Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Butuan Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Butuan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Makati versus $731 in Butuan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,009 in Makati versus $1,129 in Butuan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,786 in Makati versus $1,527 in Butuan.

Living in Makati is roughly 68% more expensive than Butuan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, Butuan 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ₱419

$4.41 ₱272

54.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 ₱2,786

$16.09 ₱993

180.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ₱304

$2.33 ₱144

111.59%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱177

$1.63 ₱101

76.07%

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

$1.19 ₱73.5

$0.33 ₱20.27

260.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.79

$0.31 ₱19.23

80.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱151

$1.16 ₱71.9

110.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₱226

$1.81 ₱112

102.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.65 ₱102

29.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.5

$1.03 ₱63.8

38.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.6

$0.99 ₱61.1

9.09%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$1.98 ₱122

18.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱504

$5.73 ₱353

42.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱273

$3.62 ₱223

22.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱471

$7.37 ₱455

3.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₱282

$1.38 ₱85.2

231.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$0.55 ₱33.98

249.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$0.87 ₱53.9

210.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱139

$1.40 ₱86.7

60.71%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$2.20 ₱136

49.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$3.19 ₱197

-10.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.9

$1.38 ₱85.4

-21.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.4

$0.52 ₱32.30

90.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱182

$2.44 ₱151

20.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ₱511

$8.29 ₱512

-0.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.2

$0.72 ₱44.58

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$0.87 ₱53.5

168.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.73

$0.28 ₱17.35

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.0

$0.76 ₱46.70

6.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.45

$0.25 ₱15.47

-52.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.15 ₱133

66.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.9

$1.14 ₱70.2

-3.51%

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

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$22.3K ₱1.4M

53.59%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$20.9K ₱1.3M

3.00%

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

$172 ₱10.6K

$106 ₱6,543

62.22%

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

$26.94 ₱1,663

$33.91 ₱2,093

-20.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.49 ₱2,251

$35.49 ₱2,190

2.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₱3,455

$33.79 ₱2,085

65.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 ₱727

$4.32 ₱266

172.92%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₱488

$4.38 ₱270

80.37%

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

$321 ₱19.8K

$72.1 ₱4,446

344.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 ₱465.1K

$1,766 ₱109.0K

326.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,720

$45.95 ₱2,835

31.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₱2,198

$10.10 ₱623

252.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 ₱5,280

$70.9 ₱4,373

20.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,521

$68.0 ₱4,193

79.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₱41.1K

$262 ₱16.2K

153.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.1K

$176 ₱10.9K

121.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 ₱139.4K

$591 ₱36.5K

282.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 ₱63.2K

$397 ₱24.5K

157.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,010 ₱370.8K

$2,749 ₱169.6K

118.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₱237.7K

$1,070 ₱66.0K

259.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

9.56

-30.23%

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

Last update for Makati: May 30, 2026

Last update for Butuan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Makati and $262 in Butuan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Makati vs $16.00 in Butuan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $164 per month, with Butuan 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 Butuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Butuan wins on cost – living expenses run 68% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Butuan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,849 in Makati and $1,097 in Butuan to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $666 in Makati versus $262 in Butuan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $321 in Makati versus $72.1 in Butuan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Butuan – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $45.00 in Makati. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $731 in Butuan versus $1,232 in Makati, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Butuan but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Butuan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Butuan delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $731 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Butuan hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Butuan 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 Butuan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.