Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Boracay Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Boracay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Makati versus $785 in Boracay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,009 in Makati versus $1,413 in Boracay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,786 in Makati versus $2,041 in Boracay.

Living in Makati is roughly 57% more expensive than Boracay, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, Boracay 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ₱419

$3.13 ₱193

117.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 ₱2,786

$21.30 ₱1,314

111.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ₱304

$4.91 ₱303

0.41%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱177

$2.36 ₱146

21.61%

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

$1.19 ₱73.5

$1.23 ₱75.8

-3.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.79

$0.28 ₱17.46

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱151

$1.30 ₱80.2

87.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₱226

$2.11 ₱130

73.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.75 ₱108

22.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.5

$1.22 ₱75.1

17.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.6

$0.85 ₱52.4

27.06%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.64 ₱163

-11.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱504

$7.83 ₱483

4.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱273

$4.30 ₱266

3.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱471

$7.49 ₱462

2.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₱282

$2.98 ₱184

53.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.47 ₱90.6

30.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$2.58 ₱159

4.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱139

$1.43 ₱88.3

57.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$1.76 ₱108

86.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$2.62 ₱162

9.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.9

$1.07 ₱66.1

0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.4

$0.71 ₱44.01

39.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱182

$3.81 ₱235

-22.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ₱511

$7.95 ₱491

4.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.2

$1.15 ₱71.2

4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.96 ₱121

19.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.73

$0.36 ₱22.51

41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.0

$0.81 ₱49.99

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.45

$0.22 ₱13.57

-45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.19 ₱135

63.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.9

$1.26 ₱77.9

-12.70%

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

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$26.4K ₱1.6M

29.98%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$20.5K ₱1.3M

4.90%

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

$172 ₱10.6K

$114 ₱7,039

50.79%

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

$26.94 ₱1,663

$8.80 ₱543

206.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.49 ₱2,251

$38.04 ₱2,347

-4.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₱3,455

$52.2 ₱3,218

7.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 ₱727

$4.52 ₱279

160.84%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₱488

$4.12 ₱254

91.75%

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

$321 ₱19.8K

$155 ₱9,537

107.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 ₱465.1K

$3,962 ₱244.5K

90.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,720

$46.06 ₱2,842

30.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₱2,198

$26.47 ₱1,633

34.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 ₱5,280

$76.0 ₱4,689

12.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,521

$53.0 ₱3,269

130.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₱41.1K

$269 ₱16.6K

147.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.1K

$174 ₱10.8K

123.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 ₱139.4K

$583 ₱35.9K

287.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 ₱63.2K

$758 ₱46.8K

35.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,010 ₱370.8K

$2,470 ₱152.4K

143.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₱237.7K

$983 ₱60.7K

291.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.1K

$235 ₱14.5K

190.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

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

Last update for Makati: May 30, 2026

Last update for Boracay: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Makati and $269 in Boracay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 191% 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: $45.00 in Makati vs $21.00 in Boracay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $201 per month, with Boracay 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 Boracay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Makati and Boracay differ by about 57% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $785 including rent). Boracay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Makati pays 191% 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: $666 in Makati versus $269 in Boracay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $321 in Makati versus $155 in Boracay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Boracay – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $45.00 in Makati. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $785 in Boracay versus $1,232 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Boracay but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Boracay 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 Boracay 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 Boracay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.