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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,228 in Makati versus $767 in Maasin City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,025 in Makati versus $1,163 in Maasin City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,822 in Makati versus $1,559 in Maasin City.

Living in Makati is roughly 60% more expensive than in Maasin City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 11% lower, Maasin City 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.57 ₱411

$2.99 ₱187

119.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.99 ₱2,501

$23.76 ₱1,486

68.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 ₱287

$4.11 ₱257

11.68%

Cappuccino

$2.76 ₱173

$2.48 ₱155

11.29%

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

$1.07 ₱67.2

$0.61 ₱38.21

75.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱28.17

$0.50 ₱31.17

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ₱151

$1.81 ₱113

33.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₱203

$2.18 ₱136

49.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ₱115

$1.90 ₱119

-3.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 ₱80.6

$1.11 ₱69.6

16.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱64.3

$0.86 ₱53.7

19.77%

Eggs

$2.38 ₱149

$1.87 ₱117

27.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.31 ₱457

$10.14 ₱634

-27.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.84 ₱303

$4.62 ₱289

4.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.19 ₱449

$7.71 ₱482

-6.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 ₱249

$1.62 ₱101

145.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 ₱127

$0.62 ₱38.98

227.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 ₱204

$1.64 ₱102

98.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 ₱144

$1.49 ₱93.1

55.03%

Potato (1kg)

$3.47 ₱217

$2.36 ₱148

47.03%

Onion (1kg)

$3.47 ₱217

$1.96 ₱123

77.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₱70.0

$1.20 ₱75.3

-6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₱69.4

$0.68 ₱42.51

63.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.70 ₱169

$2.86 ₱179

-5.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.86 ₱491

$6.24 ₱390

25.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ₱87.4

$1.25 ₱78.4

12.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₱130

$1.67 ₱104

24.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ₱56.1

$0.25 ₱15.43

260.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.3 ₱3,581

$11.33 ₱708

405.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 ₱38.09

$0.81 ₱50.4

-24.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.10

$0.23 ₱14.39

-8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₱117

$1.88 ₱118

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₱78.3

$1.32 ₱82.3

-5.30%

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

$21.3K ₱1.3M

$21.4K ₱1.3M

-0.47%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$19.4K ₱1.2M

1.76%

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

$154 ₱9,611

$121 ₱7,573

26.93%

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

$15.78 ₱987

$14.79 ₱925

6.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.11 ₱2,008

$27.48 ₱1,718

16.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.6 ₱3,413

$31.71 ₱1,983

72.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.41 ₱901

$4.14 ₱259

248.07%

Cinema Ticket

$7.39 ₱462

$5.76 ₱360

28.30%

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

$790 ₱49.4K

$134 ₱8,402

487.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,405 ₱463.0K

$8,061 ₱504.0K

-8.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 ₱3,741

$32.68 ₱2,044

83.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.65 ₱2,354

$20.00 ₱1,251

88.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 ₱5,137

$77.6 ₱4,850

5.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 ₱6,468

$58.2 ₱3,637

77.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 ₱46.8K

$268 ₱16.7K

179.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 ₱26.9K

$155 ₱9,701

176.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,276 ₱142.3K

$453 ₱28.3K

402.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 ₱67.5K

$308 ₱19.3K

250.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,003 ₱375.4K

$2,821 ₱176.4K

112.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,832 ₱239.6K

$1,006 ₱62.9K

280.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₱38.1K

$126 ₱7,905

382.24%

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: August 31, 2026

Last update for Maasin City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $748 in Makati and $268 in Maasin City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 382% 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: $40.00 in Makati vs $24.00 in Maasin City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $190 per month, with Maasin City 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 Maasin City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maasin City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 382% 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: $748 in Makati versus $268 in Maasin City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Maasin City – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $40.00 in Makati. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $767 in Maasin City versus $1,228 in Makati, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Maasin City but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Maasin City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Maasin City is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Makati, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Makati and Maasin City 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 Maasin City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.