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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,237 per month in Makati vs $725 in Cauayan City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,035 per month in Makati vs $1,099 in Cauayan City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,833 per month in Makati vs $1,473 in Cauayan City, rent included.

Makati costs about 71% more than Cauayan City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Makati and Cauayan City are more affordable than the global median – Makati 10% lower, Cauayan City 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.43 ₱403

$3.89 ₱244

65.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.02 ₱2,509

$16.58 ₱1,039

141.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 ₱287

$2.89 ₱181

58.48%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₱163

$1.84 ₱115

41.30%

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

$1.13 ₱70.6

$0.60 ₱37.82

88.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₱30.10

$0.34 ₱21.40

41.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ₱151

$0.98 ₱61.3

145.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₱204

$1.59 ₱99.5

104.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₱121

$1.63 ₱102

19.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 ₱76.9

$1.17 ₱73.3

5.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱66.9

$0.98 ₱61.3

9.18%

Eggs

$2.47 ₱155

$2.12 ₱133

16.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.28 ₱457

$5.07 ₱318

43.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 ₱304

$3.51 ₱220

38.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.91 ₱433

$8.14 ₱510

-15.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 ₱250

$2.31 ₱145

72.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱125

$1.54 ₱96.7

29.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 ₱202

$2.32 ₱145

38.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 ₱148

$1.07 ₱67.3

121.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱216

$1.74 ₱109

98.28%

Onion (1kg)

$3.42 ₱215

$1.74 ₱109

96.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ₱69.6

$0.61 ₱38.42

81.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱72.7

$0.53 ₱33.53

118.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 ₱161

$3.00 ₱188

-14.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 ₱506

$8.95 ₱561

-9.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₱84.4

$0.92 ₱57.9

46.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₱129

$2.00 ₱125

2.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₱61.6

$0.25 ₱15.63

292.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.9 ₱3,628

$11.35 ₱712

409.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 ₱38.53

$0.79 ₱49.46

-22.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.43

$0.25 ₱15.70

-8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ₱116

$1.95 ₱122

-4.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₱74.0

$0.92 ₱57.8

28.26%

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

$21.7K ₱1.4M

-0.07%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$19.7K ₱1.2M

-1.83%

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

$154 ₱9,681

$140 ₱8,755

10.58%

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

$16.28 ₱1,021

$10.73 ₱673

51.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.31 ₱1,963

$23.29 ₱1,460

34.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.0 ₱3,383

$32.52 ₱2,038

65.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.31 ₱897

$4.90 ₱307

192.04%

Cinema Ticket

$7.10 ₱445

$5.32 ₱333

33.46%

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

$783 ₱49.1K

$134 ₱8,389

485.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,374 ₱462.3K

$10.9K ₱682.7K

-32.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,780

$28.78 ₱1,804

109.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.61 ₱2,358

$19.30 ₱1,210

94.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 ₱5,151

$56.6 ₱3,546

45.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ₱6,550

$56.6 ₱3,550

84.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$755 ₱47.3K

$273 ₱17.1K

177.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱26.9K

$170 ₱10.7K

152.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,337 ₱146.5K

$497 ₱31.1K

370.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 ₱67.2K

$354 ₱22.2K

202.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,941 ₱372.4K

$2,645 ₱165.8K

124.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,816 ₱239.2K

$1,059 ₱66.4K

260.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$606 ₱38.0K

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 6, 2026

Last update for Cauayan City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $755 in Makati versus $273 in Cauayan City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Makati versus $17.00 in Cauayan City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $232 vs $177 – making Cauayan 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 Cauayan City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,237 in Makati, $725 in Cauayan City – roughly 71% apart. Makati costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,855 per month in Makati and $1,087 in Cauayan City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $783 per month in Makati and $134 in Cauayan City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Makati, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cauayan City, where all-in costs run around $725, than in Makati at $1,237. In Cauayan City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Makati it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Makati has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $725 in Cauayan City to $1,237 in Makati. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Cauayan 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.