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: $1,188 in Makati versus $1,058 in George.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Makati versus $1,755 in George.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Makati versus $2,452 in George.

Living in Makati is roughly 12% more expensive than in George, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 11% lower, George 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 ₱402

$11.25 R 186

-41.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.00 ₱2,770

$38.45 R 637

17.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 ₱295

$5.15 R 85.3

-6.99%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ₱181

$1.91 R 31.57

54.45%

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

$1.20 ₱73.8

$1.57 R 25.95

-23.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱35.43

$1.19 R 19.72

-51.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ₱144

$2.58 R 42.78

-9.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 ₱219

$2.97 R 49.20

19.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.10 R 18.19

94.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.1

$1.07 R 17.64

33.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.6

$1.65 R 27.34

-32.73%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$2.96 R 49.01

-21.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 ₱492

$9.60 R 159

-16.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱279

$4.87 R 80.7

-7.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱475

$7.43 R 123

3.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 ₱279

$1.78 R 29.43

155.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ₱122

$1.60 R 26.44

23.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ₱168

$1.44 R 23.82

88.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱141

$1.55 R 25.69

47.10%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱212

$1.57 R 25.99

119.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 ₱173

$1.71 R 28.24

63.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.0

$1.29 R 21.31

-11.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱60.7

$0.91 R 15.14

8.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱184

$3.12 R 51.7

-4.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 ₱493

$4.77 R 79.0

67.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱76.9

$1.17 R 19.34

6.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$1.56 R 25.84

43.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.57

$0.81 R 13.48

-37.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱220

$25.98 R 430

-86.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.05

$1.14 R 18.79

-33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.13 ₱8.20

$0.89 R 14.67

-85.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ₱212

$4.00 R 66.2

-13.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱71.0

$1.22 R 20.24

-5.74%

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

$34.1K ₱2.1M

$21.2K R 351.5K

60.44%

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

$22.0K ₱1.4M

$20.7K R 342.6K

6.42%

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

$170 ₱10.4K

$126 R 2,093

34.19%

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

$27.66 ₱1,703

$15.98 R 264

73.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.79 ₱2,203

$51.8 R 858

-30.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 ₱3,371

$27.62 R 457

98.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.03 ₱741

$11.02 R 182

9.17%

Cinema Ticket

$8.20 ₱505

$5.56 R 92.1

47.48%

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

$324 ₱20.0K

$128 R 2,114

153.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,680 ₱472.8K

$4,849 R 80.3K

58.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ₱3,628

$71.4 R 1,182

-17.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 ₱2,209

$32.02 R 530

12.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 ₱5,174

$98.3 R 1,627

-14.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 ₱7,609

$87.2 R 1,444

41.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 ₱40.4K

$391 R 6,466

68.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$329 R 5,452

18.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,273 ₱139.9K

$716 R 11.9K

217.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 ₱62.0K

$799 R 13.2K

26.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,013 ₱370.2K

$360 R 5,952

1572.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,732 ₱229.8K

$246 R 4,079

1414.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ₱37.3K

$1,383 R 22.9K

-56.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

10.88

-38.69%

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

Last update for Makati: July 12, 2026

Last update for George: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Makati and $391 in George. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George pays 128% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Makati vs $38.00 in George for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $190 per month, with George 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 George: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 128% 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: $657 in Makati versus $391 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 $38.00 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 $1,058 in George – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,058 in George versus $1,188 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 12% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.