Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Cagayan de Oro City Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Cagayan de Oro City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,226 in Makati versus $765 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,005 in Makati versus $1,150 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,783 in Makati versus $1,534 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Living in Makati is roughly 60% more expensive than in Cagayan de Oro City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 10% lower, Cagayan de Oro City 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 ₱406

$3.48 ₱219

85.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.29 ₱2,527

$12.57 ₱789

220.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₱295

$2.95 ₱185

59.32%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₱166

$2.40 ₱150

10.42%

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

$1.11 ₱69.7

$0.71 ₱44.38

56.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱28.42

$0.89 ₱55.7

-49.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ₱148

$1.41 ₱88.6

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ₱201

$1.93 ₱121

65.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱120

$1.53 ₱95.9

24.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ₱80.6

$0.89 ₱55.9

43.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ₱65.6

$0.96 ₱60.4

9.38%

Eggs

$2.48 ₱155

$2.18 ₱137

13.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.98 ₱438

$8.52 ₱534

-18.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 ₱304

$3.23 ₱203

50.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.77 ₱424

$5.73 ₱359

18.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 ₱258

$2.15 ₱135

91.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱125

$1.09 ₱68.3

83.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 ₱200

$2.91 ₱183

9.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱143

$1.15 ₱71.9

98.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.52 ₱221

$2.14 ₱134

64.49%

Onion (1kg)

$3.59 ₱225

$2.53 ₱159

41.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₱69.3

$0.77 ₱48.07

42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₱71.7

$0.46 ₱28.63

147.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 ₱161

$2.85 ₱179

-9.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 ₱501

$3.92 ₱246

103.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₱82.7

$1.64 ₱103

-19.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₱127

$1.92 ₱120

5.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₱61.5

$0.39 ₱24.22

151.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 ₱3,613

$9.95 ₱624

478.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₱42.14

$0.66 ₱41.69

1.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.15

$0.22 ₱13.83

-4.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₱117

$2.36 ₱148

-20.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱78.0

$1.01 ₱63.6

22.77%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$21.2K ₱1.3M

-0.31%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$20.2K ₱1.3M

-2.48%

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

$152 ₱9,541

$133 ₱8,314

14.75%

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

$16.13 ₱1,012

$22.83 ₱1,432

-29.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.63 ₱1,984

$30.15 ₱1,891

4.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 ₱3,416

$20.25 ₱1,270

168.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.45 ₱906

$2.71 ₱170

433.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 ₱436

$4.39 ₱275

58.31%

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

$803 ₱50.4K

$65.5 ₱4,108

1125.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,454 ₱467.5K

$2,262 ₱141.9K

229.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 ₱3,755

$31.65 ₱1,985

89.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.50 ₱2,352

$13.10 ₱822

186.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 ₱5,130

$52.2 ₱3,272

56.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ₱6,544

$39.98 ₱2,508

160.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 ₱47.2K

$382 ₱24.0K

96.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱26.9K

$228 ₱14.3K

88.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,279 ₱142.9K

$703 ₱44.1K

223.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 ₱66.1K

$441 ₱27.6K

139.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,865 ₱367.9K

$1,627 ₱102.1K

260.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,745 ₱234.9K

$939 ₱58.9K

298.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₱38.3K

$305 ₱19.1K

100.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

6.75

11.11%

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

Last update for Makati: September 14, 2026

Last update for Cagayan de Oro City: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $752 in Makati and $382 in Cagayan de Oro City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 100% 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 $13.00 in Cagayan de Oro City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $170 per month, with Cagayan de Oro 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 Cagayan de Oro City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Makati and Cagayan de Oro City differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($1,226 vs $765 including rent). Cagayan de Oro City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 100% 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: $752 in Makati versus $382 in Cagayan de Oro City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cagayan de Oro City – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $40.00 in Makati. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $765 in Cagayan de Oro City versus $1,226 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cagayan de Oro City but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Cagayan de Oro 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 Cagayan de Oro 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 Cagayan de Oro City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.