Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Calapan City Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Calapan City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Makati vs $801 in Calapan City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,023 per month in Makati vs $1,245 in Calapan City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,841 per month in Makati vs $1,688 in Calapan City, rent included.

Makati costs about 50% more than Calapan City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Makati and Calapan City are more affordable than the global median – Makati 10% lower, Calapan City 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 ₱412

$3.47 ₱214

92.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.22 ₱2,728

$17.93 ₱1,106

146.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 ₱301

$3.34 ₱206

46.11%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ₱181

$2.46 ₱152

19.11%

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

$1.19 ₱73.7

$0.77 ₱47.34

54.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.78

$0.37 ₱22.71

51.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ₱150

$1.35 ₱83.4

79.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 ₱223

$2.07 ₱128

74.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 ₱136

$1.86 ₱115

18.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ₱92.0

$1.26 ₱77.6

18.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱65.7

$1.03 ₱63.6

3.88%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.06 ₱127

13.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 ₱505

$8.12 ₱501

0.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.42 ₱273

$4.17 ₱257

6.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱475

$7.60 ₱469

1.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 ₱269

$2.86 ₱177

52.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱123

$1.52 ₱93.6

31.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 ₱159

$2.60 ₱160

-1.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₱138

$1.61 ₱99.5

38.51%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱213

$2.27 ₱140

51.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱176

$2.60 ₱160

10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.0

$1.11 ₱68.6

2.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₱62.7

$0.76 ₱46.79

34.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ₱175

$2.86 ₱176

-0.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 ₱501

$8.27 ₱510

-1.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱77.1

$1.20 ₱73.8

4.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱143

$2.05 ₱127

13.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ₱33.40

$0.26 ₱15.84

107.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.64 ₱225

$14.26 ₱880

-74.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱48.35

$0.78 ₱47.95

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.11 ₱6.49

$0.22 ₱13.49

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 ₱225

$2.08 ₱128

75.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.9

$1.12 ₱68.9

-1.79%

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

$33.4K ₱2.1M

$27.1K ₱1.7M

23.29%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$20.2K ₱1.2M

6.33%

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

$171 ₱10.5K

$112 ₱6,934

51.81%

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

$26.96 ₱1,663

$32.87 ₱2,028

-17.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.97 ₱2,219

$27.52 ₱1,697

30.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.6 ₱3,430

$33.61 ₱2,073

65.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.87 ₱732

$4.47 ₱276

165.55%

Cinema Ticket

$8.19 ₱505

$6.02 ₱371

36.05%

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

$322 ₱19.9K

$150 ₱9,268

114.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,811 ₱481.8K

$4,313 ₱266.0K

81.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 ₱3,628

$46.18 ₱2,848

27.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.76 ₱2,206

$26.38 ₱1,627

35.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 ₱5,174

$75.9 ₱4,680

10.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 ₱7,612

$54.1 ₱3,337

128.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$667 ₱41.2K

$265 ₱16.3K

151.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 ₱24.8K

$175 ₱10.8K

130.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,307 ₱142.3K

$587 ₱36.2K

292.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,015 ₱62.6K

$390 ₱24.0K

160.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,283 ₱387.5K

$2,415 ₱149.0K

160.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,903 ₱240.8K

$1,635 ₱100.9K

138.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$712 ₱43.9K

$123 ₱7,566

480.68%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Calapan City: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $667 in Makati versus $265 in Calapan City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 481% higher in Makati, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Makati versus $18.00 in Calapan City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $206 – making Calapan City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Calapan City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Makati is pricier by about 50%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,807 per month in Makati and $1,202 in Calapan City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Calapan City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Makati and $18.00 in Calapan City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Makati and $801 in Calapan City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Calapan City, where all-in costs run around $801, than in Makati at $1,204. In Calapan City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Makati it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Calapan City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Calapan City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Makati makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.