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 $1,198 per month in Makati vs $728 in Calapan City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,052 per month in Makati vs $1,110 in Calapan City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,907 per month in Makati vs $1,492 in Calapan City, rent included.

Makati costs about 64% more than Calapan City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Makati and Calapan City are more affordable than the global median – Makati 13% lower, Calapan City 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.42 ₱396

$4.03 ₱248

59.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.95 ₱2,524

$17.16 ₱1,058

138.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 ₱286

$2.92 ₱180

58.56%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₱163

$2.21 ₱136

19.91%

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

$1.09 ₱67.4

$0.63 ₱38.61

73.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₱32.31

$0.32 ₱19.58

62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.45 ₱151

$1.06 ₱65.4

131.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ₱196

$1.68 ₱103

89.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 ₱116

$1.66 ₱102

13.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 ₱81.0

$1.18 ₱73.0

11.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.6

$0.93 ₱57.5

16.13%

Eggs

$2.26 ₱139

$2.00 ₱124

13.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₱457

$6.12 ₱377

21.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.09 ₱314

$4.26 ₱263

19.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 ₱442

$7.19 ₱444

-0.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 ₱253

$2.44 ₱150

68.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 ₱120

$1.62 ₱99.6

19.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ₱147

$2.36 ₱146

1.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 ₱122

$1.21 ₱74.5

63.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.99 ₱184

$2.10 ₱129

42.38%

Onion (1kg)

$3.48 ₱215

$1.96 ₱121

77.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ₱68.2

$0.77 ₱47.50

44.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ₱69.9

$0.53 ₱32.38

113.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.60 ₱160

$2.96 ₱183

-12.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 ₱488

$8.14 ₱502

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 ₱83.8

$0.94 ₱57.7

44.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₱124

$2.03 ₱125

-0.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ₱58.1

$0.25 ₱15.50

276.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.5 ₱3,605

$11.40 ₱703

412.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₱41.17

$0.75 ₱46.19

-10.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.49

$0.25 ₱15.26

-12.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.91 ₱118

$2.15 ₱133

-11.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₱77.7

$1.08 ₱66.6

16.67%

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

$22.1K ₱1.4M

$23.6K ₱1.5M

-6.58%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$19.5K ₱1.2M

1.33%

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

$153 ₱9,453

$123 ₱7,582

24.67%

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

$16.87 ₱1,040

$14.25 ₱878

18.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.74 ₱1,895

$25.08 ₱1,546

22.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 ₱3,491

$31.70 ₱1,954

78.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.41 ₱888

$4.50 ₱278

220.22%

Cinema Ticket

$7.34 ₱452

$5.36 ₱330

36.94%

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

$822 ₱50.7K

$122 ₱7,510

574.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,484 ₱461.4K

$7,432 ₱458.1K

0.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 ₱3,723

$33.24 ₱2,049

81.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.93 ₱2,338

$22.30 ₱1,375

70.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ₱5,209

$76.7 ₱4,731

10.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₱6,519

$63.3 ₱3,903

67.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ₱45.5K

$278 ₱17.1K

165.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 ₱23.9K

$165 ₱10.2K

135.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,324 ₱143.2K

$496 ₱30.6K

368.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 ₱66.6K

$354 ₱21.8K

205.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,146 ₱378.9K

$2,463 ₱151.9K

149.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,737 ₱230.4K

$1,018 ₱62.7K

267.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$611 ₱37.7K

$121 ₱7,471

404.35%

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: August 17, 2026

Last update for Calapan City: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Makati versus $278 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 404% 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 $41.00 in Makati versus $17.00 in Calapan City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $227 vs $183 – 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 64%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,797 per month in Makati and $1,093 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 $41.00 in Makati and $17.00 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 $1,198 in Makati and $728 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 $728, than in Makati at $1,198. 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.