Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and George Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and George

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,228 in Makati versus $1,140 in George.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,025 in Makati versus $1,911 in George.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,822 in Makati versus $2,681 in George.

Living in Makati is roughly 8% more expensive than in George, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 11% lower, George 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.57 ₱411

$11.41 R 183

-42.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.99 ₱2,501

$42.94 R 690

-6.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 ₱287

$5.19 R 83.4

-11.56%

Cappuccino

$2.76 ₱173

$2.22 R 35.60

24.32%

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

$1.07 ₱67.2

$1.09 R 17.45

-1.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱28.17

$0.75 R 12.02

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ₱151

$2.76 R 44.38

-12.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₱203

$3.26 R 52.3

-0.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ₱115

$1.18 R 18.94

55.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 ₱80.6

$1.08 R 17.38

19.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱64.3

$1.55 R 24.91

-33.55%

Eggs

$2.38 ₱149

$2.78 R 44.63

-14.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.31 ₱457

$9.21 R 148

-20.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.84 ₱303

$5.63 R 90.5

-14.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.19 ₱449

$6.70 R 108

7.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 ₱249

$1.72 R 27.65

131.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 ₱127

$1.57 R 25.27

29.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 ₱204

$1.53 R 24.64

113.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 ₱144

$1.74 R 27.92

32.76%

Potato (1kg)

$3.47 ₱217

$1.71 R 27.47

102.92%

Onion (1kg)

$3.47 ₱217

$1.49 R 23.96

132.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₱70.0

$1.30 R 20.82

-13.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₱69.4

$1.06 R 17.11

4.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.70 ₱169

$3.44 R 55.2

-21.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.86 ₱491

$4.96 R 79.6

58.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ₱87.4

$1.27 R 20.45

10.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₱130

$1.76 R 28.23

18.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ₱56.1

$1.60 R 25.69

-43.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.3 ₱3,581

$29.10 R 467

96.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 ₱38.09

$0.59 R 9.54

3.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.10

$0.48 R 7.70

-56.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₱117

$8.63 R 139

-78.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₱78.3

$1.32 R 21.22

-5.30%

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

$21.3K ₱1.3M

$31.0K R 498.3K

-31.45%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$30.0K R 482.3K

-34.40%

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

$154 ₱9,611

$128 R 2,049

20.49%

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

$15.78 ₱987

$18.40 R 296

-14.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.11 ₱2,008

$45.82 R 736

-29.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.6 ₱3,413

$30.32 R 487

80.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.41 ₱901

$12.68 R 204

13.64%

Cinema Ticket

$7.39 ₱462

$6.27 R 101

17.86%

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

$790 ₱49.4K

$144 R 2,316

447.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,405 ₱463.0K

$5,381 R 86.4K

37.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 ₱3,741

$74.0 R 1,189

-19.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.65 ₱2,354

$41.41 R 665

-9.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 ₱5,137

$116 R 1,870

-29.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 ₱6,468

$86.4 R 1,388

19.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 ₱46.8K

$440 R 7,064

70.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 ₱26.9K

$380 R 6,106

13.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,276 ₱142.3K

$792 R 12.7K

187.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 ₱67.5K

$974 R 15.6K

10.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,003 ₱375.4K

$890 R 14.3K

574.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,832 ₱239.6K

$654 R 10.5K

485.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₱38.1K

$1,371 R 22.0K

-55.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

10.92

-31.32%

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

Last update for Makati: August 31, 2026

Last update for George: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $748 in Makati and $440 in George. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George pays 125% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Makati vs $43.00 in George. Groceries flip the comparison at $231 vs $195, with George cheaper for home cooking.

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 George: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 125% lower in George. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $748 in Makati versus $440 in George. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in George – a meal for two runs $43.00 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 $1,140 in George – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,140 in George versus $1,228 in Makati, a $1,500 budget is realistic in George but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes George the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, George is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Makati, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Makati and George 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 George gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.