Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Island Garden City of Samal: $706 a month against $1,230 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Makati
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Makati Living Index
34

Cost of Living Index in Island Garden City of Samal
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Island Garden City of Samal Living Index

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Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,230

/mo nomad

Island Garden City of Samal

🇵🇭 Philippines

$706

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Makati and in Island Garden City of Samal

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Makati and in Island Garden City of Samal actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,230 per month in Makati vs $706 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

Makati $1,230
Island Garden City of Samal $706

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Makati vs $1,082 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

Makati $2,137
Island Garden City of Samal $1,082

A family of three spends $3,044 per month in Makati vs $1,458 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

Makati $3,044
Island Garden City of Samal $1,458

Makati costs about 74% more than Island Garden City of Samal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Makati and Island Garden City of Samal are more affordable than the global median – Makati 10% lower, Island Garden City of Samal 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.40 ₱409

$1.14 ₱72.8

461.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.45 ₱2,457

$16.35 ₱1,045

135.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 ₱306

$3.79 ₱242

26.12%

Cappuccino

$2.59 ₱166

$2.11 ₱135

22.75%

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

$1.09 ₱69.9

$1.06 ₱67.5

2.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.39

$0.66 ₱42.26

-25.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ₱153

$1.15 ₱73.7

107.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ₱203

$2.11 ₱135

50.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ₱115

$1.98 ₱127

-9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ₱80.8

$1.07 ₱68.4

17.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱65.9

$0.89 ₱57.2

15.73%

Eggs

$2.37 ₱151

$1.86 ₱119

27.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.91 ₱441

$6.35 ₱406

8.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 ₱315

$4.74 ₱303

4.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.74 ₱431

$9.36 ₱598

-27.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 ₱263

$2.68 ₱172

53.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ₱122

$1.11 ₱70.6

71.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 ₱204

$2.41 ₱154

32.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱144

$1.14 ₱72.7

97.37%

Potato (1kg)

$3.55 ₱227

$1.91 ₱122

85.86%

Onion (1kg)

$3.50 ₱223

$3.31 ₱212

5.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ₱68.1

$1.19 ₱76.0

-10.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ₱71.9

$0.66 ₱42.00

71.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.60 ₱166

$2.44 ₱156

6.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 ₱502

$7.84 ₱501

0.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₱82.6

$1.27 ₱81.1

1.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₱124

$1.65 ₱105

16.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ₱56.4

$0.20 ₱13.09

340.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 ₱3,595

$11.01 ₱703

410.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 ₱41.59

$0.76 ₱48.66

-14.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.38

$0.24 ₱15.33

-12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ₱122

$1.82 ₱117

4.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ₱81.6

$1.22 ₱78.1

4.92%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$20.6K ₱1.3M

0.89%

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

$18.9K ₱1.2M

$18.8K ₱1.2M

0.37%

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

$151 ₱9,669

$99.2 ₱6,335

52.64%

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

$15.59 ₱996

$18.94 ₱1,210

-17.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.38 ₱2,005

$31.09 ₱1,986

0.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 ₱3,403

$27.50 ₱1,757

93.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.04 ₱897

$5.11 ₱326

174.76%

Cinema Ticket

$7.22 ₱461

$4.76 ₱304

51.68%

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

$776 ₱49.6K

$107 ₱6,824

626.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,391 ₱472.2K

$7,424 ₱474.4K

-0.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 ₱3,826

$32.48 ₱2,076

84.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.96 ₱2,361

$18.95 ₱1,211

95.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 ₱5,177

$69.2 ₱4,420

17.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₱6,446

$61.0 ₱3,896

65.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$829 ₱53.0K

$219 ₱14.0K

278.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱27.4K

$163 ₱10.4K

162.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,151 ₱137.4K

$496 ₱31.7K

333.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₱83.6K

$336 ₱21.5K

289.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,714 ₱365.1K

$2,516 ₱160.7K

127.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,568 ₱228.0K

$1,212 ₱77.5K

194.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$587 ₱37.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

8.31

-9.75%

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

Last update for Makati: October 26, 2026

Last update for Island Garden City of Samal: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Makati

$429 34.8%

Island Garden City of Samal

$163 23.1% 61.9% $265

Groceries & Markets

Makati

$227 18.5%

Island Garden City of Samal

$198 28.1% 12.8% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Makati

$198 16.1%

Island Garden City of Samal

$149 21.1% 24.8% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Makati

$125 10.2%

Island Garden City of Samal

$82 11.6% 34.9% $44

Eating Out

Makati

$121 9.9%

Island Garden City of Samal

$63 8.9% 48.3% $59

Sport & Entertainment

Makati

$68 5.5%

Island Garden City of Samal

$37 5.2% 45.3% $31

Getting Around

Makati

$61 5%

Island Garden City of Samal

$14 2% 77.6% $48

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $829 in Makati versus $219 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 $38 in Makati versus $16 in Island Garden City of Samal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $227 vs $198 – making Island Garden City of Samal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Makati

🇵🇭 Island Garden City of Samal

🕒 Local time

21:07 9:07 PM

Same time as Makati

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

582,602

116,771

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Makati Island Garden City of Samal 980 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Makati
Island Garden City of Samal

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 74% more than Island Garden City of Samal, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,845 per month in Makati and $1,059 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $219 there versus $829 in Makati.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,230 in Makati and $706 in Island Garden City of Samal. That’s a gap of about 74%.

Public transport costs about 80% less in Island Garden City of Samal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Island Garden City of Samal, where all-in costs run around $706, than in Makati at $1,230. In Island Garden City of Samal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Makati it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Island Garden City of Samal – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

For expats, Island Garden City of Samal is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 74% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.