Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Lapu-Lapu Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Lapu-Lapu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Makati versus $871 in Lapu-Lapu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,009 in Makati versus $1,325 in Lapu-Lapu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,786 in Makati versus $1,779 in Lapu-Lapu.

Living in Makati is roughly 42% more expensive than Lapu-Lapu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, Lapu-Lapu 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ₱419

$4.39 ₱271

54.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 ₱2,786

$17.85 ₱1,101

152.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ₱304

$4.40 ₱272

12.05%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱177

$2.60 ₱160

10.38%

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

$1.19 ₱73.5

$0.80 ₱49.59

48.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.79

$0.45 ₱27.92

24.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱151

$1.51 ₱93.3

61.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₱226

$2.11 ₱130

73.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.65 ₱102

29.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.5

$1.44 ₱88.6

-0.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.6

$1.07 ₱66.0

0.93%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.30 ₱142

1.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱504

$12.15 ₱750

-32.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱273

$5.29 ₱326

-16.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱471

$7.60 ₱469

0.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₱282

$3.24 ₱200

41.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.38 ₱85.2

39.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$2.43 ₱150

11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱139

$2.19 ₱135

2.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$2.25 ₱139

46.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$1.85 ₱114

54.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.9

$0.91 ₱56.5

18.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.4

$0.83 ₱51.5

19.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱182

$1.79 ₱110

64.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ₱511

$3.42 ₱211

142.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.2

$1.03 ₱63.6

16.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$2.27 ₱140

3.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.73

$0.28 ₱17.29

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.0

$0.83 ₱51.1

-2.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.45

$0.23 ₱14.18

-47.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.59 ₱160

38.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.9

$1.10 ₱68.2

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

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$24.6K ₱1.5M

39.24%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$32.6K ₱2.0M

-33.96%

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

$172 ₱10.6K

$98.3 ₱6,063

75.07%

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

$26.94 ₱1,663

$26.52 ₱1,637

1.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.49 ₱2,251

$29.66 ₱1,830

23.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₱3,455

$43.48 ₱2,683

28.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 ₱727

$1.81 ₱112

551.38%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₱488

$5.83 ₱360

35.51%

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

$321 ₱19.8K

$125 ₱7,732

155.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 ₱465.1K

$1,743 ₱107.5K

332.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,720

$46.92 ₱2,895

28.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₱2,198

$23.05 ₱1,422

54.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 ₱5,280

$76.7 ₱4,732

11.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,521

$56.2 ₱3,470

116.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₱41.1K

$337 ₱20.8K

97.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.1K

$243 ₱15.0K

60.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 ₱139.4K

$842 ₱51.9K

168.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 ₱63.2K

$504 ₱31.1K

103.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,010 ₱370.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₱237.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.1K

$216 ₱13.3K

215.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

-16.63%

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

Last update for Makati: May 30, 2026

Last update for Lapu-Lapu: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Makati and $337 in Lapu-Lapu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 215% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Makati vs $18.00 in Lapu-Lapu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $216 per month, with Lapu-Lapu cheaper across the board.

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 Lapu-Lapu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Makati and Lapu-Lapu differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $871 including rent). Lapu-Lapu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Makati pays 215% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $666 in Makati versus $337 in Lapu-Lapu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $321 in Makati versus $125 in Lapu-Lapu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Lapu-Lapu – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $45.00 in Makati. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $871 in Lapu-Lapu versus $1,232 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lapu-Lapu but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Lapu-Lapu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Makati and Lapu-Lapu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lapu-Lapu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.