Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Bayawan City Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Bayawan City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,204 in Makati versus $801 in Bayawan City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,023 in Makati versus $1,258 in Bayawan City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,841 in Makati versus $1,714 in Bayawan City.

Living in Makati is roughly 50% more expensive than Bayawan City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 10% lower, Bayawan City 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 ₱412

$4.45 ₱274

50.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.22 ₱2,728

$23.57 ₱1,454

87.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 ₱301

$4.42 ₱272

10.41%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ₱181

$2.66 ₱164

10.15%

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

$1.19 ₱73.7

$0.85 ₱52.6

40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.78

$0.43 ₱26.41

30.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ₱150

$1.57 ₱96.9

54.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 ₱223

$2.07 ₱128

74.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 ₱136

$1.90 ₱117

15.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ₱92.0

$1.51 ₱93.2

-1.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱65.7

$0.81 ₱49.94

32.10%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.27 ₱140

3.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 ₱505

$13.02 ₱803

-37.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.42 ₱273

$5.28 ₱326

-16.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱475

$7.76 ₱478

-0.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 ₱269

$3.45 ₱213

26.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱123

$1.48 ₱91.2

35.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 ₱159

$3.40 ₱209

-24.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₱138

$2.25 ₱139

-0.89%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱213

$2.64 ₱163

30.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱176

$2.44 ₱151

17.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.0

$1.00 ₱61.5

14.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₱62.7

$0.77 ₱47.52

32.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ₱175

$3.25 ₱201

-12.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 ₱501

$4.85 ₱299

67.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱77.1

$0.90 ₱55.7

38.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱143

$2.33 ₱144

-0.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ₱33.40

$0.28 ₱17.48

92.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.64 ₱225

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱48.35

$0.87 ₱53.9

-10.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.11 ₱6.49

$0.23 ₱14.14

-52.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 ₱225

$2.61 ₱161

39.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.9

$1.10 ₱68.0

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

$33.4K ₱2.1M

$30.5K ₱1.9M

9.59%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$26.8K ₱1.7M

-19.97%

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

$171 ₱10.5K

$97.3 ₱6,000

75.44%

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

$26.96 ₱1,663

$34.88 ₱2,151

-22.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.97 ₱2,219

$29.35 ₱1,811

22.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.6 ₱3,430

$34.21 ₱2,110

62.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.87 ₱732

$4.47 ₱276

165.55%

Cinema Ticket

$8.19 ₱505

$1.82 ₱112

350.00%

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

$322 ₱19.9K

$229 ₱14.1K

40.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,811 ₱481.8K

$3,862 ₱238.2K

102.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 ₱3,628

$45.64 ₱2,815

28.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.76 ₱2,206

$23.45 ₱1,446

52.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 ₱5,174

$75.8 ₱4,672

10.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 ₱7,612

$56.2 ₱3,469

119.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$667 ₱41.2K

$261 ₱16.1K

155.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 ₱24.8K

$179 ₱11.1K

124.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,307 ₱142.3K

$595 ₱36.7K

287.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,015 ₱62.6K

$397 ₱24.5K

156.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,283 ₱387.5K

$2,233 ₱137.7K

181.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,903 ₱240.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$712 ₱43.9K

$117 ₱7,219

508.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

-16.63%

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

Last update for Makati: April 25, 2026

Last update for Bayawan City: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $667 in Makati and $261 in Bayawan City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 509% 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: $44.00 in Makati vs $24.00 in Bayawan City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $231 per month, with Bayawan City cheaper across the board.

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 Bayawan City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Makati and Bayawan City differ by about 50% in total monthly costs ($1,204 vs $801 including rent). Bayawan City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Makati pays 509% more on average, 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: $667 in Makati versus $261 in Bayawan City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $322 in Makati versus $229 in Bayawan City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bayawan City – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $44.00 in Makati. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $801 in Bayawan City versus $1,204 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bayawan City but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Bayawan City 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 Bayawan City 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 Bayawan City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.