Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Bangkok Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Bangkok

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Makati versus $1,068 in Bangkok.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,009 in Makati versus $1,732 in Bangkok.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,786 in Makati versus $2,396 in Bangkok.

Living in Makati is roughly 15% more expensive than Bangkok, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, Bangkok 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ₱419

$3.17 ฿103

114.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 ₱2,784

$30.33 ฿991

48.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ₱304

$6.27 ฿205

-21.37%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱177

$2.51 ฿81.9

14.34%

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

$1.19 ₱73.5

$0.68 ฿22.34

75.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.76

$0.27 ฿8.79

107.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱151

$2.44 ฿79.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₱225

$3.94 ฿129

-7.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.80 ฿58.8

18.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.4

$1.39 ฿45.38

2.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.5

$1.42 ฿46.22

-23.94%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.26 ฿73.8

3.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱503

$18.40 ฿601

-55.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱273

$3.01 ฿98.4

47.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱471

$9.38 ฿306

-18.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₱282

$3.55 ฿116

28.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.76 ฿57.6

9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$2.21 ฿72.1

22.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱139

$1.84 ฿59.9

22.28%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$1.64 ฿53.5

100.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$1.50 ฿48.88

90.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.8

$1.31 ฿42.67

-17.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.3

$0.52 ฿17.10

90.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱181

$4.25 ฿139

-30.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ₱511

$15.02 ฿490

-44.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.1

$1.80 ฿58.9

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$3.39 ฿111

-30.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.71

$1.19 ฿39.00

-57.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

$36.43 ฿1,190

-90.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.0

$1.10 ฿35.84

-26.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.44

$1.20 ฿39.07

-90.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ₱221

$6.13 ฿200

-41.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.8

$1.25 ฿40.88

-12.00%

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

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$37.3K ฿1.2M

-8.18%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$28.6K ฿934.5K

-24.87%

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

$172 ₱10.6K

$91.9 ฿3,000

87.28%

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

$26.94 ₱1,661

$12.96 ฿423

107.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.49 ₱2,250

$17.67 ฿577

106.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₱3,452

$53.9 ฿1,759

3.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 ₱727

$10.68 ฿349

10.39%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₱487

$7.90 ฿258

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

$321 ₱19.8K

$601 ฿19.6K

-46.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 ₱464.8K

$13.2K ฿432.6K

-43.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,717

$57.0 ฿1,863

5.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₱2,197

$38.28 ฿1,250

-6.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 ₱5,277

$103 ฿3,376

-17.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,516

$95.0 ฿3,103

28.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₱41.1K

$669 ฿21.9K

-0.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$326 ฿10.7K

19.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 ₱139.4K

$1,877 ฿61.3K

20.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 ₱63.1K

$843 ฿27.5K

21.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,010 ₱370.6K

$6,307 ฿206.0K

-4.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₱237.5K

$3,371 ฿110.1K

14.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.0K

$747 ฿24.4K

-8.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

5.84

14.21%

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

Last update for Makati: May 30, 2026

Last update for Bangkok: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Makati and $669 in Bangkok. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangkok pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Makati vs $30.00 in Bangkok. Groceries flip the comparison at $234 vs $257, with Makati cheaper for home cooking.

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 Bangkok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Makati and Bangkok differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $1,068 including rent). Bangkok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bangkok earns 10% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $666 in Makati versus $669 in Bangkok. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bangkok – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $45.00 in Makati. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Makati versus $1,068 in Bangkok – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,068 in Bangkok versus $1,232 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bangkok but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Bangkok the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Makati and Bangkok 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 Bangkok gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.