Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Bansko

For one person, living is cheaper in Bansko: $970 a month against $1,257 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

60

Cost of Living Index in Makati
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Makati Living Index
47

Cost of Living Index in Bansko
Learn more

Bansko Living Index

Jump to prices

Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,257

/mo nomad

Bansko

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$970

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Makati and in Bansko

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

A single person spends $1,257 per month in Makati vs $970 in Bansko, rent included.

Makati $1,257
Bansko $970

A couple spends around $2,052 per month in Makati vs $1,464 in Bansko, rent included.

Makati $2,052
Bansko $1,464

A family of three spends $2,847 per month in Makati vs $1,957 in Bansko, rent included.

Makati $2,847
Bansko $1,957

Makati costs about 30% more than Bansko, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Makati and Bansko are more affordable than the global median – Makati 6% lower, Bansko 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.56 ₱412

$8.66 BGN 15.15

-24.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.13 ₱2,524

$46.63 BGN 81.6

-13.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 ₱299

$9.01 BGN 15.77

-47.28%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₱166

$2.24 BGN 3.92

18.30%

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

$1.08 ₱67.8

$1.50 BGN 2.63

-28.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱31.56

$0.86 BGN 1.51

-41.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱153

$1.76 BGN 3.07

38.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 ₱195

$2.00 BGN 3.51

55.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ₱115

$1.79 BGN 3.14

2.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 ₱77.9

$0.81 BGN 1.42

53.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.7

$1.52 BGN 2.66

-33.55%

Eggs

$2.37 ₱149

$2.30 BGN 4.02

3.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.35 ₱462

$9.60 BGN 16.81

-23.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.91 ₱309

$6.32 BGN 11.06

-22.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.81 ₱429

$8.64 BGN 15.12

-21.18%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 ₱257

$1.28 BGN 2.24

219.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱126

$1.68 BGN 2.95

19.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 ₱206

$1.70 BGN 2.98

92.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 ₱144

$1.89 BGN 3.30

21.16%

Potato (1kg)

$3.59 ₱226

$0.93 BGN 1.63

286.02%

Onion (1kg)

$3.45 ₱217

$0.76 BGN 1.32

353.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ₱67.2

$0.54 BGN 0.95

98.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₱69.9

$0.58 BGN 1.02

91.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.66 ₱167

$3.44 BGN 6.02

-22.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 ₱504

$5.14 BGN 9.00

55.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₱84.7

$1.11 BGN 1.94

21.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₱125

$1.70 BGN 2.97

16.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 ₱62.0

$0.88 BGN 1.55

12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.4 ₱3,609

$26.76 BGN 46.83

114.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 ₱41.50

$1.29 BGN 2.26

-48.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.50

$0.65 BGN 1.14

-64.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₱118

$10.18 BGN 17.81

-81.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₱79.2

$1.50 BGN 2.63

-16.00%

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

$21.5K ₱1.4M

$28.8K BGN 50.4K

-25.47%

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

$19.8K ₱1.2M

$21.5K BGN 37.5K

-7.67%

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

$155 ₱9,752

$91.4 BGN 160

69.59%

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

$15.90 ₱1,000

$14.68 BGN 25.68

8.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.67 ₱2,055

$12.07 BGN 21.12

170.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.4 ₱3,482

$32.28 BGN 56.5

71.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.51 ₱913

$8.60 BGN 15.05

68.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.98 ₱439

$5.63 BGN 9.86

23.98%

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

$783 ₱49.2K

$228 BGN 400

242.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,340 ₱461.6K

$2,311 BGN 4,045

217.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ₱3,748

$30.48 BGN 53.3

95.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.48 ₱2,357

$19.01 BGN 33.26

97.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.5 ₱5,185

$45.53 BGN 79.7

81.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ₱6,400

$48.67 BGN 85.2

109.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 ₱52.1K

$521 BGN 913

58.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$416 ₱26.2K

$367 BGN 643

13.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,318 ₱145.8K

$634 BGN 1,110

265.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,067 ₱67.1K

$558 BGN 976

91.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,082 ₱382.5K

$1,204 BGN 2,106

405.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,765 ₱236.8K

$971 BGN 1,699

287.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$616 ₱38.7K

$1,670 BGN 2,923

-63.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

2.99

150.84%

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

Last update for Makati: October 6, 2026

Last update for Bansko: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Makati

$416 33.8%

Bansko

$367 38% 11.7% $49

Groceries & Markets

Makati

$230 18.7%

Bansko

$193 20% 16.1% $37

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Makati

$204 16.5%

Bansko

$118 12.2% 42% $85

Clothing & Footwear

Makati

$127 10.3%

Bansko

$65 6.7% 48.9% $62

Eating Out

Makati

$123 10%

Bansko

$145 15% 18% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Makati

$69 5.6%

Bansko

$44 4.5% 37.2% $26

Getting Around

Makati

$63 5.1%

Bansko

$35 3.6% 44.8% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $828 in Makati versus $521 in Bansko. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 171% higher in Bansko, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Makati versus $47.00 in Bansko. Groceries tell a different story – $230 in Makati vs $193 in Bansko – so Bansko wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Makati

🇧🇬 Bansko

🕒 Local time

10:48 10:48 AM

05:48 5:48 AM

5 h behind Makati

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

582,602

8,000

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.509 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.54 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.509 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Makati Bansko 9,540 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Makati
Bansko

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 Bansko: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,257 in Makati, $970 in Bansko – roughly 30% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,885 per month in Makati and $1,455 in Bansko. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bansko, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Makati and $47.00 in Bansko. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,257 in Makati and $970 in Bansko. That's a gap of about 30%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bansko, where all-in costs run around $970, than in Makati at $1,257. In Bansko it covers expenses comfortably, while in Makati it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Makati has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $970 in Bansko to $1,257 in Makati. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bansko. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Makati makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.