Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Dagupan

For one person, living is cheaper in Dagupan: $730 a month against $1,230 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 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 Dagupan
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Dagupan Living Index

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Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,230

/mo nomad

Dagupan

🇵🇭 Philippines

$730

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Makati and in Dagupan

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 Dagupan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,230 per month in Makati vs $730 in Dagupan, rent included.

Makati $1,230
Dagupan $730

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Makati vs $1,083 in Dagupan, rent included.

Makati $2,137
Dagupan $1,083

A family of three spends $3,044 per month in Makati vs $1,435 in Dagupan, rent included.

Makati $3,044
Dagupan $1,435

Makati costs about 68% more than Dagupan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Makati and Dagupan are more affordable than the global median – Makati 10% lower, Dagupan 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.40 ₱407

$2.76 ₱176

131.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.45 ₱2,449

$11.82 ₱753

225.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 ₱305

$4.25 ₱271

12.47%

Cappuccino

$2.59 ₱165

$2.39 ₱152

8.37%

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

$1.09 ₱69.7

$0.49 ₱31.35

122.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.29

$0.22 ₱13.96

122.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ₱152

$1.20 ₱76.4

99.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ₱202

$2.67 ₱170

19.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ₱115

$1.71 ₱109

5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ₱80.6

$1.27 ₱80.6

-0.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱65.6

$0.93 ₱59.0

10.75%

Eggs

$2.37 ₱151

$1.92 ₱122

23.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.91 ₱440

$5.68 ₱362

21.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 ₱314

$4.73 ₱302

4.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.74 ₱429

$6.66 ₱424

1.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 ₱262

$3.91 ₱249

5.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ₱121

$1.91 ₱121

-0.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 ₱203

$2.76 ₱176

15.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱143

$1.12 ₱71.5

100.89%

Potato (1kg)

$3.55 ₱226

$2.78 ₱177

27.70%

Onion (1kg)

$3.50 ₱223

$3.38 ₱216

3.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ₱67.9

$1.04 ₱66.5

2.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ₱71.7

$0.53 ₱33.69

113.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.60 ₱165

$2.30 ₱146

13.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 ₱500

$5.36 ₱341

46.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₱82.3

$0.82 ₱52.3

57.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₱123

$1.86 ₱118

3.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ₱56.3

$0.20 ₱12.62

340.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 ₱3,583

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 ₱41.46

$0.60 ₱38.37

8.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.33

$0.23 ₱14.66

-8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ₱121

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ₱81.4

$1.10 ₱70.1

16.36%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$20.9K ₱1.3M

-0.67%

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

$18.9K ₱1.2M

$18.7K ₱1.2M

0.73%

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

$151 ₱9,639

$103 ₱6,549

47.19%

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

$15.59 ₱993

$15.47 ₱985

0.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.38 ₱1,999

$25.08 ₱1,597

25.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 ₱3,393

$32.41 ₱2,065

64.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.04 ₱894

Cinema Ticket

$7.22 ₱460

$5.03 ₱320

43.54%

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

$776 ₱49.4K

$767 ₱48.8K

1.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,391 ₱470.7K

$7,158 ₱455.9K

3.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 ₱3,814

$59.9 ₱3,816

-0.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.96 ₱2,354

$7.65 ₱487

383.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 ₱5,161

$78.4 ₱4,995

3.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₱6,426

$102 ₱6,521

-1.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$829 ₱52.8K

$189 ₱12.0K

338.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱27.3K

$159 ₱10.1K

169.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,151 ₱137.0K

$351 ₱22.4K

512.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₱83.3K

$262 ₱16.7K

399.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,714 ₱363.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,568 ₱227.3K

$463 ₱29.5K

670.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$587 ₱37.4K

$231 ₱14.7K

154.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

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

Last update for Makati: October 26, 2026

Last update for Dagupan: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Makati

$429 34.8%

Dagupan

$159 21.8% 62.9% $270

Groceries & Markets

Makati

$227 18.5%

Dagupan

$194 26.5% 14.8% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Makati

$198 16.1%

Dagupan

$143 19.6% 27.7% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Makati

$125 10.2%

Dagupan

$112 15.3% 10.9% $14

Eating Out

Makati

$121 9.9%

Dagupan

$78 10.6% 36% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Makati

$68 5.5%

Dagupan

$42 5.8% 37.3% $25

Getting Around

Makati

$61 5%

Dagupan

$2.6 * 0.4% 95.9% $59

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $829 in Makati versus $189 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 in Makati are about 2.5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Makati versus $12 in Dagupan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $227 vs $194 – making Dagupan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Makati

🇵🇭 Dagupan

🕒 Local time

15:02 3:02 PM

Same time as Makati

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

582,602

174,302

💱 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

On the map

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Makati Dagupan 180 km

From you

Makati
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 68%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,845 per month in Makati and $1,096 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $189 there versus $829 in Makati.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Makati and $12 in Dagupan. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Makati, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dagupan, where all-in costs run around $730, than in Makati at $1,230. In Dagupan 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 $730 in Dagupan to $1,230 in Makati. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Dagupan. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Makati makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.