Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Imus Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Imus

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Makati vs $760 in Imus, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,009 per month in Makati vs $1,138 in Imus, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,786 per month in Makati vs $1,516 in Imus, rent included.

Makati costs about 62% more than Imus, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Makati and Imus are more affordable than the global median – Makati 8% lower, Imus 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ₱419

$4.30 ₱265

58.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 ₱2,784

$21.66 ₱1,336

108.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ₱304

$3.14 ₱193

57.01%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱177

$2.83 ₱175

1.41%

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

$1.19 ₱73.5

$0.87 ₱53.7

36.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.76

$0.34 ₱21.09

64.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱151

$1.27 ₱78.2

92.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₱225

$2.72 ₱168

34.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$2.19 ₱135

-2.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.4

$1.24 ₱76.5

15.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.5

$1.01 ₱62.3

6.93%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.02 ₱124

15.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱503

$7.19 ₱443

13.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱273

$4.27 ₱264

3.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱471

$7.14 ₱440

7.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₱282

$2.29 ₱141

99.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.51 ₱93.4

27.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$3.01 ₱186

-10.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱139

$1.65 ₱102

36.36%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$1.75 ₱108

88.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$3.55 ₱219

-19.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.8

$1.59 ₱97.9

-32.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.3

$0.90 ₱55.4

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱181

$3.14 ₱194

-6.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ₱511

$8.96 ₱552

-7.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.1

$1.40 ₱86.5

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.95 ₱120

20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.71

$0.43 ₱26.25

18.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.0

$0.83 ₱51.2

-2.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.44

$0.24 ₱14.82

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.12 ₱131

68.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.8

$1.16 ₱71.6

-5.17%

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

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$26.1K ₱1.6M

31.37%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$17.9K ₱1.1M

19.94%

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

$172 ₱10.6K

$129 ₱7,952

33.39%

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

$26.94 ₱1,661

$33.30 ₱2,054

-19.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.49 ₱2,250

$26.95 ₱1,662

35.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₱3,452

$34.20 ₱2,109

63.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 ₱727

$4.48 ₱277

163.17%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₱487

$7.16 ₱441

10.34%

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

$321 ₱19.8K

$80.8 ₱4,982

296.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 ₱464.8K

$4,376 ₱269.8K

72.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,717

$31.51 ₱1,943

91.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₱2,197

$29.33 ₱1,809

21.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 ₱5,277

$67.4 ₱4,154

27.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,516

$93.8 ₱5,785

29.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₱41.1K

$133 ₱8,186

401.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$111 ₱6,816

252.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 ₱139.4K

$218 ₱13.4K

936.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 ₱63.1K

$183 ₱11.3K

460.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,010 ₱370.6K

$2,311 ₱142.5K

160.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₱237.5K

$957 ₱59.0K

302.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.0K

$177 ₱10.9K

284.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

6.17

8.10%

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

Last update for Makati: May 30, 2026

Last update for Imus: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $666 in Makati versus $133 in Imus. 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 284% 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 $22.00 in Imus. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $210 – making Imus 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 Imus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Makati, $760 in Imus – roughly 62% apart. Makati costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,849 per month in Makati and $1,141 in Imus. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Imus, 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 $22.00 in Imus. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% 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 Imus, where all-in costs run around $760, than in Makati at $1,232. In Imus 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 $760 in Imus to $1,232 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 Imus. 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.