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: $1,237 in Makati versus $579 in Butuan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,035 in Makati versus $903 in Butuan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Makati versus $1,227 in Butuan.

Living in Makati is roughly 114% more expensive than in Butuan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 10% lower, Butuan 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.43 ₱401

$4.69 ₱292

37.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.02 ₱2,495

$26.84 ₱1,674

49.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 ₱286

$2.33 ₱145

96.57%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₱162

$2.12 ₱132

22.64%

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

$1.13 ₱70.2

$0.31 ₱19.11

264.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₱29.94

$0.23 ₱14.27

108.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ₱150

$1.56 ₱97.1

54.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₱203

$2.33 ₱145

39.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₱121

$1.95 ₱122

-0.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 ₱76.5

$1.09 ₱68.2

12.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱66.6

$0.94 ₱58.5

13.83%

Eggs

$2.47 ₱154

$1.93 ₱120

27.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.28 ₱454

$6.79 ₱423

7.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 ₱302

$4.30 ₱268

12.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.91 ₱431

$8.69 ₱542

-20.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 ₱248

$2.59 ₱162

53.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱125

$1.08 ₱67.2

85.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 ₱201

$2.28 ₱142

41.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 ₱148

$1.20 ₱75.0

97.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱215

$2.10 ₱131

64.29%

Onion (1kg)

$3.42 ₱214

$3.61 ₱225

-5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ₱69.2

$1.19 ₱74.1

-6.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱72.3

$0.66 ₱41.22

75.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 ₱160

$2.50 ₱156

2.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 ₱504

$7.90 ₱492

2.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₱84.0

$1.24 ₱77.3

8.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₱128

$1.53 ₱95.7

33.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₱61.3

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.9 ₱3,609

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 ₱38.33

$0.83 ₱51.6

-26.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.36

$0.25 ₱15.69

-8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ₱116

$1.94 ₱121

-4.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₱73.6

$1.09 ₱67.8

8.26%

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

$21.7K ₱1.4M

$21.1K ₱1.3M

2.67%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$19.1K ₱1.2M

1.55%

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

$154 ₱9,630

$106 ₱6,632

45.21%

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

$16.28 ₱1,015

$19.04 ₱1,187

-14.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.31 ₱1,953

$31.42 ₱1,959

-0.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.0 ₱3,365

$24.08 ₱1,501

124.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.31 ₱892

Cinema Ticket

$7.10 ₱443

$4.37 ₱273

62.47%

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

$783 ₱48.8K

$108 ₱6,746

624.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,374 ₱459.8K

$7,486 ₱466.8K

-1.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,760

$61.6 ₱3,843

-2.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.61 ₱2,345

$27.03 ₱1,686

39.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 ₱5,124

$72.6 ₱4,524

13.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ₱6,515

$60.7 ₱3,784

72.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$755 ₱47.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱26.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,337 ₱145.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 ₱66.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,941 ₱370.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,816 ₱238.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$606 ₱37.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

8.31

-9.75%

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

Last update for Makati: September 6, 2026

Last update for Butuan: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $40.00 in Makati vs $27.00 in Butuan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $196 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 114% 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 $1,855 in Makati and $869 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.

Childcare runs $783 in Makati versus $108 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 $27.00 versus $40.00 in Makati. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $579 in Butuan versus $1,237 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 $579 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 114% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.