Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Iligan City Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Iligan City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,226 per month in Makati vs $770 in Iligan City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,003 per month in Makati vs $1,205 in Iligan City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,780 per month in Makati vs $1,641 in Iligan City, rent included.

Makati costs about 59% more than Iligan City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Makati and Iligan City are more affordable than the global median – Makati 8% lower, Iligan City 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.61 ₱405

$3.44 ₱211

92.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.73 ₱2,738

$17.46 ₱1,069

156.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 ₱292

$3.34 ₱204

42.81%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ₱181

$2.39 ₱147

23.43%

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

$1.15 ₱70.7

$0.78 ₱47.84

47.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₱32.00

$0.36 ₱22.24

44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 ₱145

$1.32 ₱80.6

79.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ₱221

$2.18 ₱134

65.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ₱131

$2.19 ₱134

-1.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ₱88.3

$1.22 ₱74.9

18.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ₱64.8

$0.94 ₱57.5

12.77%

Eggs

$2.35 ₱144

$2.01 ₱123

16.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.87 ₱482

$7.98 ₱488

-1.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.48 ₱274

$4.92 ₱301

-8.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.80 ₱477

$7.64 ₱468

2.09%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 ₱271

$2.88 ₱176

53.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 ₱121

$1.53 ₱93.4

28.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 ₱159

$2.61 ₱160

-0.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 ₱133

$1.55 ₱94.7

40.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.41 ₱209

$2.27 ₱139

50.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 ₱172

$2.55 ₱156

10.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₱66.5

$1.07 ₱65.4

1.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ₱57.4

$0.77 ₱47.42

22.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₱180

$2.77 ₱170

6.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 ₱483

$8.07 ₱494

-2.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱75.3

$1.21 ₱74.2

1.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₱137

$1.99 ₱122

13.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ₱33.97

$0.28 ₱17.15

96.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.63 ₱222

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱47.41

$0.82 ₱50.4

-6.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.11 ₱6.82

$0.22 ₱13.40

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 ₱221

$2.08 ₱127

74.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱70.3

$1.09 ₱66.6

5.50%

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

$33.4K ₱2.0M

$26.2K ₱1.6M

27.68%

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

$21.9K ₱1.3M

$20.1K ₱1.2M

8.51%

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

$173 ₱10.6K

$110 ₱6,763

56.85%

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

$27.42 ₱1,678

$33.32 ₱2,039

-17.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.34 ₱2,225

$27.79 ₱1,701

30.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 ₱3,367

$34.32 ₱2,101

60.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.72 ₱717

$4.41 ₱270

165.76%

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 ₱493

$5.99 ₱367

34.39%

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

$323 ₱19.8K

$151 ₱9,246

113.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,720 ₱472.6K

$4,325 ₱264.8K

78.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 ₱3,653

$45.07 ₱2,759

32.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.00 ₱2,203

$26.22 ₱1,605

37.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 ₱5,235

$75.8 ₱4,642

12.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,474

$52.4 ₱3,209

132.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$660 ₱40.4K

$263 ₱16.1K

150.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱23.9K

$177 ₱10.8K

120.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,259 ₱138.3K

$578 ₱35.4K

290.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,032 ₱63.2K

$392 ₱24.0K

163.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,059 ₱370.9K

$2,407 ₱147.3K

151.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,835 ₱234.7K

$967 ₱59.2K

296.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₱37.3K

$199 ₱12.2K

205.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

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

Last update for Makati: July 28, 2026

Last update for Iligan City: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $660 in Makati versus $263 in Iligan City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 206% higher in Makati, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Makati versus $17.00 in Iligan City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $232 vs $211 – making Iligan City 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 Iligan City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,226 in Makati, $770 in Iligan City – roughly 59% apart. Makati costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,840 per month in Makati and $1,154 in Iligan City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Makati and $17.00 in Iligan City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Makati, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Iligan City, where all-in costs run around $770, than in Makati at $1,226. In Iligan City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Makati it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Makati has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $770 in Iligan City to $1,226 in Makati. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Iligan City. 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.