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: $1,231 in Makati versus $855 in Lapu-Lapu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,047 in Makati versus $1,193 in Lapu-Lapu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,862 in Makati versus $1,530 in Lapu-Lapu.

Living in Makati is roughly 44% more expensive than in Lapu-Lapu, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 9% lower, Lapu-Lapu 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.40 ₱401

$3.03 ₱190

111.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.41 ₱2,470

$16.13 ₱1,011

144.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.52 ₱283

$4.01 ₱251

12.72%

Cappuccino

$2.55 ₱160

$2.56 ₱160

-0.39%

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

$1.11 ₱69.6

$0.55 ₱34.27

101.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱28.07

$0.39 ₱24.33

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ₱153

$1.29 ₱81.0

88.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 ₱196

$2.26 ₱141

38.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 ₱118

$1.68 ₱105

11.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 ₱77.9

$1.33 ₱83.4

-6.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱64.5

$1.01 ₱63.6

1.98%

Eggs

$2.48 ₱156

$2.02 ₱127

22.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.04 ₱441

$5.46 ₱342

28.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 ₱312

$4.59 ₱288

8.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.82 ₱427

$7.69 ₱482

-11.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 ₱250

$3.46 ₱217

15.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 ₱127

$1.44 ₱90.4

40.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 ₱204

$2.36 ₱148

37.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱143

$1.54 ₱96.5

48.05%

Potato (1kg)

$3.63 ₱227

$2.31 ₱145

57.14%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₱224

$1.89 ₱118

88.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ₱69.7

$1.22 ₱76.6

-9.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₱71.5

$0.64 ₱40.11

78.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.55 ₱160

$1.60 ₱101

59.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 ₱502

$3.90 ₱244

105.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 ₱85.3

$1.04 ₱65.1

30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₱129

$1.45 ₱91.1

42.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 ₱59.7

$0.25 ₱15.75

280.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.9 ₱3,629

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 ₱38.13

$0.79 ₱49.58

-22.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.43

$0.21 ₱13.16

9.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 ₱123

$3.92 ₱245

-50.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱77.5

$1.25 ₱78.3

-0.80%

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

$21.6K ₱1.4M

$21.7K ₱1.4M

-0.31%

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

$19.9K ₱1.2M

$19.2K ₱1.2M

3.54%

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

$156 ₱9,803

$121 ₱7,584

29.26%

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

$16.27 ₱1,020

$14.13 ₱886

15.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.01 ₱1,944

$27.39 ₱1,717

13.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 ₱3,375

$12.86 ₱806

318.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.52 ₱910

Cinema Ticket

$7.33 ₱460

$5.49 ₱344

33.52%

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

$786 ₱49.2K

$102 ₱6,394

670.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,323 ₱459.0K

$7,888 ₱494.4K

-7.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 ₱3,861

$48.54 ₱3,043

26.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.90 ₱2,313

$24.74 ₱1,551

49.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.3 ₱5,097

$24.29 ₱1,523

234.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ₱6,592

$58.6 ₱3,675

79.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 ₱47.1K

$435 ₱27.3K

72.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 ₱26.9K

$313 ₱19.6K

37.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,341 ₱146.7K

$1,237 ₱77.5K

89.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,091 ₱68.4K

$472 ₱29.6K

131.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,900 ₱369.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,769 ₱236.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$611 ₱38.3K

$233 ₱14.6K

162.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

7.2

4.17%

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

Last update for Makati: September 20, 2026

Last update for Lapu-Lapu: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $752 in Makati and $435 in Lapu-Lapu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 163% 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: $39.00 in Makati vs $16.00 in Lapu-Lapu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $187 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 44% in total monthly costs ($1,231 vs $855 including rent). Lapu-Lapu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 163% higher in Makati, 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: $752 in Makati versus $435 in Lapu-Lapu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $786 in Makati versus $102 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 $16.00 versus $39.00 in Makati. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $855 in Lapu-Lapu versus $1,231 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 44% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.