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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,221 in Makati versus $739 in Cotabato City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,007 in Makati versus $1,153 in Cotabato City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,792 in Makati versus $1,567 in Cotabato City.

Living in Makati is roughly 65% more expensive than in Cotabato City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 9% lower, Cotabato City 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.78 ₱418

$4.34 ₱268

56.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.52 ₱2,686

$24.27 ₱1,498

79.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 ₱299

$4.51 ₱278

7.32%

Cappuccino

$2.82 ₱174

$2.12 ₱131

33.02%

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

$1.21 ₱74.4

$0.81 ₱50.1

49.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱32.49

$0.49 ₱30.52

8.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ₱145

$1.38 ₱85.1

70.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₱224

$1.73 ₱107

109.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.04 ₱64.1

105.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ₱93.2

$0.34 ₱20.98

344.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.8

$0.83 ₱51.2

33.73%

Eggs

$2.36 ₱146

$2.08 ₱129

13.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.80 ₱482

$6.12 ₱378

27.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 ₱281

$3.36 ₱207

35.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱472

$7.14 ₱441

7.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.51 ₱278

$1.40 ₱86.4

222.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ₱118

$1.09 ₱67.1

75.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 ₱161

$1.08 ₱66.7

141.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₱138

$1.16 ₱71.7

93.10%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 ₱204

$1.21 ₱74.7

172.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.97 ₱183

$1.55 ₱95.8

91.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₱67.2

$0.55 ₱34.06

98.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₱59.2

$0.60 ₱36.99

60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 ₱176

$0.85 ₱52.7

235.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.16 ₱503

$7.96 ₱492

2.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱76.0

$1.36 ₱84.0

-9.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₱137

$1.54 ₱95.2

44.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ₱31.95

$0.26 ₱16.02

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱47.35

$0.93 ₱57.2

-17.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.11 ₱6.85

$0.25 ₱15.50

-56.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 ₱216

$2.18 ₱135

61.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱70.7

$1.09 ₱67.3

5.50%

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

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$22.5K ₱1.4M

52.43%

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

$21.9K ₱1.4M

$20.6K ₱1.3M

6.58%

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

$167 ₱10.3K

$102 ₱6,311

63.05%

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

$27.16 ₱1,677

$34.33 ₱2,119

-20.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.97 ₱2,221

$36.81 ₱2,272

-2.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.6 ₱3,429

$34.30 ₱2,117

61.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.78 ₱727

$4.52 ₱279

160.62%

Cinema Ticket

$7.83 ₱483

$3.28 ₱202

138.72%

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

$325 ₱20.1K

$121 ₱7,497

167.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,695 ₱475.0K

$4,319 ₱266.6K

78.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 ₱3,689

$45.25 ₱2,793

32.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.65 ₱2,201

$29.55 ₱1,824

20.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 ₱5,345

$76.8 ₱4,738

12.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 ₱7,566

$69.5 ₱4,290

76.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$644 ₱39.7K

$269 ₱16.6K

139.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 ₱24.2K

$179 ₱11.1K

118.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,243 ₱138.5K

$577 ₱35.6K

288.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 ₱62.8K

$391 ₱24.1K

160.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,002 ₱370.5K

$2,723 ₱168.1K

120.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,756 ₱231.9K

$888 ₱54.8K

322.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$608 ₱37.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

9.56

-30.23%

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

Last update for Makati: July 19, 2026

Last update for Cotabato City: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $644 in Makati and $269 in Cotabato City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44.00 in Makati vs $24.00 in Cotabato City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $148 per month, with Cotabato City cheaper across the board.

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 Cotabato City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cotabato City wins on cost – living expenses run 65% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cotabato City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,832 in Makati and $1,108 in Cotabato City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $644 in Makati versus $269 in Cotabato City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 58% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,221 per month in Makati versus $739 in Cotabato City – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $739 in Cotabato City versus $1,221 in Makati, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cotabato City but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Cotabato City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cotabato City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $739 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cotabato City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Cotabato City 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 Cotabato City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.