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: $1,237 in Makati versus $757 in Bayawan City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,035 in Makati versus $1,173 in Bayawan City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Makati versus $1,588 in Bayawan City.

Living in Makati is roughly 63% more expensive than in Bayawan City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 10% lower, Bayawan City 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.43 ₱403

$3.07 ₱192

109.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.02 ₱2,509

$23.13 ₱1,450

73.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 ₱287

$3.99 ₱250

14.79%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₱163

$2.61 ₱163

-0.38%

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

$1.13 ₱70.6

$0.62 ₱39.18

82.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₱30.10

$0.51 ₱31.79

-5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ₱151

$1.78 ₱112

35.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₱204

$2.28 ₱143

42.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₱121

$1.80 ₱113

7.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 ₱76.9

$1.17 ₱73.1

5.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱66.9

$0.68 ₱42.42

57.35%

Eggs

$2.47 ₱155

$1.98 ₱124

24.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.28 ₱457

$10.11 ₱634

-27.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 ₱304

$4.59 ₱288

5.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.91 ₱433

$7.50 ₱470

-7.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 ₱250

$3.39 ₱213

17.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱126

$1.39 ₱87.5

43.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 ₱202

$2.40 ₱150

34.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 ₱149

$1.48 ₱92.6

60.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱216

$2.38 ₱149

44.96%

Onion (1kg)

$3.42 ₱215

$1.93 ₱121

77.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ₱69.6

$1.19 ₱74.8

-6.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱72.7

$0.63 ₱39.44

84.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 ₱161

$2.98 ₱187

-13.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 ₱506

$4.73 ₱297

70.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₱84.4

$0.81 ₱51.0

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₱129

$1.68 ₱105

22.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₱61.6

$0.27 ₱17.02

262.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.9 ₱3,629

$11.04 ₱692

424.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 ₱38.54

$0.79 ₱49.75

-22.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.44

$0.21 ₱13.11

9.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ₱116

$1.93 ₱121

-3.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₱74.0

$1.14 ₱71.4

3.51%

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

$21.7K ₱1.4M

$21.6K ₱1.4M

0.12%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

0.02%

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

$154 ₱9,683

$121 ₱7,610

27.24%

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

$16.28 ₱1,021

$14.81 ₱928

9.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.31 ₱1,963

$28.41 ₱1,781

10.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.0 ₱3,384

$31.58 ₱1,980

70.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.31 ₱897

$4.74 ₱298

201.90%

Cinema Ticket

$7.10 ₱445

$1.65 ₱103

330.30%

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

$783 ₱49.1K

$136 ₱8,507

477.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,374 ₱462.3K

$8,050 ₱504.8K

-8.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,780

$32.31 ₱2,026

86.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.61 ₱2,358

$19.35 ₱1,213

94.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 ₱5,152

$76.8 ₱4,816

6.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ₱6,551

$56.8 ₱3,562

83.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$755 ₱47.3K

$266 ₱16.7K

184.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱26.9K

$174 ₱10.9K

146.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,337 ₱146.5K

$504 ₱31.6K

363.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 ₱67.2K

$351 ₱22.0K

205.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,941 ₱372.5K

$2,597 ₱162.9K

128.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,816 ₱239.3K

$1,060 ₱66.5K

259.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$606 ₱38.0K

$114 ₱7,126

433.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

7.2

4.17%

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

Last update for Makati: September 6, 2026

Last update for Bayawan City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $755 in Makati and $266 in Bayawan City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 433% 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: $40.00 in Makati vs $23.00 in Bayawan City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $199 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 63% in total monthly costs ($1,237 vs $757 including rent). Bayawan City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 433% 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: $755 in Makati versus $266 in Bayawan City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bayawan City – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $40.00 in Makati. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $757 in Bayawan City versus $1,237 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 63% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.