Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Manila Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Manila

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Makati versus $959 in Manila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,009 in Makati versus $1,528 in Manila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,786 in Makati versus $2,097 in Manila.

Living in Makati is roughly 29% more expensive than Manila, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, Manila 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ₱419

$5.38 ₱332

26.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 ₱2,784

$26.83 ₱1,655

68.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ₱304

$4.34 ₱267

13.59%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱177

$2.75 ₱169

4.36%

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

$1.19 ₱73.5

$0.96 ₱58.9

23.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.76

$0.50 ₱30.56

12.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱151

$1.49 ₱92.0

63.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₱225

$2.61 ₱161

40.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.89 ₱116

13.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.4

$1.38 ₱85.3

3.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.5

$1.05 ₱64.7

2.86%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.18 ₱135

7.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱503

$9.61 ₱593

-15.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱273

$5.19 ₱320

-14.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱471

$8.32 ₱513

-8.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₱282

$3.50 ₱216

30.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.80 ₱111

6.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$3.58 ₱221

-24.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱139

$2.49 ₱154

-9.64%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$2.76 ₱170

19.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$3.03 ₱187

-5.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.8

$2.01 ₱124

-46.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.3

$0.64 ₱39.57

54.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱181

$3.32 ₱205

-11.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ₱511

$9.74 ₱601

-14.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.1

$1.49 ₱92.1

-19.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$2.15 ₱133

8.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.71

$0.52 ₱31.91

-1.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

$12.00 ₱740

-70.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.0

$0.86 ₱53.2

-5.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.44

$0.25 ₱15.37

-52.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.16 ₱133

65.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.8

$1.16 ₱71.8

-5.17%

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

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$26.2K ₱1.6M

30.82%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$22.7K ₱1.4M

-5.39%

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

$172 ₱10.6K

$138 ₱8,529

24.36%

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

$26.94 ₱1,661

$22.24 ₱1,371

21.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.49 ₱2,250

$27.71 ₱1,709

31.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₱3,452

$41.41 ₱2,554

35.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 ₱727

$6.89 ₱425

71.12%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₱487

$6.58 ₱406

20.06%

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

$321 ₱19.8K

$357 ₱22.0K

-10.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 ₱464.8K

$11.5K ₱707.3K

-34.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,717

$46.42 ₱2,862

29.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₱2,197

$35.12 ₱2,166

1.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 ₱5,277

$82.4 ₱5,081

3.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,516

$45.78 ₱2,823

166.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₱41.1K

$500 ₱30.8K

33.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$265 ₱16.3K

47.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 ₱139.4K

$1,684 ₱103.8K

34.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 ₱63.1K

$636 ₱39.2K

61.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,010 ₱370.6K

$4,370 ₱269.4K

37.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₱237.5K

$2,544 ₱156.9K

51.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.0K

$481 ₱29.7K

41.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

7.52

-11.30%

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

Last update for Makati: May 30, 2026

Last update for Manila: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Makati and $500 in Manila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 42% 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 $27.00 in Manila. Groceries flip the comparison at $234 vs $242, with Makati cheaper for home cooking.

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 Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manila wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Manila the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Makati pays 42% 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 $500 in Manila. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Makati versus $959 in Manila – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Manila runs roughly 235% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $959 in Manila versus $1,232 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Manila but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Manila the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Manila delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $959 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Manila hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Manila 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 Manila gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.