Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Dipolog

For one person, living is cheaper in Dipolog: $776 a month against $1,174 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

56

Cost of Living Index in Makati
Learn more

Makati Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Dipolog
Learn more

Dipolog Living Index

Jump to prices

Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,174

/mo nomad

Dipolog

🇵🇭 Philippines

$776

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Makati and in Dipolog

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

A single person spends $1,174 per month in Makati vs $776 in Dipolog, rent included.

Makati $1,174
Dipolog $776

A couple spends around $1,962 per month in Makati vs $1,132 in Dipolog, rent included.

Makati $1,962
Dipolog $1,132

A family of three spends $2,750 per month in Makati vs $1,488 in Dipolog, rent included.

Makati $2,750
Dipolog $1,488

Makati costs about 51% more than Dipolog, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Makati and Dipolog are more affordable than the global median – Makati 13% lower, Dipolog 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 ₱300

$1.53 ₱97.5

208.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.37 ₱1,676

$19.22 ₱1,222

37.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.01 ₱255

$3.07 ₱195

30.62%

Cappuccino

$2.46 ₱156

$1.55 ₱98.7

58.71%

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

$1.05 ₱66.9

$0.37 ₱23.82

183.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₱37.55

$0.23 ₱14.61

156.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ₱73.8

$1.09 ₱69.4

6.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 ₱153

$1.56 ₱99.3

54.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ₱118

$1.54 ₱98.0

20.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 ₱71.4

$0.81 ₱51.7

38.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ₱62.6

$0.81 ₱51.2

22.22%

Eggs

$2.20 ₱140

$1.95 ₱124

12.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.51 ₱478

$4.67 ₱297

60.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.63 ₱294

$4.57 ₱290

1.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.01 ₱446

$5.51 ₱350

27.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ₱205

$1.54 ₱97.9

109.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ₱121

$1.23 ₱78.4

54.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 ₱175

$2.00 ₱127

38.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 ₱56.2

$0.93 ₱59.3

-5.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ₱84.5

$1.89 ₱120

-29.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ₱87.6

$1.56 ₱99.0

-11.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 ₱119

$1.01 ₱64.3

85.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱37.03

$0.60 ₱38.23

-3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 ₱193

$2.72 ₱173

11.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.67 ₱615

$4.04 ₱257

139.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱79.7

$1.14 ₱72.6

9.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ₱128

$1.59 ₱101

26.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 ₱48.51

$0.26 ₱16.31

192.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.7 ₱3,668

$14.55 ₱925

296.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱47.80

$1.05 ₱66.5

-28.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 ₱12.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 ₱124

$1.88 ₱120

4.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₱79.8

$0.85 ₱54.1

47.06%

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

$20.9K ₱1.3M

$21.2K ₱1.3M

-1.43%

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

$18.9K ₱1.2M

$19.1K ₱1.2M

-1.04%

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

$111 ₱7,047

$67.9 ₱4,317

63.24%

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

$16.82 ₱1,070

$8.09 ₱514

107.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.00 ₱1,526

$23.89 ₱1,519

0.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 ₱3,599

$31.96 ₱2,032

77.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.14 ₱899

Cinema Ticket

$6.31 ₱401

$5.47 ₱348

15.36%

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

$619 ₱39.4K

$297 ₱18.9K

108.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,231 ₱332.6K

$6,827 ₱434.1K

-23.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ₱3,523

$51.0 ₱3,243

8.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.32 ₱1,991

$25.96 ₱1,650

20.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.0 ₱4,451

$79.1 ₱5,029

-11.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.8 ₱3,678

$66.8 ₱4,245

-13.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$820 ₱52.1K

$413 ₱26.3K

98.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 ₱31.4K

$311 ₱19.8K

58.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,487 ₱158.2K

$762 ₱48.4K

226.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 ₱82.3K

$483 ₱30.7K

167.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,608 ₱356.5K

$3,505 ₱222.9K

59.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,558 ₱226.2K

$2,701 ₱171.7K

31.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ₱33.3K

$236 ₱15.0K

122.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Makati: November 2, 2026

Last update for Dipolog: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Makati

$495 42.1%

Dipolog

$311 40.1% 37% $183

Groceries & Markets

Makati

$203 17.3%

Dipolog

$153 19.7% 24.8% $50

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Makati

$152 12.9%

Dipolog

$100 12.9% 34.1% $52

Eating Out

Makati

$97 8.2%

Dipolog

$51 6.6% 47% $45

Clothing & Footwear

Makati

$97 8.2%

Dipolog

$100 12.9% 3.9% $3.7

Sport & Entertainment

Makati

$69 5.9%

Dipolog

$43 5.5% 38% $26

Getting Around

Makati

$62 5.3%

Dipolog

$18 2.3% 71.8% $45

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $820 in Makati versus $413 in Dipolog. 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 2.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26 in Makati versus $19 in Dipolog. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $203 vs $153 – making Dipolog the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Makati

🇵🇭 Dipolog

🕒 Local time

07:09 7:09 AM

Same time as Makati

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

582,602

130,759

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.4 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Makati Dipolog 710 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Makati
Dipolog

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 Dipolog: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Makati costs about 51% more than Dipolog, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,761 per month in Makati and $1,164 in Dipolog. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dipolog, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $413 there versus $820 in Makati.

Kindergarten costs $619 per month in Makati and $297 in Dipolog. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% more in Makati, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Families tend to lean toward Dipolog – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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