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: $1,232 in Makati versus $701 in General Santos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,009 in Makati versus $1,078 in General Santos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,786 in Makati versus $1,455 in General Santos.

Living in Makati is roughly 76% more expensive than General Santos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, General Santos 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ₱419

$4.45 ₱275

52.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 ₱2,784

$10.55 ₱650

327.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ₱304

$2.84 ₱175

73.59%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱177

$2.06 ₱127

39.32%

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

$1.19 ₱73.5

$0.36 ₱21.95

230.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.76

$0.30 ₱18.33

86.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱151

$1.13 ₱69.5

115.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₱225

$0.91 ₱56.2

302.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.40 ₱86.2

52.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.4

$0.93 ₱57.3

53.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.5

$0.85 ₱52.3

27.06%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.06 ₱127

13.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱503

$6.15 ₱379

32.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱273

$3.01 ₱185

47.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱471

$6.38 ₱394

19.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₱282

$2.96 ₱183

54.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.14 ₱70.6

68.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$2.30 ₱142

17.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱139

$0.43 ₱26.29

423.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$0.92 ₱56.9

257.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$3.14 ₱193

-8.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.8

$1.03 ₱63.7

4.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.3

$0.60 ₱36.94

65.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱181

$2.17 ₱134

35.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ₱511

$8.18 ₱504

1.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.1

$1.09 ₱67.0

10.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.50 ₱92.6

56.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.71

$0.34 ₱20.82

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

$8.93 ₱550

-59.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.0

$0.82 ₱50.6

-1.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.44

$0.16 ₱9.83

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ₱221

$1.31 ₱81.0

173.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.8

$1.10 ₱67.7

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

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$20.6K ₱1.3M

66.55%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$20.5K ₱1.3M

4.84%

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

$172 ₱10.6K

$74.6 ₱4,601

130.53%

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

$26.94 ₱1,661

$34.23 ₱2,111

-21.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.49 ₱2,250

$36.19 ₱2,231

0.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₱3,452

$33.55 ₱2,069

66.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 ₱727

$1.75 ₱108

573.71%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₱487

$3.11 ₱192

154.02%

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

$321 ₱19.8K

$58.8 ₱3,628

444.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 ₱464.8K

$1,404 ₱86.5K

437.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,717

$44.99 ₱2,774

33.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₱2,197

$16.05 ₱990

121.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 ₱5,277

$69.6 ₱4,293

22.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,516

$68.7 ₱4,234

77.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₱41.1K

$271 ₱16.7K

146.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$179 ₱11.0K

117.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 ₱139.4K

$584 ₱36.0K

286.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 ₱63.1K

$389 ₱24.0K

163.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,010 ₱370.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₱237.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.0K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for General Santos: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Makati and $271 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 $234 vs $166 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 76% 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 $1,849 in Makati and $1,052 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: $666 in Makati versus $271 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 $1,232 per month in Makati versus $701 in General Santos – a 76% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $701 in General Santos versus $1,232 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 $701 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 76% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.