Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and General Santos Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and General Santos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,228 in Makati versus $618 in General Santos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,025 in Makati versus $1,007 in General Santos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,822 in Makati versus $1,396 in General Santos.

Living in Makati is roughly 99% more expensive than in General Santos, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 11% lower, General Santos 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.57 ₱411

$3.42 ₱214

92.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.99 ₱2,501

$27.30 ₱1,707

46.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 ₱287

$2.76 ₱173

66.30%

Cappuccino

$2.76 ₱173

$2.61 ₱163

5.75%

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

$1.07 ₱67.2

$0.30 ₱18.85

256.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱28.17

$0.25 ₱15.70

80.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ₱151

$1.58 ₱99.1

53.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₱203

$2.36 ₱147

37.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ₱115

$2.01 ₱126

-8.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 ₱80.6

$1.13 ₱70.9

14.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱64.3

$0.88 ₱54.9

17.05%

Eggs

$2.38 ₱149

$1.94 ₱121

22.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.31 ₱457

$6.62 ₱414

10.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.84 ₱303

$4.15 ₱260

16.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.19 ₱449

$8.73 ₱546

-17.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 ₱249

$2.69 ₱168

47.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 ₱127

$1.12 ₱70.0

81.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 ₱204

$2.33 ₱146

39.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 ₱144

$1.21 ₱75.7

90.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.47 ₱217

$2.08 ₱130

66.83%

Onion (1kg)

$3.47 ₱217

$3.10 ₱194

11.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₱70.0

$1.20 ₱74.7

-6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₱69.4

$0.66 ₱41.43

68.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.70 ₱169

$2.41 ₱151

12.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.86 ₱491

$8.05 ₱503

-2.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ₱87.4

$1.26 ₱78.8

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₱130

$1.60 ₱99.9

30.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ₱56.1

$0.41 ₱25.86

119.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.3 ₱3,581

$8.20 ₱513

598.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 ₱38.09

$0.83 ₱52.1

-26.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.10

$0.23 ₱14.37

-8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₱117

$0.83 ₱52.0

126.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₱78.3

$1.07 ₱66.7

16.82%

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

$21.3K ₱1.3M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

2.13%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$18.7K ₱1.2M

5.49%

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

$154 ₱9,611

$75.1 ₱4,696

104.67%

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

$15.78 ₱987

$6.50 ₱406

142.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.11 ₱2,008

$31.86 ₱1,992

0.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.6 ₱3,413

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.41 ₱901

Cinema Ticket

$7.39 ₱462

$4.73 ₱296

56.24%

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

$790 ₱49.4K

$108 ₱6,772

629.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,405 ₱463.0K

$7,671 ₱479.7K

-3.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 ₱3,741

$62.3 ₱3,896

-3.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.65 ₱2,354

$26.97 ₱1,686

39.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 ₱5,137

$71.2 ₱4,454

15.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 ₱6,468

$61.1 ₱3,822

69.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 ₱46.8K

$178 ₱11.1K

320.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 ₱26.9K

$112 ₱6,973

285.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,276 ₱142.3K

$367 ₱23.0K

519.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 ₱67.5K

$241 ₱15.1K

348.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,003 ₱375.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,832 ₱239.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₱38.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

8.31

-9.75%

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

Last update for Makati: August 31, 2026

Last update for General Santos: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $748 in Makati and $178 in General Santos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Makati vs $27.00 in General Santos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $196 per month, with General Santos cheaper across the board.

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 General Santos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

General Santos wins on cost – living expenses run 99% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making General Santos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,842 in Makati and $927 in General Santos to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $748 in Makati versus $178 in General Santos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in General Santos – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $40.00 in Makati. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,228 per month in Makati versus $618 in General Santos – a 99% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $618 in General Santos versus $1,228 in Makati, a $1,000 budget is realistic in General Santos but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes General Santos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but General Santos delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $618 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes General Santos hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and General Santos 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 General Santos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 99% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.