Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Mambajao

For one person, living is cheaper in Mambajao: $492 a month against $1,230 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 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
24

Cost of Living Index in Mambajao
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Mambajao Living Index

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Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,230

/mo nomad

Mambajao

🇵🇭 Philippines

$492

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Makati and in Mambajao

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,230 in Makati versus $492 in Mambajao.

Makati $1,230
Mambajao $492

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Makati versus $792 in Mambajao.

Makati $2,137
Mambajao $792

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,044 in Makati versus $1,091 in Mambajao.

Makati $3,044
Mambajao $1,091

Living in Makati is roughly 150% more expensive than in Mambajao, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 10% lower, Mambajao 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.40 ₱409

$1.37 ₱87.5

367.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.45 ₱2,457

$15.80 ₱1,009

143.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 ₱306

$3.24 ₱207

47.53%

Cappuccino

$2.59 ₱166

$2.20 ₱141

17.73%

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

$1.09 ₱69.9

$0.41 ₱25.89

165.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.39

$0.26 ₱16.42

88.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ₱153

$0.96 ₱61.2

148.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ₱203

$1.10 ₱70.4

189.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ₱115

$0.88 ₱56.0

104.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ₱80.8

$0.61 ₱38.86

106.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱65.9

$0.64 ₱40.64

60.94%

Eggs

$2.37 ₱151

$1.23 ₱78.8

92.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.91 ₱441

$5.06 ₱323

36.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 ₱315

$4.07 ₱260

21.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.74 ₱431

$5.39 ₱344

25.05%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 ₱263

$2.35 ₱150

75.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ₱122

$1.56 ₱100.0

21.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 ₱204

$2.02 ₱129

57.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱144

$1.01 ₱64.2

122.77%

Potato (1kg)

$3.55 ₱227

$1.27 ₱81.3

179.53%

Onion (1kg)

$3.50 ₱223

$2.08 ₱133

68.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ₱68.1

$0.98 ₱62.3

9.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ₱71.9

$0.57 ₱36.59

98.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.60 ₱166

$3.18 ₱203

-18.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 ₱502

$7.63 ₱487

2.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₱82.6

$1.00 ₱64.0

29.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₱124

$1.11 ₱71.0

73.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ₱56.4

$0.17 ₱10.81

417.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 ₱3,595

$10.62 ₱679

429.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 ₱41.59

$0.84 ₱53.9

-22.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.38

$0.24 ₱15.59

-12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ₱122

$1.98 ₱127

-4.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ₱81.6

$1.19 ₱76.2

7.56%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$22.2K ₱1.4M

-6.50%

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

$18.9K ₱1.2M

$16.6K ₱1.1M

13.93%

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

$151 ₱9,669

$61.7 ₱3,942

145.32%

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

$15.59 ₱996

$13.59 ₱868

14.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.38 ₱2,005

$19.92 ₱1,272

57.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 ₱3,403

$35.24 ₱2,251

51.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.04 ₱897

$5.14 ₱328

173.15%

Cinema Ticket

$7.22 ₱461

$5.18 ₱331

39.38%

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

$776 ₱49.6K

$113 ₱7,222

586.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,391 ₱472.2K

$8,219 ₱525.1K

-10.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 ₱3,826

$35.31 ₱2,256

69.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.96 ₱2,361

$17.35 ₱1,109

113.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 ₱5,177

$70.2 ₱4,484

15.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₱6,446

$48.01 ₱3,067

110.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$829 ₱53.0K

$97.8 ₱6,252

747.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱27.4K

$54.7 ₱3,493

683.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,151 ₱137.4K

$233 ₱14.9K

822.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₱83.6K

$154 ₱9,812

751.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,714 ₱365.1K

$2,742 ₱175.2K

108.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,568 ₱228.0K

$1,027 ₱65.6K

247.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$587 ₱37.5K

$149 ₱9,548

292.80%

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 Mambajao: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Makati

$429 34.8%

Mambajao

$55 11.1% 87.2% $374

Groceries & Markets

Makati

$227 18.5%

Mambajao

$149 30.4% 34.2% $78

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Makati

$198 16.1%

Mambajao

$95 19.4% 52% $103

Clothing & Footwear

Makati

$125 10.2%

Mambajao

$77 15.6% 38.7% $49

Eating Out

Makati

$121 9.9%

Mambajao

$57 11.5% 53.2% $65

Sport & Entertainment

Makati

$68 5.5%

Mambajao

$46 9.3% 32.7% $22

Getting Around

Makati

$61 5%

Mambajao

$13 2.7% 78.3% $48

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $829 in Makati and $98 in Mambajao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays about 3.9 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $38 in Makati vs $16 in Mambajao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $149 per month, with Mambajao cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Makati

🇵🇭 Mambajao

🕒 Local time

05:35 5:35 AM

Same time as Makati

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

582,602

41,094

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Makati Mambajao 710 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Makati
Mambajao

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 Mambajao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mambajao wins on cost – living expenses run 60% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Mambajao the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay in Makati is about 3.9 times higher, 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: $829 in Makati versus $98 in Mambajao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,230 per month in Makati versus $492 in Mambajao – Mambajao is about 60% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Mambajao runs roughly 81% less than in Makati. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

At $492 in Mambajao versus $1,230 in Makati, a $800 budget is realistic in Mambajao but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Mambajao the clear choice for anyone on this 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.

Safety-wise, Makati and Mambajao are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Mambajao 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.