Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Cebu Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Cebu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,188 in Makati versus $873 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Makati versus $1,339 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Makati versus $1,805 in Cebu.

Living in Makati is roughly 36% more expensive than in Cebu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 11% lower, Cebu 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 ₱402

$4.39 ₱270

48.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.00 ₱2,770

$24.30 ₱1,496

85.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 ₱295

$4.53 ₱279

5.74%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ₱181

$2.52 ₱155

17.06%

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

$1.20 ₱73.8

$0.80 ₱49.42

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱35.43

$0.42 ₱25.97

38.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.59 ₱97.7

47.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 ₱219

$2.19 ₱135

62.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$2.26 ₱139

-5.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.1

$1.51 ₱93.0

-5.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.6

$1.16 ₱71.6

-4.31%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$2.36 ₱145

-1.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 ₱492

$12.87 ₱792

-37.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱279

$5.38 ₱331

-15.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱475

$7.82 ₱481

-1.41%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 ₱279

$3.53 ₱217

28.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ₱122

$1.51 ₱92.9

31.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ₱168

$3.29 ₱203

-17.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱141

$2.20 ₱136

3.64%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱212

$2.64 ₱162

30.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 ₱173

$2.46 ₱152

13.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.0

$1.00 ₱61.4

14.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱60.7

$0.78 ₱48.06

26.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱184

$3.10 ₱191

-3.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 ₱493

$6.43 ₱396

24.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱76.9

$1.16 ₱71.7

7.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.57

$0.26 ₱15.80

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱220

$15.36 ₱946

-76.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.05

$0.81 ₱49.81

-6.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.13 ₱8.20

$0.23 ₱14.06

-43.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ₱212

$2.64 ₱163

30.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱71.0

$1.10 ₱67.7

4.55%

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

$34.1K ₱2.1M

$30.5K ₱1.9M

11.80%

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

$22.0K ₱1.4M

$27.7K ₱1.7M

-20.57%

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

$170 ₱10.4K

$95.9 ₱5,904

76.94%

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

$27.66 ₱1,703

$34.05 ₱2,096

-18.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.79 ₱2,203

$29.86 ₱1,839

19.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 ₱3,371

$33.32 ₱2,051

64.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.03 ₱741

$8.45 ₱520

42.37%

Cinema Ticket

$8.20 ₱505

$5.79 ₱357

41.62%

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

$324 ₱20.0K

$235 ₱14.5K

37.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,680 ₱472.8K

$3,913 ₱240.9K

96.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ₱3,628

$53.1 ₱3,272

10.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 ₱2,209

$22.65 ₱1,395

58.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 ₱5,175

$76.1 ₱4,685

10.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 ₱7,609

$55.0 ₱3,383

124.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 ₱40.4K

$508 ₱31.3K

29.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$210 ₱12.9K

86.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,273 ₱140.0K

$800 ₱49.3K

184.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 ₱62.0K

$389 ₱24.0K

158.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,013 ₱370.2K

$3,013 ₱185.5K

99.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,732 ₱229.8K

$1,950 ₱120.1K

91.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ₱37.3K

$340 ₱20.9K

78.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

-16.63%

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

Last update for Makati: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cebu: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Makati and $508 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 78% 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 $24.00 in Cebu. Groceries flip the comparison at $235 vs $241, with Makati cheaper for home cooking.

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 Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 78% 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: $657 in Makati versus $508 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,188 per month in Makati versus $873 in Cebu – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 329% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $873 in Cebu versus $1,188 in Makati, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Makati, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Makati and Cebu 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 Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.