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: $1,188 in Makati versus $905 in Mandaue.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Makati versus $1,369 in Mandaue.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Makati versus $1,833 in Mandaue.

Living in Makati is roughly 31% more expensive than in Mandaue, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 11% lower, Mandaue 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 ₱402

$4.40 ₱271

48.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.00 ₱2,770

$23.85 ₱1,468

88.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 ₱295

$4.37 ₱269

9.61%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ₱181

$2.55 ₱157

15.69%

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

$1.20 ₱73.8

$0.78 ₱48.26

53.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱35.43

$0.43 ₱26.31

34.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.52 ₱93.8

53.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 ₱219

$2.15 ₱132

65.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$2.12 ₱130

0.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.1

$0.80 ₱49.37

78.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.6

$0.98 ₱60.5

13.27%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$2.26 ₱139

3.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 ₱492

$12.94 ₱797

-38.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱279

$5.18 ₱319

-12.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱475

$7.77 ₱478

-0.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 ₱279

$3.57 ₱220

27.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ₱122

$1.53 ₱94.3

29.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ₱168

$3.39 ₱209

-19.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱141

$2.26 ₱139

0.88%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱212

$2.55 ₱157

35.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 ₱173

$2.47 ₱152

13.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.0

$0.94 ₱57.7

21.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱60.7

$0.79 ₱48.55

25.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱184

$2.62 ₱161

14.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 ₱493

$6.24 ₱384

28.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱76.9

$1.17 ₱71.8

6.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$2.36 ₱145

-5.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.57

$0.26 ₱15.98

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱220

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.05

$0.87 ₱53.4

-12.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.13 ₱8.20

$0.25 ₱15.48

-48.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ₱212

$2.63 ₱162

31.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱71.0

$1.09 ₱67.2

5.50%

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

$34.1K ₱2.1M

$30.1K ₱1.9M

13.25%

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

$22.0K ₱1.4M

$27.4K ₱1.7M

-19.52%

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

$170 ₱10.4K

$96.6 ₱5,944

75.73%

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

$27.66 ₱1,703

$26.07 ₱1,605

6.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.79 ₱2,203

$30.13 ₱1,855

18.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 ₱3,371

$48.75 ₱3,001

12.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.03 ₱741

$4.36 ₱268

175.92%

Cinema Ticket

$8.20 ₱505

$6.11 ₱376

34.21%

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

$324 ₱20.0K

$228 ₱14.1K

41.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,680 ₱472.8K

$3,860 ₱237.6K

98.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ₱3,628

$44.98 ₱2,769

30.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 ₱2,209

$23.33 ₱1,437

53.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 ₱5,174

$75.8 ₱4,667

10.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 ₱7,609

$55.5 ₱3,416

122.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 ₱40.4K

$263 ₱16.2K

149.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$287 ₱17.7K

35.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,273 ₱139.9K

$837 ₱51.6K

171.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 ₱62.0K

$442 ₱27.2K

127.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,013 ₱370.2K

$2,718 ₱167.3K

121.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,732 ₱229.8K

$837 ₱51.5K

346.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ₱37.3K

$246 ₱15.1K

146.14%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mandaue: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Makati and $263 in Mandaue. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 146% 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 $235 vs $231 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 31% 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.

Average pay runs 146% 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: $657 in Makati versus $263 in Mandaue. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,188 per month in Makati versus $905 in Mandaue – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $905 in Mandaue versus $1,188 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 $905 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 31% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.