 ₱460.4K
$3,176 ₹307.3K
131.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Makati
Bangalore
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.6 ₱3,738
$32.29 ₹3,125
84.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.48 ₱2,351
$29.85 ₹2,889
25.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.5 ₱5,171
$53.3 ₹5,160
54.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 ₱6,383
$39.66 ₹3,838
156.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Makati
Bangalore
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$828 ₱51.9K
$309 ₹29.9K
168.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$416 ₱26.1K
$175 ₹16.9K
137.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,318 ₱145.4K
$788 ₹76.3K
194.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,067 ₱66.9K
$481 ₹46.6K
121.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,082 ₱381.5K
$1,889 ₹182.8K
221.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,765 ₱236.1K
$1,067 ₹103.3K
252.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Makati
Bangalore
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$616 ₱38.6K
$919 ₹89.0K
-33.05%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.5
8.5
-11.76%

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

Last update for Makati: October 6, 2026

Last update for Bangalore: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Makati
$416
Bangalore
$175 58% $241
Groceries & Markets
Makati
$230
Bangalore
$122 46.8% $108
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Makati
$204
Bangalore
$45 78.1% $159
Clothing & Footwear
Makati
$127
Bangalore
$70 44.9% $57
Eating Out
Makati
$123
Bangalore
$87 29.3% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Makati
$69
Bangalore
$28 59.9% $42
Getting Around
Makati
$63
Bangalore
$20 67.9% $43

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $828 in Makati and $309 in Bangalore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangalore pays 49% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Makati vs $18.00 in Bangalore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $122 per month, with Bangalore cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Makati
🇮🇳 Bangalore
🕒 Local time
09:58 9:58 AM
07:28 7:28 AM
2 h 30 min behind Makati
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
582,602
8,495,492
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.35 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 96.78 INR (100 INR = 1.03 USD). 1 EUR = 109 INR (1,000 INR = 9.21 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Makati Bangalore 4,680 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Makati
  • Bangalore

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Bangalore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Makati or Bangalore?
Bangalore wins on cost – living expenses run 135% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bangalore the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Makati or in Bangalore?
On paper, salaries run 49% lower in Bangalore. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Makati compared to Bangalore?
Rent for a central apartment: $828 in Makati versus $309 in Bangalore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Makati compared to Bangalore?
A monthly transit pass in Bangalore runs roughly 265% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Makati and in Bangalore?
Childcare runs $783 in Makati versus $104 in Bangalore. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Makati or in Bangalore?
At $535 in Bangalore versus $1,257 in Makati, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bangalore but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Bangalore the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Makati or Bangalore?
Both work as nomad bases, but Bangalore delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $535 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bangalore hard to pass up.
How safe is Makati compared to Bangalore?
Safety-wise, Makati and Bangalore are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Bangalore gentler on the wallet – expenses run 135% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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