Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Mandaue Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Mandaue

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Makati versus $934 in Mandaue.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,009 in Makati versus $1,374 in Mandaue.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,786 in Makati versus $1,814 in Mandaue.

Living in Makati is roughly 32% more expensive than Mandaue, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, Mandaue 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ₱419

$4.52 ₱279

50.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 ₱2,784

$24.25 ₱1,495

86.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ₱304

$4.33 ₱267

13.86%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱177

$2.64 ₱163

8.71%

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

$1.19 ₱73.5

$0.81 ₱49.70

46.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.76

$0.45 ₱27.81

24.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱151

$1.57 ₱96.6

55.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₱225

$2.08 ₱128

75.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$2.08 ₱128

2.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.4

$0.75 ₱46.14

90.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.5

$0.97 ₱59.9

11.34%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.23 ₱138

4.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱503

$12.75 ₱786

-36.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱273

$5.17 ₱319

-14.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱471

$7.52 ₱464

1.60%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₱282

$3.58 ₱221

27.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.50 ₱92.7

28.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$3.26 ₱201

-17.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱139

$2.26 ₱139

-0.44%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$2.56 ₱158

28.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$2.53 ₱156

13.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.8

$0.98 ₱60.3

10.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.3

$0.79 ₱48.69

25.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱181

$2.68 ₱165

9.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ₱511

$6.34 ₱391

30.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.1

$1.15 ₱70.9

4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.71

$0.26 ₱16.01

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.0

$0.84 ₱51.7

-3.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.44

$0.25 ₱15.51

-52.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.64 ₱163

35.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.8

$1.09 ₱67.2

0.92%

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

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$29.6K ₱1.8M

15.81%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$27.5K ₱1.7M

-21.78%

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

$172 ₱10.6K

$95.5 ₱5,886

80.20%

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

$26.94 ₱1,661

$26.50 ₱1,634

1.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.49 ₱2,250

$29.84 ₱1,840

22.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₱3,452

$47.94 ₱2,956

16.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 ₱727

$4.47 ₱276

163.76%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₱487

$5.91 ₱364

33.67%

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

$321 ₱19.8K

$230 ₱14.2K

39.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 ₱464.8K

$3,847 ₱237.2K

95.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,717

$46.31 ₱2,856

30.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₱2,197

$22.90 ₱1,412

55.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 ₱5,277

$77.2 ₱4,759

10.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,516

$55.8 ₱3,438

118.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₱41.1K

$266 ₱16.4K

150.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$284 ₱17.5K

37.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 ₱139.4K

$854 ₱52.7K

164.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 ₱63.1K

$436 ₱26.9K

134.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,010 ₱370.6K

$2,353 ₱145.1K

155.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₱237.5K

$958 ₱59.1K

301.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.0K

$242 ₱14.9K

181.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

-16.63%

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

Last update for Makati: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mandaue: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Makati and $266 in Mandaue. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 182% 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: $45.00 in Makati vs $24.00 in Mandaue for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $228 per month, with Mandaue 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 Mandaue: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mandaue wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mandaue the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Makati pays 182% more on average, 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: $666 in Makati versus $266 in Mandaue. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Makati versus $934 in Mandaue – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $934 in Mandaue versus $1,232 in Makati, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mandaue but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Mandaue the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mandaue delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $934 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mandaue hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Mandaue 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 Mandaue gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.