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: $1,188 in Makati versus $696 in General Santos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Makati versus $1,087 in General Santos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Makati versus $1,478 in General Santos.

Living in Makati is roughly 71% more expensive than in General Santos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 11% lower, General Santos 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 ₱402

$4.37 ₱269

49.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.00 ₱2,770

$10.84 ₱667

315.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 ₱295

$2.92 ₱180

64.04%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ₱181

$2.12 ₱131

39.15%

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

$1.20 ₱73.8

$0.33 ₱20.18

263.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱35.43

$0.32 ₱19.77

81.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.17 ₱72.0

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 ₱219

$0.85 ₱52.4

318.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.39 ₱85.8

53.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.1

$0.87 ₱53.5

64.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.6

$0.93 ₱57.5

19.35%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$2.01 ₱124

15.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 ₱492

$6.06 ₱373

31.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱279

$2.93 ₱181

54.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱475

$6.38 ₱393

20.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 ₱279

$2.88 ₱177

57.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ₱122

$1.17 ₱72.2

69.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ₱168

$2.41 ₱149

12.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱141

$0.43 ₱26.34

430.23%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱212

$0.90 ₱55.5

283.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 ₱173

$3.13 ₱193

-10.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.0

$1.07 ₱66.0

6.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱60.7

$0.56 ₱34.67

76.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱184

$2.18 ₱134

37.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 ₱493

$7.96 ₱490

0.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱76.9

$1.09 ₱67.0

14.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$1.51 ₱92.7

48.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.57

$0.37 ₱22.57

37.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱220

$8.70 ₱536

-58.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.05

$0.82 ₱50.3

-7.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.13 ₱8.20

$0.15 ₱9.22

-13.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ₱212

$1.31 ₱80.4

163.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱71.0

$1.13 ₱69.8

1.77%

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

$34.1K ₱2.1M

$20.4K ₱1.3M

66.95%

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

$22.0K ₱1.4M

$21.1K ₱1.3M

4.34%

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

$170 ₱10.4K

$74.0 ₱4,553

129.44%

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

$27.66 ₱1,703

$34.10 ₱2,100

-18.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.79 ₱2,203

$36.35 ₱2,238

-1.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 ₱3,371

$34.19 ₱2,105

60.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.03 ₱741

$1.81 ₱111

564.64%

Cinema Ticket

$8.20 ₱505

$3.15 ₱194

160.32%

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

$324 ₱20.0K

$58.1 ₱3,577

457.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,680 ₱472.8K

$1,392 ₱85.7K

451.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ₱3,628

$45.43 ₱2,797

29.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 ₱2,209

$15.62 ₱962

129.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 ₱5,174

$71.8 ₱4,422

17.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 ₱7,609

$68.0 ₱4,189

81.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 ₱40.4K

$265 ₱16.3K

148.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$174 ₱10.7K

123.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,273 ₱139.9K

$584 ₱36.0K

289.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 ₱62.0K

$396 ₱24.4K

154.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,013 ₱370.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,732 ₱229.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ₱37.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

6.5

2.62%

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

Last update for Makati: July 12, 2026

Last update for General Santos: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Makati and $265 in General Santos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Makati vs $11.00 in General Santos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $164 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 71% 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 $1,783 in Makati and $1,045 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: $657 in Makati versus $265 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 $11.00 versus $45.00 in Makati. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,188 per month in Makati versus $696 in General Santos – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $696 in General Santos versus $1,188 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 $696 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 71% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.