Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Calamba Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Calamba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Makati versus $723 in Calamba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,009 in Makati versus $1,179 in Calamba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,786 in Makati versus $1,636 in Calamba.

Living in Makati is roughly 70% more expensive than Calamba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, Calamba 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ₱419

$3.58 ₱221

89.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 ₱2,784

$13.48 ₱831

234.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ₱304

$2.58 ₱159

91.09%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱177

$2.35 ₱145

22.13%

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

$1.19 ₱73.5

$0.69 ₱42.53

72.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.76

$0.40 ₱24.83

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱151

$1.00 ₱61.9

144.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₱225

$1.98 ₱122

84.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.85 ₱114

15.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.4

$1.21 ₱74.5

18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.5

$1.08 ₱66.4

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.20 ₱136

6.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱503

$9.44 ₱582

-13.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱273

$3.71 ₱229

19.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱471

$8.67 ₱535

-11.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₱282

$2.71 ₱167

68.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.78 ₱110

7.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$2.36 ₱146

14.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱139

$1.22 ₱75.2

84.43%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$1.83 ₱113

79.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$2.19 ₱135

30.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.8

$0.68 ₱42.15

58.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.3

$0.77 ₱47.33

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱181

$3.30 ₱203

-10.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ₱511

$8.66 ₱534

-4.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.1

$1.03 ₱63.3

16.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.71

$0.26 ₱15.98

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.0

$0.90 ₱55.8

-10.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.44

$0.22 ₱13.54

-45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.41 ₱149

48.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.8

$1.12 ₱69.1

-1.79%

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

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$31.3K ₱1.9M

9.53%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$20.1K ₱1.2M

7.03%

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

$172 ₱10.6K

$144 ₱8,890

19.31%

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

$26.94 ₱1,661

$34.60 ₱2,134

-22.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.49 ₱2,250

$26.46 ₱1,632

37.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₱3,452

$33.99 ₱2,096

64.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 ₱727

$4.41 ₱272

167.35%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₱487

$5.80 ₱358

36.21%

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

$321 ₱19.8K

$153 ₱9,416

109.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 ₱464.8K

$4,663 ₱287.5K

61.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,717

$49.35 ₱3,043

22.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₱2,197

$28.02 ₱1,728

27.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 ₱5,277

$76.5 ₱4,718

11.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,516

$47.46 ₱2,926

156.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₱41.1K

$123 ₱7,577

441.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$79.2 ₱4,882

392.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 ₱139.4K

$587 ₱36.2K

284.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 ₱63.1K

$391 ₱24.1K

161.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,010 ₱370.6K

$2,695 ₱166.2K

122.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₱237.5K

$1,000 ₱61.6K

285.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.0K

$257 ₱15.8K

165.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

4.5

48.22%

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

Last update for Makati: May 30, 2026

Last update for Calamba: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Makati and $123 in Calamba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 166% 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 $13.00 in Calamba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $205 per month, with Calamba 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 Calamba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calamba wins on cost – living expenses run 70% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Calamba the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Makati pays 166% 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 $123 in Calamba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Makati versus $723 in Calamba – a 70% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $723 in Calamba versus $1,232 in Makati, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Calamba but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Calamba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Calamba delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $723 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Calamba hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Calamba 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 Calamba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.