Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Dasmarinas

For one person, living is cheaper in Dasmarinas: $487 a month against $1,230 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 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
23

Cost of Living Index in Dasmarinas
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Dasmarinas Living Index

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Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,230

/mo nomad

Dasmarinas

🇵🇭 Philippines

$487

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Makati and in Dasmarinas

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,230 in Makati versus $487 in Dasmarinas.

Makati $1,230
Dasmarinas $487

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Makati versus $723 in Dasmarinas.

Makati $2,137
Dasmarinas $723

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,044 in Makati versus $959 in Dasmarinas.

Makati $3,044
Dasmarinas $959

Living in Makati is roughly 153% more expensive than in Dasmarinas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 10% lower, Dasmarinas 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.40 ₱407

$3.97 ₱253

61.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.45 ₱2,449

$16.74 ₱1,066

129.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 ₱305

$2.80 ₱178

70.71%

Cappuccino

$2.59 ₱165

$1.75 ₱111

48.00%

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

$1.09 ₱69.7

$0.55 ₱34.95

98.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.29

$0.32 ₱20.69

53.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ₱152

$0.96 ₱60.9

148.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ₱202

$1.59 ₱101

100.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ₱115

$1.36 ₱86.9

32.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ₱80.6

$1.09 ₱69.3

15.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱65.6

$0.69 ₱43.90

49.28%

Eggs

$2.37 ₱151

$1.75 ₱112

35.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.91 ₱440

$4.98 ₱317

38.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 ₱314

$3.31 ₱211

48.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.74 ₱429

$4.52 ₱288

49.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 ₱262

$2.16 ₱137

90.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ₱121

$1.58 ₱101

20.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 ₱203

$2.29 ₱146

39.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱143

$1.01 ₱64.4

122.77%

Potato (1kg)

$3.55 ₱226

$1.69 ₱108

110.06%

Onion (1kg)

$3.50 ₱223

$1.67 ₱106

109.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ₱67.9

$0.61 ₱39.04

75.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ₱71.7

$0.52 ₱32.82

117.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.60 ₱165

$2.82 ₱180

-7.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 ₱500

$8.65 ₱551

-9.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₱82.3

$0.89 ₱56.8

44.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₱123

$2.05 ₱131

-5.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ₱56.3

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 ₱3,583

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 ₱41.46

$0.81 ₱51.4

-19.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.33

$0.22 ₱13.93

-4.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ₱121

$1.84 ₱117

3.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ₱81.4

$1.12 ₱71.2

14.29%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

0.69%

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

$18.9K ₱1.2M

$19.0K ₱1.2M

-0.46%

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

$151 ₱9,639

$46.50 ₱2,961

225.46%

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

$15.59 ₱993

$16.94 ₱1,079

-7.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.38 ₱1,999

$23.10 ₱1,471

35.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 ₱3,393

$33.40 ₱2,127

59.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.04 ₱894

Cinema Ticket

$7.22 ₱460

$4.95 ₱316

45.86%

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

$776 ₱49.4K

$133 ₱8,439

485.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,391 ₱470.7K

$10.6K ₱673.3K

-30.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 ₱3,814

$28.83 ₱1,836

107.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.96 ₱2,354

$18.88 ₱1,202

95.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 ₱5,161

$70.6 ₱4,498

14.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₱6,426

$55.2 ₱3,515

82.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$829 ₱52.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱27.3K

$47.44 ₱3,021

803.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,151 ₱137.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₱83.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,714 ₱363.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,568 ₱227.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$587 ₱37.4K

$350 ₱22.3K

67.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

6.4

17.19%

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

Last update for Makati: October 26, 2026

Last update for Dasmarinas: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Makati

$429 34.8%

Dasmarinas

$47 9.8% 88.9% $381

Groceries & Markets

Makati

$227 18.5%

Dasmarinas

$157 32.2% 31.1% $71

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Makati

$198 16.1%

Dasmarinas

$87 17.8% 56.4% $112

Clothing & Footwear

Makati

$125 10.2%

Dasmarinas

$78 16.1% 37.8% $47

Eating Out

Makati

$121 9.9%

Dasmarinas

$73 14.9% 40.1% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Makati

$68 5.5%

Dasmarinas

$43 8.9% 36% $24

Getting Around

Makati

$61 5%

Dasmarinas

$1.9 * 0.4% 96.9% $60

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

Cost Breakdown

Makati pays 67% 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: $38 in Makati vs $17 in Dasmarinas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $157 per month, with Dasmarinas cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Makati

🇵🇭 Dasmarinas

🕒 Local time

12:55 12:55 PM

Same time as Makati

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

582,602

659,019

💱 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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Between locations

Makati Dasmarinas 27 km

From you

Makati
Dasmarinas

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 Dasmarinas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,230 in Makati and $487 in Dasmarinas, so Dasmarinas is about 60% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 67% higher in Makati, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $776 in Makati versus $133 in Dasmarinas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Dasmarinas – a meal for two runs $17 versus $38 in Makati. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $487 in Dasmarinas versus $1,230 in Makati, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Dasmarinas but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Dasmarinas 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 Dasmarinas are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Dasmarinas wins on affordability, Makati on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.