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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,226 per month in Makati vs $625 in General Trias, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,005 per month in Makati vs $983 in General Trias, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,783 per month in Makati vs $1,341 in General Trias, rent included.

Makati costs about 96% more than General Trias, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Makati and General Trias are more affordable than the global median – Makati 10% lower, General Trias 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 ₱407

$3.92 ₱246

65.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.29 ₱2,531

$16.65 ₱1,046

141.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₱295

$2.56 ₱161

83.59%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₱166

$1.80 ₱113

47.22%

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

$1.11 ₱69.8

$0.41 ₱25.77

170.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱28.47

$0.33 ₱21.03

36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ₱148

$1.02 ₱64.1

130.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ₱201

$1.55 ₱97.4

106.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱120

$1.63 ₱102

17.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ₱80.7

$1.12 ₱70.1

14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ₱65.8

$0.99 ₱62.4

6.06%

Eggs

$2.48 ₱156

$2.05 ₱129

20.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.98 ₱439

$5.21 ₱327

33.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 ₱305

$3.46 ₱217

40.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.77 ₱425

$7.87 ₱495

-13.98%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 ₱259

$2.29 ₱144

79.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱126

$1.56 ₱98.0

28.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 ₱201

$2.33 ₱146

36.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱143

$1.07 ₱66.9

113.08%

Potato (1kg)

$3.52 ₱221

$1.66 ₱105

112.05%

Onion (1kg)

$3.59 ₱225

$1.71 ₱107

109.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₱69.4

$0.66 ₱41.19

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₱71.8

$0.52 ₱32.74

119.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 ₱161

$3.01 ₱189

-14.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 ₱502

$8.53 ₱536

-6.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₱82.9

$0.99 ₱62.0

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₱127

$1.97 ₱124

3.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₱61.6

$0.28 ₱17.75

250.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 ₱3,619

$9.69 ₱609

494.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₱42.21

$0.75 ₱47.43

-10.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.17

$0.25 ₱15.80

-16.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₱118

$1.95 ₱122

-4.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱78.1

$1.20 ₱75.2

3.33%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$11.4K ₱719.1K

84.40%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

1.67%

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

$152 ₱9,557

$32.01 ₱2,011

375.23%

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

$16.13 ₱1,014

$17.66 ₱1,110

-8.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.63 ₱1,987

$21.11 ₱1,326

49.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 ₱3,422

$30.13 ₱1,893

80.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.45 ₱908

$5.12 ₱321

182.23%

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 ₱437

$5.21 ₱327

33.40%

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

$803 ₱50.4K

$133 ₱8,358

503.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,454 ₱468.3K

$10.5K ₱661.7K

-29.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 ₱3,761

$29.32 ₱1,842

104.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.50 ₱2,356

$19.64 ₱1,234

90.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 ₱5,139

$72.3 ₱4,543

13.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ₱6,555

$56.4 ₱3,545

84.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 ₱47.3K

$96.8 ₱6,079

677.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱27.0K

$145 ₱9,134

195.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,279 ₱143.2K

$503 ₱31.6K

353.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 ₱66.2K

$328 ₱20.6K

221.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,865 ₱368.5K

$2,496 ₱156.8K

134.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,745 ₱235.3K

$993 ₱62.4K

277.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₱38.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

6.75

11.11%

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

Last update for Makati: September 14, 2026

Last update for General Trias: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $752 in Makati versus $96.8 in General Trias. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Makati versus $17.00 in General Trias. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $175 – making General Trias the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Trias: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Makati costs about 96% more than General Trias, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,840 per month in Makati and $938 in General Trias. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in General Trias, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 495% less in General Trias. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $803 per month in Makati and $133 in General Trias. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in General Trias, where all-in costs run around $625, than in Makati at $1,226. In General Trias it covers expenses comfortably, while in Makati it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. General Trias costs $625 versus $1,226 in Makati. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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