Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Ligao City

For one person, living is cheaper in Ligao City: $726 a month against $1,230 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Makati
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Makati Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Ligao City
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Ligao City Living Index

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Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,230

/mo nomad

Ligao City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$726

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Makati and in Ligao City

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 Ligao City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,230 per month in Makati vs $726 in Ligao City, rent included.

Makati $1,230
Ligao City $726

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Makati vs $1,106 in Ligao City, rent included.

Makati $2,137
Ligao City $1,106

A family of three spends $3,044 per month in Makati vs $1,486 in Ligao City, rent included.

Makati $3,044
Ligao City $1,486

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

Both Makati and Ligao City are more affordable than the global median – Makati 10% lower, Ligao City 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.40 ₱406

$4.43 ₱281

44.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.45 ₱2,442

$16.56 ₱1,052

132.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 ₱304

$2.81 ₱179

70.11%

Cappuccino

$2.59 ₱165

$2.20 ₱140

17.73%

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

$1.09 ₱69.5

$0.64 ₱40.67

70.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.20

$0.33 ₱20.71

48.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ₱152

$1.18 ₱75.1

102.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ₱202

$2.09 ₱133

52.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ₱115

$1.61 ₱102

11.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ₱80.3

$1.14 ₱72.1

10.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱65.5

$0.91 ₱57.6

13.19%

Eggs

$2.37 ₱150

$1.83 ₱116

29.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.91 ₱439

$5.54 ₱352

24.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 ₱313

$4.17 ₱265

18.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.74 ₱428

$6.84 ₱434

-1.46%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 ₱261

$2.41 ₱153

70.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ₱121

$1.58 ₱100

20.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 ₱202

$2.31 ₱147

38.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱143

$1.12 ₱70.9

100.89%

Potato (1kg)

$3.55 ₱225

$2.08 ₱132

70.67%

Onion (1kg)

$3.50 ₱222

$2.18 ₱138

60.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ₱67.7

$1.09 ₱69.1

-1.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ₱71.5

$0.54 ₱34.53

109.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.60 ₱165

$2.87 ₱182

-9.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 ₱499

$7.49 ₱476

4.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₱82.1

$0.94 ₱59.5

37.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₱123

$1.92 ₱122

0.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ₱56.1

$0.25 ₱16.14

252.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 ₱3,573

$13.54 ₱860

315.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 ₱41.34

$0.71 ₱44.90

-8.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.29

$0.19 ₱12.13

10.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ₱121

$1.81 ₱115

4.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ₱81.1

$1.18 ₱74.8

8.47%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$22.7K ₱1.4M

-8.25%

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

$18.9K ₱1.2M

$21.1K ₱1.3M

-10.77%

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

$151 ₱9,611

$121 ₱7,695

24.90%

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

$15.59 ₱990

$13.23 ₱840

17.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.38 ₱1,993

$24.19 ₱1,536

29.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 ₱3,383

$31.79 ₱2,019

67.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.04 ₱892

$5.13 ₱326

173.68%

Cinema Ticket

$7.22 ₱458

$5.06 ₱322

42.69%

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

$776 ₱49.3K

$129 ₱8,203

500.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,391 ₱469.4K

$7,910 ₱502.3K

-6.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 ₱3,803

$32.79 ₱2,082

82.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.96 ₱2,347

$18.91 ₱1,201

95.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 ₱5,146

$70.6 ₱4,483

14.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₱6,407

$54.0 ₱3,427

86.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$829 ₱52.6K

$253 ₱16.0K

228.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱27.2K

$168 ₱10.7K

155.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,151 ₱136.6K

$496 ₱31.5K

333.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₱83.1K

$347 ₱22.1K

276.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,714 ₱362.9K

$2,649 ₱168.2K

115.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,568 ₱226.6K

$1,130 ₱71.7K

215.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$587 ₱37.3K

$266 ₱16.9K

120.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

6.92

8.38%

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

Last update for Makati: October 26, 2026

Last update for Ligao City: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Makati

$429 34.8%

Ligao City

$168 23.1% 60.9% $261

Groceries & Markets

Makati

$227 18.5%

Ligao City

$178 24.5% 21.8% $50

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Makati

$198 16.1%

Ligao City

$159 21.9% 20% $40

Clothing & Footwear

Makati

$125 10.2%

Ligao City

$79 10.9% 36.8% $46

Eating Out

Makati

$121 9.9%

Ligao City

$84 11.6% 30.6% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Makati

$68 5.5%

Ligao City

$42 5.8% 38.1% $26

Getting Around

Makati

$61 5%

Ligao City

$16 2.2% 73.6% $45

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $829 in Makati versus $253 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 in Makati are about 2.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Makati versus $17 in Ligao City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $227 vs $178 – making Ligao City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Makati

🇵🇭 Ligao City

🕒 Local time

07:46 7:46 AM

Same time as Makati

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

582,602

3,955

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.4 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Makati Ligao City 310 km

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Makati vs Ligao City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Makati is pricier by about 69%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,845 per month in Makati and $1,089 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $253 there versus $829 in Makati.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Makati, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Makati and $17 in Ligao City. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ligao City, where all-in costs run around $726, than in Makati at $1,230. 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.

If budget matters most, go with Ligao City. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Makati makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.