Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Bataan

For one person, living is cheaper in Bataan: $484 a month against $1,230 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Makati
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Makati Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Bataan
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Bataan Living Index

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Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,230

/mo nomad

Bataan

🇵🇭 Philippines

$484

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Makati and in Bataan

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,230 in Makati versus $484 in Bataan.

Makati $1,230
Bataan $484

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Makati versus $808 in Bataan.

Makati $2,137
Bataan $808

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,044 in Makati versus $1,132 in Bataan.

Makati $3,044
Bataan $1,132

Living in Makati is roughly 154% more expensive than in Bataan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 10% lower, Bataan 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.40 ₱409

$1.35 ₱86.6

374.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.45 ₱2,457

$16.58 ₱1,059

131.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 ₱306

$2.67 ₱171

79.03%

Cappuccino

$2.59 ₱166

$1.30 ₱83.1

99.23%

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

$1.09 ₱69.9

$0.58 ₱37.13

87.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.39

$0.22 ₱14.03

122.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ₱153

$1.00 ₱63.8

139.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ₱203

$1.55 ₱99.0

105.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ₱115

$1.57 ₱100

14.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ₱80.8

$1.10 ₱70.4

14.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱65.9

$1.01 ₱64.6

1.98%

Eggs

$2.37 ₱151

$1.75 ₱112

35.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.91 ₱441

$5.10 ₱326

35.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 ₱315

$2.95 ₱189

67.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.74 ₱431

$7.61 ₱486

-11.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 ₱263

$2.24 ₱143

83.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ₱122

$1.52 ₱97.3

25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 ₱204

$2.26 ₱144

41.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱144

$1.06 ₱67.4

112.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.55 ₱227

$1.65 ₱105

115.15%

Onion (1kg)

$3.50 ₱223

$1.67 ₱107

109.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ₱68.1

$0.60 ₱38.38

78.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ₱71.9

$0.52 ₱33.50

117.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.60 ₱166

$2.18 ₱139

19.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 ₱502

$8.40 ₱537

-6.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₱82.6

$0.97 ₱61.7

32.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₱124

$2.02 ₱129

-4.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ₱56.4

$0.24 ₱15.22

266.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 ₱3,595

$11.16 ₱713

404.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 ₱41.59

$0.75 ₱48.08

-13.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.38

$0.24 ₱15.37

-12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ₱122

$1.84 ₱117

3.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ₱81.6

$1.03 ₱66.0

24.27%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

0.73%

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

$18.9K ₱1.2M

$18.7K ₱1.2M

1.10%

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

$151 ₱9,669

$47.28 ₱3,021

220.09%

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

$15.59 ₱996

$17.49 ₱1,117

-10.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.38 ₱2,005

$22.85 ₱1,460

37.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 ₱3,403

$31.23 ₱1,996

70.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.04 ₱897

$5.61 ₱359

150.27%

Cinema Ticket

$7.22 ₱461

$5.01 ₱320

44.11%

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

$776 ₱49.6K

$65.6 ₱4,190

1082.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,391 ₱472.2K

$10.7K ₱683.0K

-30.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 ₱3,826

$27.82 ₱1,778

115.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.96 ₱2,361

$19.07 ₱1,218

93.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 ₱5,177

$69.2 ₱4,422

17.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₱6,446

$55.8 ₱3,565

80.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$829 ₱53.0K

$161 ₱10.3K

415.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱27.4K

$50.0 ₱3,197

756.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,151 ₱137.4K

$274 ₱17.5K

685.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₱83.6K

$177 ₱11.3K

637.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,714 ₱365.1K

$2,553 ₱163.1K

123.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,568 ₱228.0K

$1,066 ₱68.1K

234.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$587 ₱37.5K

$389 ₱24.9K

50.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

6.75

11.11%

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

Last update for Makati: October 26, 2026

Last update for Bataan: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Makati

$429 34.8%

Bataan

$50 10.3% 88.3% $378

Groceries & Markets

Makati

$227 18.5%

Bataan

$168 34.7% 26.1% $59

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Makati

$198 16.1%

Bataan

$88 18.1% 55.8% $111

Clothing & Footwear

Makati

$125 10.2%

Bataan

$77 16% 38.3% $48

Eating Out

Makati

$121 9.9%

Bataan

$46 9.5% 62.3% $76

Sport & Entertainment

Makati

$68 5.5%

Bataan

$41 8.5% 39.1% $26

Getting Around

Makati

$61 5%

Bataan

$14 2.9% 77.1% $47

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $829 in Makati and $161 in Bataan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 51% 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: $38 in Makati vs $17 in Bataan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $168 per month, with Bataan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Makati

🇵🇭 Bataan

🕒 Local time

06:15 6:15 AM

Same time as Makati

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

582,602

6,743

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Makati Bataan 54 km

From you

Makati
Bataan

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 Bataan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bataan is about 61% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 51% higher in Makati, 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: $829 in Makati versus $161 in Bataan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bataan – a meal for two runs $17 versus $38 in Makati. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $484 in Bataan versus $1,230 in Makati, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bataan but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Bataan 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.

Expats usually find Bataan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.