Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Clark Freeport

For one person, living is cheaper in Clark Freeport: $715 a month against $1,230 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Makati
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Makati Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Clark Freeport
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Clark Freeport Living Index

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Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,230

/mo nomad

Clark Freeport

🇵🇭 Philippines

$715

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Makati and in Clark Freeport

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Makati and in Clark Freeport actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,230 in Makati versus $715 in Clark Freeport.

Makati $1,230
Clark Freeport $715

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Makati versus $1,085 in Clark Freeport.

Makati $2,137
Clark Freeport $1,085

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,044 in Makati versus $1,454 in Clark Freeport.

Makati $3,044
Clark Freeport $1,454

Living in Makati is roughly 72% more expensive than in Clark Freeport, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 10% lower, Clark Freeport 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.40 ₱408

$3.84 ₱245

66.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.45 ₱2,453

$16.25 ₱1,037

136.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 ₱305

$2.77 ₱177

72.56%

Cappuccino

$2.59 ₱166

$2.26 ₱144

14.60%

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

$1.09 ₱69.8

$0.58 ₱36.74

87.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.35

$0.28 ₱18.05

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ₱153

$1.18 ₱75.2

102.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ₱203

$2.12 ₱135

50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ₱115

$1.61 ₱103

11.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ₱80.7

$1.11 ₱71.0

13.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱65.8

$0.88 ₱56.4

17.05%

Eggs

$2.37 ₱151

$1.92 ₱123

23.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.91 ₱441

$5.51 ₱352

25.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 ₱315

$4.15 ₱265

18.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.74 ₱430

$6.10 ₱389

10.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 ₱263

$2.66 ₱170

54.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ₱121

$1.32 ₱84.3

43.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 ₱203

$2.10 ₱134

51.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱143

$1.16 ₱74.2

93.97%

Potato (1kg)

$3.55 ₱226

$2.12 ₱136

67.45%

Onion (1kg)

$3.50 ₱223

$2.22 ₱141

57.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ₱68.0

$1.04 ₱66.4

2.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ₱71.8

$0.51 ₱32.28

121.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.60 ₱166

$2.96 ₱189

-12.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 ₱501

$7.57 ₱483

3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₱82.5

$1.02 ₱64.8

26.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₱123

$2.04 ₱130

-5.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ₱56.4

$0.22 ₱14.00

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 ₱3,590

$12.49 ₱797

350.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 ₱41.54

$0.72 ₱45.68

-9.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.36

$0.23 ₱14.77

-8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ₱121

$1.74 ₱111

9.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ₱81.5

$1.06 ₱67.5

20.75%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$21.2K ₱1.4M

-1.84%

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

$18.9K ₱1.2M

$19.1K ₱1.2M

-1.19%

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

$151 ₱9,657

$120 ₱7,637

26.44%

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

$15.59 ₱995

$13.40 ₱855

16.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.38 ₱2,002

$23.74 ₱1,515

32.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 ₱3,399

$30.66 ₱1,957

73.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.04 ₱896

$4.44 ₱284

216.22%

Cinema Ticket

$7.22 ₱461

$5.15 ₱329

40.19%

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

$776 ₱49.5K

$130 ₱8,265

498.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,391 ₱471.6K

$7,717 ₱492.4K

-4.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 ₱3,821

$33.14 ₱2,115

80.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.96 ₱2,358

$21.82 ₱1,392

69.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 ₱5,170

$70.7 ₱4,514

14.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₱6,438

$47.84 ₱3,052

110.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$829 ₱52.9K

$249 ₱15.9K

233.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱27.3K

$170 ₱10.8K

152.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,151 ₱137.2K

$493 ₱31.5K

335.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₱83.5K

$344 ₱22.0K

280.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,714 ₱364.6K

$2,636 ₱168.2K

116.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,568 ₱227.7K

$1,256 ₱80.2K

184.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$587 ₱37.5K

$314 ₱20.1K

86.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

6.92

8.38%

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

Last update for Makati: October 26, 2026

Last update for Clark Freeport: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Makati

$429 34.8%

Clark Freeport

$170 23.7% 60.4% $259

Groceries & Markets

Makati

$227 18.5%

Clark Freeport

$175 24.4% 23.1% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Makati

$198 16.1%

Clark Freeport

$157 21.9% 20.9% $41

Clothing & Footwear

Makati

$125 10.2%

Clark Freeport

$78 10.9% 37.7% $47

Eating Out

Makati

$121 9.9%

Clark Freeport

$80 11.1% 34.3% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Makati

$68 5.5%

Clark Freeport

$41 5.7% 39.5% $27

Getting Around

Makati

$61 5%

Clark Freeport

$15 2.1% 75.2% $46

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $829 in Makati and $249 in Clark Freeport. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 87% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $38 in Makati vs $16 in Clark Freeport for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $175 per month, with Clark Freeport cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Makati

🇵🇭 Clark Freeport

🕒 Local time

06:26 6:26 AM

Same time as Makati

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

582,602

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Makati Clark Freeport 87 km

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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 Clark Freeport: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,230 in Makati and $715 in Clark Freeport, so Clark Freeport is about 42% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 87% 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: $829 in Makati versus $249 in Clark Freeport. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Clark Freeport – a meal for two runs $16 versus $38 in Makati. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $1,230 per month in Makati versus $715 in Clark Freeport – Clark Freeport is about 42% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $715 in Clark Freeport versus $1,230 in Makati, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Clark Freeport but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Clark Freeport the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Makati and Clark Freeport are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Clark Freeport gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.