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: $1,228 in Makati versus $934 in Manila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,025 in Makati versus $1,491 in Manila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,822 in Makati versus $2,048 in Manila.

Living in Makati is roughly 31% more expensive than in Manila, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.57 ₱411

$5.70 ₱356

15.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.99 ₱2,501

$25.88 ₱1,618

54.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 ₱287

$4.11 ₱257

11.68%

Cappuccino

$2.76 ₱173

$2.49 ₱155

10.84%

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

$1.07 ₱67.2

$1.37 ₱85.5

-21.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱28.17

$0.84 ₱52.4

-46.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ₱151

$1.14 ₱71.6

112.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₱203

$2.67 ₱167

21.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ₱115

$1.89 ₱118

-3.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 ₱80.6

$1.46 ₱91.3

-11.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱64.3

$0.99 ₱61.7

4.04%

Eggs

$2.38 ₱149

$2.32 ₱145

2.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.31 ₱457

$7.85 ₱491

-6.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.84 ₱303

$4.96 ₱310

-2.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.19 ₱449

$7.07 ₱442

1.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 ₱249

$3.39 ₱212

17.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 ₱127

$1.93 ₱121

5.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 ₱204

$3.01 ₱188

8.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 ₱144

$1.78 ₱111

29.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.47 ₱217

$2.24 ₱140

54.91%

Onion (1kg)

$3.47 ₱217

$2.59 ₱162

33.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₱70.0

$2.12 ₱133

-47.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₱69.4

$0.56 ₱34.90

98.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.70 ₱169

$3.03 ₱190

-10.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.86 ₱491

$9.84 ₱616

-20.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ₱87.4

$1.28 ₱80.0

9.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₱130

$2.11 ₱132

-1.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ₱56.1

$0.47 ₱29.23

91.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.3 ₱3,581

$12.73 ₱796

349.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 ₱38.09

$0.83 ₱52.1

-26.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.10

$0.23 ₱14.42

-8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₱117

$1.98 ₱124

-5.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₱78.3

$1.24 ₱77.4

0.81%

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

$21.3K ₱1.3M

$21.8K ₱1.4M

-2.28%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

0.03%

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

$154 ₱9,611

$121 ₱7,597

26.52%

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

$15.78 ₱987

$15.06 ₱942

4.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.11 ₱2,008

$23.90 ₱1,495

34.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.6 ₱3,413

$43.84 ₱2,741

24.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.41 ₱901

$5.97 ₱374

141.37%

Cinema Ticket

$7.39 ₱462

$7.03 ₱440

5.12%

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

$790 ₱49.4K

$629 ₱39.3K

25.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,405 ₱463.0K

$9,036 ₱565.0K

-18.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 ₱3,741

$59.1 ₱3,698

1.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.65 ₱2,354

$28.07 ₱1,756

34.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 ₱5,137

$75.6 ₱4,724

8.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 ₱6,468

$57.9 ₱3,620

78.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 ₱46.8K

$537 ₱33.6K

39.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 ₱26.9K

$283 ₱17.7K

51.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,276 ₱142.3K

$1,898 ₱118.7K

19.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 ₱67.5K

$671 ₱41.9K

61.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,003 ₱375.4K

$4,351 ₱272.1K

37.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,832 ₱239.6K

$2,494 ₱156.0K

53.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₱38.1K

$484 ₱30.2K

26.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

7.43

0.94%

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

Last update for Makati: August 31, 2026

Last update for Manila: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $748 in Makati and $537 in Manila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 26% 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 $26.00 in Manila for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $223 per month, with Manila 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 Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manila wins on cost – living expenses run 31% 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.

Average pay runs 26% 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 $537 in Manila. 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 $934 in Manila – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Manila runs roughly 350% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $934 in Manila versus $1,228 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 $934 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 31% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.