Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Las Pinas

For one person, living is cheaper in Las Pinas: $725 a month against $1,228 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

60

Cost of Living Index in Makati
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Makati Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Las Pinas
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Las Pinas Living Index

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Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,228

/mo nomad

Las Pinas

🇵🇭 Philippines

$725

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Makati and in Las Pinas

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 Las Pinas actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,228 per month in Makati vs $725 in Las Pinas, rent included.

Makati $1,228
Las Pinas $725

A couple spends around $2,039 per month in Makati vs $1,119 in Las Pinas, rent included.

Makati $2,039
Las Pinas $1,119

A family of three spends $2,850 per month in Makati vs $1,513 in Las Pinas, rent included.

Makati $2,850
Las Pinas $1,513

Makati costs about 69% more than Las Pinas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Makati and Las Pinas are more affordable than the global median – Makati 9% lower, Las Pinas 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.44 ₱405

$3.93 ₱248

63.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.89 ₱2,511

$23.48 ₱1,478

69.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 ₱301

$2.85 ₱179

67.72%

Cappuccino

$2.58 ₱163

$1.83 ₱115

40.98%

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

$1.10 ₱69.3

$1.09 ₱68.3

0.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱31.66

$0.46 ₱29.18

8.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ₱148

$1.21 ₱76.4

94.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 ₱197

$2.45 ₱154

28.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱119

$1.63 ₱103

16.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 ₱78.3

$1.17 ₱73.6

5.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.9

$1.01 ₱63.4

Eggs

$2.36 ₱149

$2.07 ₱130

14.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.01 ₱442

$5.18 ₱326

35.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 ₱310

$3.52 ₱221

40.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.89 ₱434

$6.79 ₱428

1.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 ₱252

$2.32 ₱146

72.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 ₱123

$1.59 ₱100

22.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 ₱203

$2.31 ₱146

39.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 ₱144

$1.06 ₱67.0

116.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 ₱228

$1.68 ₱106

115.48%

Onion (1kg)

$3.46 ₱218

$1.70 ₱107

103.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ₱69.8

$0.66 ₱41.34

68.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₱72.5

$0.49 ₱30.70

134.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.67 ₱168

$2.87 ₱181

-6.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.89 ₱497

$9.57 ₱603

-17.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₱83.4

$0.97 ₱60.8

37.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ₱128

$2.08 ₱131

-1.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 ₱57.8

$0.20 ₱12.57

360.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.2 ₱3,539

$11.10 ₱699

406.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 ₱40.57

$0.77 ₱48.61

-16.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.20

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ₱117

$1.96 ₱123

-5.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₱79.6

$1.20 ₱75.3

5.00%

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

$21.0K ₱1.3M

$21.2K ₱1.3M

-1.19%

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

$18.9K ₱1.2M

$19.5K ₱1.2M

-3.01%

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

$153 ₱9,651

$124 ₱7,826

23.31%

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

$15.87 ₱999

$15.08 ₱950

5.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.36 ₱2,038

$23.91 ₱1,505

35.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 ₱3,430

$32.10 ₱2,021

69.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.33 ₱902

$4.52 ₱284

217.04%

Cinema Ticket

$7.20 ₱453

$5.16 ₱325

39.53%

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

$805 ₱50.7K

$135 ₱8,477

498.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,474 ₱470.6K

$8,818 ₱555.2K

-15.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ₱3,871

$32.63 ₱2,054

88.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 ₱2,291

$19.59 ₱1,233

85.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 ₱5,112

$71.9 ₱4,525

12.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ₱6,604

$55.6 ₱3,498

88.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ₱51.1K

$270 ₱17.0K

200.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 ₱26.3K

$172 ₱10.8K

143.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,310 ₱145.4K

$526 ₱33.1K

338.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 ₱68.6K

$359 ₱22.6K

203.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,032 ₱379.8K

$2,374 ₱149.4K

154.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,693 ₱232.5K

$991 ₱62.4K

272.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$604 ₱38.0K

$600 ₱37.7K

0.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

6.75

11.11%

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

Last update for Makati: October 18, 2026

Last update for Las Pinas: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Makati

$417 34%

Las Pinas

$172 23.7% 58.9% $246

Groceries & Markets

Makati

$230 18.7%

Las Pinas

$175 24.1% 24.1% $55

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Makati

$202 16.4%

Las Pinas

$163 22.5% 19% $38

Clothing & Footwear

Makati

$128 10.4%

Las Pinas

$81 11.1% 36.7% $47

Eating Out

Makati

$121 9.9%

Las Pinas

$79 10.9% 34.8% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Makati

$69 5.6%

Las Pinas

$42 5.9% 38.4% $26

Getting Around

Makati

$62 5%

Las Pinas

$14 1.9% 77.7% $48

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $811 in Makati versus $270 in Las Pinas. 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 1% 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 $40.00 in Makati versus $23.00 in Las Pinas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $175 – making Las Pinas the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Makati

🇵🇭 Las Pinas

🕒 Local time

01:45 1:45 AM

Same time as Makati

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

582,602

606,293

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Las Pinas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,228 in Makati, $725 in Las Pinas – roughly 69% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,842 per month in Makati and $1,088 in Las Pinas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Las Pinas, 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 $40.00 in Makati and $23.00 in Las Pinas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,228 in Makati and $725 in Las Pinas. That's a gap of about 69%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Las Pinas, where all-in costs run around $725, than in Makati at $1,228. In Las Pinas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Makati it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Makati has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $725 in Las Pinas to $1,228 in Makati. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Las Pinas. 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.