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: $1,188 in Makati versus $1,046 in Bangkok.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Makati versus $1,754 in Bangkok.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Makati versus $2,461 in Bangkok.

Living in Makati is roughly 14% more expensive than in Bangkok, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 11% lower, Bangkok 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 ₱402

$3.02 ฿101

116.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.00 ₱2,770

$31.34 ฿1,052

43.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 ₱295

$6.15 ฿206

-22.11%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ₱181

$2.47 ฿82.8

19.43%

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

$1.20 ₱73.8

$0.69 ฿23.09

73.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱35.43

$0.27 ฿8.99

114.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ₱144

$2.52 ฿84.6

-7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 ₱219

$4.07 ฿137

-12.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.87 ฿62.9

14.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.1

$1.34 ฿44.98

6.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.6

$1.46 ฿48.98

-23.97%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$2.19 ฿73.5

6.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 ₱492

$18.12 ฿608

-55.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱279

$3.06 ฿103

47.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱475

$9.62 ฿323

-19.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 ₱279

$3.53 ฿119

28.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ₱122

$1.76 ฿59.1

12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ₱168

$2.27 ฿76.2

19.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱141

$1.86 ฿62.5

22.58%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱212

$1.64 ฿55.1

110.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 ₱173

$1.48 ฿49.84

89.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.0

$1.34 ฿45.12

-14.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱60.7

$0.50 ฿16.66

98.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱184

$4.43 ฿149

-32.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 ₱493

$18.10 ฿608

-55.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱76.9

$1.77 ฿59.3

-29.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$3.40 ฿114

-34.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.57

$1.19 ฿40.09

-57.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱220

$36.61 ฿1,229

-90.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.05

$1.06 ฿35.74

-28.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.13 ₱8.20

$1.19 ฿39.91

-89.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ₱212

$6.03 ฿202

-42.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱71.0

$1.25 ฿42.07

-8.00%

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

$34.1K ₱2.1M

$37.2K ฿1.2M

-8.43%

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

$22.0K ₱1.4M

$28.3K ฿949.6K

-22.14%

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

$170 ₱10.4K

$91.6 ฿3,073

85.33%

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

$27.66 ₱1,703

$12.61 ฿423

119.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.79 ₱2,203

$17.20 ฿577

108.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 ₱3,371

$52.1 ฿1,749

5.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.03 ₱741

$10.49 ฿352

14.68%

Cinema Ticket

$8.20 ₱505

$7.88 ฿265

4.06%

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

$324 ₱20.0K

$603 ฿20.2K

-46.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,680 ₱472.8K

$13.4K ฿449.3K

-42.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ₱3,628

$58.5 ฿1,964

0.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 ₱2,209

$38.64 ฿1,297

-7.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 ₱5,175

$105 ฿3,519

-19.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 ₱7,609

$93.7 ฿3,147

31.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 ₱40.4K

$684 ฿23.0K

-3.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$324 ฿10.9K

20.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,273 ₱140.0K

$1,905 ฿63.9K

19.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 ₱62.0K

$829 ฿27.8K

21.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,013 ₱370.2K

$6,056 ฿203.3K

-0.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,732 ₱229.8K

$3,313 ฿111.2K

12.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ₱37.3K

$622 ฿20.9K

-2.69%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bangkok: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Makati and $684 in Bangkok. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangkok pays 3% 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 $31.00 in Bangkok. Groceries flip the comparison at $235 vs $263, 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 14% in total monthly costs ($1,188 vs $1,046 including rent). Bangkok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 3% lower in Bangkok. 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: $657 in Makati versus $684 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 $31.00 versus $45.00 in Makati. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,188 per month in Makati versus $1,046 in Bangkok – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,046 in Bangkok versus $1,188 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 14% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.