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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,226 per month in Makati vs $736 in Ligao City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,005 per month in Makati vs $1,106 in Ligao City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,783 per month in Makati vs $1,476 in Ligao City, rent included.

Makati costs about 67% more than Ligao City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Makati and Ligao City are more affordable than the global median – Makati 10% lower, Ligao City 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 ₱406

$3.42 ₱214

89.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.29 ₱2,527

$16.55 ₱1,038

143.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₱295

$2.74 ₱172

71.53%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₱166

$2.24 ₱141

18.30%

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

$1.11 ₱69.7

$0.59 ₱36.93

88.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱28.42

$0.31 ₱19.33

45.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ₱148

$1.08 ₱67.6

117.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ₱201

$1.82 ₱114

75.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱120

$1.59 ₱99.9

20.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ₱80.6

$1.15 ₱71.9

11.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ₱65.6

$0.91 ₱57.3

15.38%

Eggs

$2.48 ₱155

$1.92 ₱121

29.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.98 ₱438

$5.27 ₱331

32.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 ₱304

$4.19 ₱262

15.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.77 ₱424

$6.88 ₱432

-1.60%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 ₱258

$2.31 ₱145

78.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱125

$1.58 ₱98.9

26.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 ₱200

$2.35 ₱147

35.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱143

$1.13 ₱71.1

101.77%

Potato (1kg)

$3.52 ₱221

$2.12 ₱133

66.04%

Onion (1kg)

$3.59 ₱225

$1.91 ₱120

87.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₱69.3

$0.80 ₱50.3

37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₱71.7

$0.55 ₱34.52

107.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 ₱161

$2.90 ₱182

-11.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 ₱501

$8.00 ₱502

-0.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₱82.7

$0.96 ₱60.3

37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₱127

$1.99 ₱125

2.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₱61.5

$0.28 ₱17.60

250.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 ₱3,613

$10.60 ₱665

443.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₱42.14

$0.72 ₱45.03

-6.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.15

$0.27 ₱17.15

-22.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₱117

$1.89 ₱119

-1.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱78.0

$1.15 ₱72.3

7.83%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

-0.01%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$21.2K ₱1.3M

-7.42%

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

$152 ₱9,541

$123 ₱7,720

23.59%

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

$16.13 ₱1,012

$15.00 ₱941

7.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.63 ₱1,984

$24.12 ₱1,513

31.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 ₱3,416

$31.73 ₱1,990

71.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.45 ₱906

$4.95 ₱311

191.92%

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 ₱436

$5.05 ₱317

37.62%

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

$803 ₱50.4K

$133 ₱8,359

502.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,454 ₱467.5K

$7,896 ₱495.3K

-5.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 ₱3,755

$31.53 ₱1,977

89.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.50 ₱2,352

$19.21 ₱1,205

95.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 ₱5,130

$72.6 ₱4,556

12.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ₱6,544

$56.1 ₱3,517

86.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 ₱47.2K

$262 ₱16.4K

187.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱26.9K

$171 ₱10.8K

150.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,279 ₱142.9K

$505 ₱31.6K

351.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 ₱66.1K

$353 ₱22.2K

198.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,865 ₱367.9K

$2,623 ₱164.5K

123.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,745 ₱234.9K

$1,016 ₱63.7K

268.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₱38.3K

$279 ₱17.5K

118.58%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ligao City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $752 in Makati versus $262 in Ligao 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 119% 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 $17.00 in Ligao City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $177 – making Ligao 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 Ligao City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Makati is pricier by about 67%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,840 per month in Makati and $1,104 in Ligao City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 30% more in Makati, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Makati and $17.00 in Ligao City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ligao City, where all-in costs run around $736, than in Makati at $1,226. In Ligao City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Makati it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ligao City – 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.

If budget matters most, go with Ligao 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.