Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Dhaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $426 a month against $1,257 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $10,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

60

Cost of Living Index in Makati
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Makati Living Index
21

Cost of Living Index in Dhaka
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Dhaka Living Index

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Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,257

/mo nomad

Dhaka

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$426

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Makati and in Dhaka

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,257 in Makati versus $426 in Dhaka.

Makati $1,257
Dhaka $426

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,052 in Makati versus $735 in Dhaka.

Makati $2,052
Dhaka $735

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,847 in Makati versus $1,043 in Dhaka.

Makati $2,847
Dhaka $1,043

Living in Makati is roughly 195% more expensive than in Dhaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 6% lower, Dhaka 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.56 ₱412

$2.49 ৳306

163.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.13 ₱2,524

$13.06 ৳1,605

207.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 ₱299

$4.83 ৳594

-1.66%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 ৳606

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 ৳504

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₱166

$2.34 ৳287

13.25%

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

$1.08 ₱67.8

$0.30 ৳37.39

260.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱31.56

$0.16 ৳19.96

212.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱153

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 ₱195

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ₱115

$0.80 ৳98.1

128.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 ₱77.9

$0.65 ৳79.3

90.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.7

$0.71 ৳87.3

42.25%

Eggs

$2.37 ₱149

$1.21 ৳149

95.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.35 ₱462

$8.67 ৳1,065

-15.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.91 ₱309

$3.21 ৳395

52.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.81 ₱429

$6.70 ৳823

1.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 ₱257

$2.73 ৳335

49.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱126

$0.88 ৳109

127.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 ₱206

$2.37 ৳291

37.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 ₱144

$0.65 ৳79.6

252.31%

Potato (1kg)

$3.59 ₱226

$0.24 ৳29.20

1395.83%

Onion (1kg)

$3.45 ₱217

$0.49 ৳60.7

604.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ₱67.2

$0.32 ৳38.88

234.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₱69.9

$0.30 ৳37.31

270.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.07 ৳1,483

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.51 ৳677

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 ৳819

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.66 ₱167

$3.23 ৳396

-17.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 ₱504

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₱84.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₱125

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 ₱62.0

$0.42 ৳52.1

135.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.4 ₱3,609

$22.54 ৳2,770

154.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 ₱41.50

$1.19 ৳147

-44.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.50

$0.40 ৳48.60

-42.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₱118

$3.35 ৳411

-43.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₱79.2

$1.15 ৳141

9.57%

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

$21.5K ₱1.4M

$30.3K ৳3.7M

-29.12%

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

$19.8K ₱1.2M

$33.0K ৳4.1M

-40.04%

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

$155 ₱9,752

$46.32 ৳5,692

234.78%

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

$15.90 ₱1,000

$4.33 ৳532

267.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.67 ₱2,055

$10.63 ৳1,306

207.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.4 ₱3,482

$16.37 ৳2,012

238.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.51 ₱913

$16.14 ৳1,983

-10.10%

Cinema Ticket

$6.98 ₱439

$4.13 ৳508

69.01%

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

$783 ₱49.2K

$90.7 ৳11.1K

762.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,340 ₱461.6K

$2,649 ৳325.5K

177.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ₱3,748

$16.48 ৳2,025

261.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.48 ₱2,357

$21.00 ৳2,580

78.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.5 ₱5,185

$50.3 ৳6,175

64.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ₱6,400

$36.46 ৳4,480

179.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 ₱52.1K

$152 ৳18.6K

445.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$416 ₱26.2K

$73.6 ৳9,044

465.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,318 ₱145.8K

$436 ৳53.6K

431.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,067 ₱67.1K

$214 ৳26.3K

398.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,082 ₱382.5K

$1,622 ৳199.3K

275.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,765 ₱236.8K

$761 ৳93.5K

394.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$616 ₱38.7K

$249 ৳30.6K

147.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

10.48

-28.44%

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

Last update for Makati: October 6, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Makati

$416 33.8%

Dhaka

$74 17.1% 82.3% $343

Groceries & Markets

Makati

$230 18.7%

Dhaka

$123 28.5% 46.8% $108

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Makati

$204 16.5%

Dhaka

$61 14.3% 69.9% $142

Clothing & Footwear

Makati

$127 10.3%

Dhaka

$56 13% 55.9% $71

Eating Out

Makati

$123 10%

Dhaka

$64 15% 47.8% $59

Sport & Entertainment

Makati

$69 5.6%

Dhaka

$25 5.7% 64.5% $45

Getting Around

Makati

$63 5.1%

Dhaka

$27 6.4% 56.6% $36

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $828 in Makati and $152 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 147% 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: $40.00 in Makati vs $13.00 in Dhaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $123 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Makati

🇧🇩 Dhaka

🕒 Local time

09:43 9:43 AM

07:43 7:43 AM

2 h behind Makati

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

582,602

21,741,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

1,000 BDT = 8.14 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.26 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BDT, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.54 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 123 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.14 USD). 1 EUR = 138 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.26 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Makati Dhaka 3,370 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Makati
Dhaka

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 Dhaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 195% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 147% 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: $828 in Makati versus $152 in Dhaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,257 per month in Makati versus $426 in Dhaka – a 195% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dhaka runs roughly 155% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $426 in Dhaka versus $1,257 in Makati, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dhaka but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Dhaka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dhaka is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Makati, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Makati and Dhaka 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 Dhaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 195% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.