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: $1,228 in Makati versus $842 in Mandaue.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,025 in Makati versus $1,202 in Mandaue.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,822 in Makati versus $1,562 in Mandaue.

Living in Makati is roughly 46% more expensive than in Mandaue, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 11% lower, Mandaue 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.57 ₱411

$3.12 ₱195

110.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.99 ₱2,501

$23.01 ₱1,439

73.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 ₱287

$3.90 ₱244

17.69%

Cappuccino

$2.76 ₱173

$2.51 ₱157

9.96%

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

$1.07 ₱67.2

$0.59 ₱36.76

81.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱28.17

$0.50 ₱31.03

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ₱151

$1.78 ₱111

35.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₱203

$2.20 ₱138

47.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ₱115

$1.94 ₱122

-5.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 ₱80.6

$1.19 ₱74.4

8.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱64.3

$0.92 ₱57.7

11.96%

Eggs

$2.38 ₱149

$2.06 ₱129

15.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.31 ₱457

$9.95 ₱622

-26.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.84 ₱303

$4.46 ₱279

8.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.19 ₱449

$7.39 ₱462

-2.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 ₱249

$3.31 ₱207

20.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 ₱127

$1.47 ₱91.9

38.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 ₱204

$2.42 ₱151

34.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 ₱144

$1.55 ₱97.0

49.03%

Potato (1kg)

$3.47 ₱217

$2.36 ₱147

47.03%

Onion (1kg)

$3.47 ₱217

$1.89 ₱118

83.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₱70.0

$1.20 ₱74.9

-6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₱69.4

$0.63 ₱39.13

76.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.70 ₱169

$2.47 ₱154

9.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.86 ₱491

$6.37 ₱399

23.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ₱87.4

$1.24 ₱77.3

12.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₱130

$1.69 ₱105

23.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ₱56.1

$0.24 ₱14.86

275.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.3 ₱3,582

$10.58 ₱661

441.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 ₱38.10

$0.78 ₱49.01

-21.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.10

$0.21 ₱13.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₱117

$1.94 ₱121

-3.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₱78.3

$1.27 ₱79.2

-1.57%

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

$21.3K ₱1.3M

0.02%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

-0.19%

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

$154 ₱9,612

$99.6 ₱6,229

54.31%

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

$15.78 ₱987

$14.83 ₱927

6.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.11 ₱2,008

$28.47 ₱1,781

12.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.6 ₱3,413

$31.87 ₱1,993

71.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.41 ₱901

$5.02 ₱314

187.05%

Cinema Ticket

$7.39 ₱462

$5.69 ₱356

29.88%

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

$790 ₱49.4K

$136 ₱8,512

480.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,405 ₱463.1K

$8,067 ₱504.5K

-8.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 ₱3,742

$32.04 ₱2,004

86.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.65 ₱2,354

$19.34 ₱1,210

94.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 ₱5,138

$78.5 ₱4,911

4.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 ₱6,469

$58.8 ₱3,674

76.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 ₱46.8K

$440 ₱27.5K

70.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 ₱26.9K

$252 ₱15.8K

70.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,276 ₱142.4K

$754 ₱47.1K

202.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 ₱67.5K

$356 ₱22.2K

203.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,003 ₱375.4K

$2,943 ₱184.0K

104.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,832 ₱239.6K

$1,157 ₱72.4K

231.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₱38.1K

$244 ₱15.3K

149.60%

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 Mandaue: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $748 in Makati and $440 in Mandaue. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 150% 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 $23.00 in Mandaue for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $206 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 46% 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 150% 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 $440 in Mandaue. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,228 per month in Makati versus $842 in Mandaue – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mandaue runs roughly 441% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $842 in Mandaue versus $1,228 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 $842 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 46% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.