Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Malaybalay

For one person, living is cheaper in Malaybalay: $739 a month against $1,174 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

56

Cost of Living Index in Makati
Learn more

Makati Living Index
36

Cost of Living Index in Malaybalay
Learn more

Malaybalay Living Index

Jump to prices

Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,174

/mo nomad

Malaybalay

🇵🇭 Philippines

$739

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Makati and in Malaybalay

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,174 in Makati versus $739 in Malaybalay.

Makati $1,174
Malaybalay $739

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,962 in Makati versus $1,140 in Malaybalay.

Makati $1,962
Malaybalay $1,140

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,750 in Makati versus $1,542 in Malaybalay.

Makati $2,750
Malaybalay $1,542

Living in Makati is roughly 59% more expensive than in Malaybalay, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 13% lower, Malaybalay 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 ₱300

$4.55 ₱289

3.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.37 ₱1,676

$16.36 ₱1,040

61.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.01 ₱255

$3.49 ₱222

14.90%

Cappuccino

$2.46 ₱156

$2.14 ₱136

14.95%

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

$1.05 ₱66.9

$0.45 ₱28.56

133.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₱37.55

$0.32 ₱20.47

84.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ₱73.8

$1.18 ₱75.3

-1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 ₱153

$2.06 ₱131

16.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ₱118

$1.97 ₱125

-5.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 ₱71.4

$1.10 ₱70.1

1.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ₱62.6

$0.84 ₱53.5

17.86%

Eggs

$2.20 ₱140

$1.90 ₱121

15.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.51 ₱478

$6.31 ₱401

19.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.63 ₱294

$4.55 ₱289

1.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.01 ₱446

$9.02 ₱573

-22.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ₱205

$2.70 ₱171

19.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ₱121

$1.11 ₱70.6

71.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 ₱175

$2.39 ₱152

15.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 ₱56.2

$1.14 ₱72.3

-22.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ₱84.5

$1.90 ₱121

-30.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ₱87.6

$3.29 ₱209

-58.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 ₱119

$1.24 ₱78.8

50.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱37.03

$0.67 ₱42.60

-13.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 ₱193

$2.41 ₱153

25.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.67 ₱615

$7.89 ₱501

22.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱79.7

$1.22 ₱77.5

2.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ₱128

$1.66 ₱106

21.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 ₱48.51

$0.24 ₱15.27

216.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.7 ₱3,668

$12.31 ₱783

368.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱47.80

$0.79 ₱50.4

-5.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 ₱12.71

$0.24 ₱15.32

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 ₱124

$1.91 ₱121

2.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₱79.8

$1.26 ₱80.3

-0.79%

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

$20.9K ₱1.3M

$21.2K ₱1.4M

-1.47%

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

$18.9K ₱1.2M

$18.7K ₱1.2M

1.22%

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

$111 ₱7,047

$104 ₱6,590

6.94%

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

$16.82 ₱1,070

$19.05 ₱1,211

-11.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.00 ₱1,526

$30.84 ₱1,961

-22.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 ₱3,599

$31.24 ₱1,987

81.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.14 ₱899

$5.12 ₱325

176.17%

Cinema Ticket

$6.31 ₱401

$4.80 ₱305

31.46%

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

$619 ₱39.4K

$105 ₱6,703

487.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,231 ₱332.6K

$7,393 ₱470.1K

-29.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ₱3,523

$32.03 ₱2,036

72.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.32 ₱1,991

$19.04 ₱1,211

64.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.0 ₱4,451

$71.0 ₱4,513

-1.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.8 ₱3,678

$59.6 ₱3,792

-3.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$820 ₱52.1K

$250 ₱15.9K

227.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 ₱31.4K

$166 ₱10.5K

198.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,487 ₱158.2K

$485 ₱30.8K

412.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 ₱82.3K

$354 ₱22.5K

265.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,608 ₱356.5K

$2,659 ₱169.1K

110.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,558 ₱226.2K

$1,116 ₱71.0K

218.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ₱33.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.31

-15.76%

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

Last update for Makati: November 2, 2026

Last update for Malaybalay: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Makati

$495 42.1%

Malaybalay

$166 22.4% 66.5% $329

Groceries & Markets

Makati

$203 17.3%

Malaybalay

$196 26.5% 3.4% $6.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Makati

$152 12.9%

Malaybalay

$154 20.8% 1.2% $1.9

Eating Out

Makati

$97 8.2%

Malaybalay

$86 11.6% 11.3% $11

Clothing & Footwear

Makati

$97 8.2%

Malaybalay

$82 11.1% 15.3% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Makati

$69 5.9%

Malaybalay

$41 5.5% 41% $28

Getting Around

Makati

$62 5.3%

Malaybalay

$15 2.1% 75.6% $47

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $820 in Makati and $250 in Malaybalay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $26 in Makati vs $16 in Malaybalay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $196 per month, with Malaybalay cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Makati

🇵🇭 Malaybalay

🕒 Local time

07:55 7:55 AM

Same time as Makati

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

582,602

190,712

💱 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

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Makati Malaybalay 840 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Makati
Malaybalay

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Malaybalay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malaybalay wins on cost – living expenses run 37% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Malaybalay the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $1,761 in Makati and $1,109 in Malaybalay to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $820 in Makati versus $250 in Malaybalay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,174 per month in Makati versus $739 in Malaybalay – Malaybalay is about 37% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Malaybalay runs roughly 79% less than in Makati. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your 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.

Expats usually find Malaybalay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.