Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Dagupan Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Dagupan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,186 per month in Makati vs $784 in Dagupan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,004 per month in Makati vs $1,173 in Dagupan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,822 per month in Makati vs $1,563 in Dagupan, rent included.

Makati costs about 51% more than Dagupan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Makati and Dagupan are more affordable than the global median – Makati 12% lower, Dagupan 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 ₱412

$3.10 ₱187

120.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.54 ₱2,690

$13.05 ₱788

241.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 ₱294

$4.82 ₱291

1.24%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱173

$2.85 ₱172

0.70%

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

$1.16 ₱70.0

$0.55 ₱33.35

110.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱32.14

$0.28 ₱16.99

89.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱147

$1.32 ₱79.7

84.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₱210

$2.99 ₱181

16.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 ₱128

$2.11 ₱127

0.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ₱90.9

$1.50 ₱90.9

0.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ₱67.4

$0.82 ₱49.46

36.59%

Eggs

$2.25 ₱136

$2.09 ₱126

7.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.04 ₱486

$6.43 ₱388

25.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.42 ₱267

$4.59 ₱277

-3.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 ₱472

$7.82 ₱472

-0.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.51 ₱273

$4.35 ₱263

3.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ₱115

$1.98 ₱120

-3.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ₱164

$2.63 ₱159

3.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 ₱132

$1.32 ₱79.6

65.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 ₱197

$3.28 ₱198

-0.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 ₱177

$2.91 ₱176

0.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₱66.2

$1.14 ₱69.0

-3.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱59.8

$0.61 ₱36.79

62.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 ₱172

$2.64 ₱159

7.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.27 ₱499

$5.82 ₱352

42.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 ₱71.6

$1.02 ₱61.5

15.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₱140

$2.07 ₱125

12.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱30.74

$0.24 ₱14.52

112.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.49 ₱211

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱46.55

$0.69 ₱41.59

11.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.13 ₱7.72

$0.22 ₱13.23

-40.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 ₱220

$3.62 ₱219

0.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱69.4

$1.10 ₱66.7

4.55%

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

$33.6K ₱2.0M

$33.2K ₱2.0M

1.08%

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

$22.1K ₱1.3M

$22.0K ₱1.3M

0.39%

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

$168 ₱10.2K

$114 ₱6,897

47.43%

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

$27.62 ₱1,668

$26.78 ₱1,617

3.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.63 ₱2,212

$29.18 ₱1,762

25.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 ₱3,410

$36.67 ₱2,215

53.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.69 ₱706

$4.34 ₱262

169.35%

Cinema Ticket

$7.76 ₱469

$5.55 ₱335

39.82%

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

$320 ₱19.3K

$111 ₱6,705

188.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,666 ₱463.0K

$4,347 ₱262.5K

76.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 ₱3,535

$60.4 ₱3,647

-3.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.71 ₱2,157

$8.65 ₱522

312.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 ₱5,203

$84.0 ₱5,074

2.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 ₱7,568

$50.3 ₱3,035

149.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$660 ₱39.9K

$219 ₱13.2K

202.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ₱23.8K

$173 ₱10.4K

128.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,263 ₱136.7K

$522 ₱31.5K

333.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,009 ₱60.9K

$299 ₱18.1K

237.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,121 ₱369.7K

$2,678 ₱161.7K

128.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,737 ₱225.7K

$997 ₱60.2K

274.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$693 ₱41.9K

$247 ₱14.9K

180.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

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

Last update for Makati: June 8, 2026

Last update for Dagupan: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $660 in Makati versus $219 in Dagupan. 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 181% 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 $45.00 in Makati versus $13.00 in Dagupan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $213 – making Dagupan 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 Dagupan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Makati is pricier by about 51%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,779 per month in Makati and $1,175 in Dagupan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dagupan, 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 $45.00 in Makati and $13.00 in Dagupan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dagupan, where all-in costs run around $784, than in Makati at $1,186. In Dagupan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Makati it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dagupan – 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 Dagupan. 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.