Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Island Garden City of Samal Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Island Garden City of Samal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Makati vs $732 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,009 per month in Makati vs $1,109 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,786 per month in Makati vs $1,486 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

Makati costs about 68% more than Island Garden City of Samal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Makati and Island Garden City of Samal are more affordable than the global median – Makati 8% lower, Island Garden City of Samal 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ₱419

$1.37 ₱84.4

396.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 ₱2,784

$12.16 ₱750

271.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ₱304

$4.52 ₱279

9.07%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱177

$2.11 ₱130

36.02%

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

$1.19 ₱73.5

$0.87 ₱54.0

36.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.76

$0.53 ₱32.40

5.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱151

$1.41 ₱86.9

73.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₱225

$1.73 ₱107

111.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.27 ₱78.6

68.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.4

$0.57 ₱34.87

150.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.5

$0.73 ₱45.13

47.95%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$1.99 ₱123

17.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱503

$6.10 ₱376

33.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱273

$3.21 ₱198

38.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱471

$5.06 ₱312

50.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₱282

$2.96 ₱182

54.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.14 ₱70.5

68.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$2.37 ₱146

13.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱139

$1.28 ₱78.7

75.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$2.26 ₱139

45.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$1.59 ₱97.9

79.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.8

$0.93 ₱57.2

16.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.3

$0.46 ₱28.38

115.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱181

$2.62 ₱162

12.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ₱511

$7.93 ₱489

4.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.1

$1.30 ₱79.9

-7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.23 ₱75.7

90.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.71

$0.26 ₱15.98

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.0

$0.68 ₱41.77

19.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.44

$0.10 ₱6.28

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.18 ₱135

64.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.8

$1.14 ₱70.4

-3.51%

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

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$21.8K ₱1.3M

57.58%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

3.20%

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

$172 ₱10.6K

$101 ₱6,243

69.90%

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

$26.94 ₱1,661

$34.30 ₱2,115

-21.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.49 ₱2,250

$36.07 ₱2,224

1.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₱3,452

$33.73 ₱2,080

65.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 ₱727

$4.48 ₱276

163.17%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₱487

$4.31 ₱265

83.29%

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

$321 ₱19.8K

$120 ₱7,375

168.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 ₱464.8K

$4,290 ₱264.5K

75.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,717

$46.00 ₱2,836

31.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₱2,197

$30.70 ₱1,893

16.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 ₱5,277

$78.6 ₱4,845

8.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,516

$68.9 ₱4,246

77.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₱41.1K

$264 ₱16.3K

152.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$173 ₱10.7K

125.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 ₱139.4K

$591 ₱36.4K

282.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 ₱63.1K

$398 ₱24.5K

157.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,010 ₱370.6K

$2,454 ₱151.3K

144.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₱237.5K

$838 ₱51.7K

359.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

9.56

-30.23%

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

Last update for Makati: May 30, 2026

Last update for Island Garden City of Samal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $666 in Makati versus $264 in Island Garden City of Samal. 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 $45.00 in Makati versus $12.00 in Island Garden City of Samal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $160 – making Island Garden City of Samal 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 Island Garden City of Samal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Makati costs about 68% more than Island Garden City of Samal, 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 $1,849 per month in Makati and $1,098 in Island Garden City of Samal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Island Garden City of Samal, 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 $12.00 in Island Garden City of Samal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Island Garden City of Samal, where all-in costs run around $732, than in Makati at $1,232. In Island Garden City of Samal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Makati it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Island Garden City of Samal costs $732 versus $1,232 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 Island Garden City of Samal. 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.