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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Makati vs $804 in Laoag City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,023 per month in Makati vs $1,206 in Laoag City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,841 per month in Makati vs $1,609 in Laoag City, rent included.

Makati costs about 50% more than Laoag City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Makati and Laoag City are more affordable than the global median – Makati 10% lower, Laoag City 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 ₱412

$3.46 ₱213

93.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.22 ₱2,728

$15.29 ₱943

189.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 ₱301

$3.40 ₱210

43.53%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ₱181

$2.37 ₱146

23.63%

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

$1.19 ₱73.7

$0.76 ₱47.09

56.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.78

$0.36 ₱22.46

55.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ₱150

$1.31 ₱80.7

84.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 ₱223

$2.08 ₱128

74.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 ₱136

$1.83 ₱113

20.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ₱92.0

$1.28 ₱78.7

16.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱65.7

$0.93 ₱57.2

15.05%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.25 ₱139

4.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 ₱505

$8.18 ₱505

0.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.42 ₱273

$7.56 ₱466

-41.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱475

$7.94 ₱490

-2.90%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 ₱269

$2.94 ₱181

48.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱123

$1.52 ₱93.5

31.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 ₱159

$2.72 ₱167

-5.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₱138

$1.60 ₱98.5

39.37%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱213

$2.22 ₱137

55.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱176

$2.50 ₱154

14.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.0

$1.12 ₱69.2

1.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₱62.7

$0.77 ₱47.68

32.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ₱175

$3.01 ₱186

-5.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 ₱501

$8.27 ₱510

-1.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱77.1

$1.01 ₱62.4

23.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱143

$2.03 ₱125

14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ₱33.40

$0.28 ₱17.48

92.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.64 ₱225

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱48.35

$0.82 ₱50.6

-4.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.11 ₱6.49

$0.26 ₱16.04

-57.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 ₱225

$2.07 ₱128

76.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.9

$1.06 ₱65.6

3.77%

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

$33.4K ₱2.1M

$26.3K ₱1.6M

26.73%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$20.5K ₱1.3M

4.50%

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

$171 ₱10.5K

$113 ₱6,939

51.69%

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

$26.96 ₱1,663

$32.85 ₱2,026

-17.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.97 ₱2,219

$26.65 ₱1,644

34.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.6 ₱3,430

$14.77 ₱911

276.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.87 ₱732

$4.33 ₱267

174.13%

Cinema Ticket

$8.19 ₱505

$6.02 ₱371

36.05%

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

$322 ₱19.9K

$152 ₱9,386

111.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,811 ₱481.8K

$4,276 ₱263.8K

82.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 ₱3,628

$45.94 ₱2,834

28.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.76 ₱2,206

$27.11 ₱1,672

31.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 ₱5,174

$76.8 ₱4,735

9.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 ₱7,612

$53.6 ₱3,303

130.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$667 ₱41.2K

$263 ₱16.2K

153.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 ₱24.8K

$204 ₱12.6K

97.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,307 ₱142.3K

$423 ₱26.1K

445.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,015 ₱62.6K

$400 ₱24.7K

153.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,283 ₱387.5K

$2,376 ₱146.6K

164.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,903 ₱240.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$712 ₱43.9K

$164 ₱10.1K

334.60%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Laoag City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $667 in Makati versus $263 in Laoag 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 335% 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 $44.00 in Makati versus $15.00 in Laoag City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $224 – making Laoag 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 Laoag City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Makati costs about 50% more than Laoag City, with the gap driven mainly by 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 $1,807 per month in Makati and $1,206 in Laoag City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Makati and $804 in Laoag City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $322 per month in Makati and $152 in Laoag City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Laoag City, where all-in costs run around $804, than in Makati at $1,204. In Laoag City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Makati it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Laoag City costs $804 versus $1,204 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 Laoag 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.