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: $1,188 in Makati versus $957 in Manila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Makati versus $1,538 in Manila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Makati versus $2,118 in Manila.

Living in Makati is roughly 24% more expensive than in Manila, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 11% lower, Manila 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 ₱402

$5.28 ₱325

23.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.00 ₱2,770

$27.12 ₱1,669

65.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 ₱295

$4.55 ₱280

5.27%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ₱181

$2.73 ₱168

8.06%

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

$1.20 ₱73.8

$0.96 ₱59.2

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱35.43

$0.50 ₱30.96

16.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.54 ₱94.7

51.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 ₱219

$2.65 ₱163

34.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.90 ₱117

12.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.1

$1.33 ₱81.9

7.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.6

$1.07 ₱66.1

3.74%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$2.08 ₱128

12.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 ₱492

$9.28 ₱572

-13.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱279

$5.21 ₱321

-13.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱475

$8.55 ₱526

-9.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 ₱279

$3.54 ₱218

28.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ₱122

$1.80 ₱111

10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ₱168

$3.58 ₱221

-24.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱141

$2.50 ₱154

-8.80%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱212

$2.78 ₱171

24.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 ₱173

$3.16 ₱194

-11.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.0

$1.98 ₱122

-42.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱60.7

$0.68 ₱42.17

45.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱184

$3.31 ₱204

-9.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 ₱493

$9.50 ₱585

-15.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱76.9

$1.46 ₱90.0

-14.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$2.11 ₱130

6.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.57

$0.48 ₱29.41

6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱220

$12.15 ₱748

-70.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.05

$0.88 ₱54.0

-13.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.13 ₱8.20

$0.27 ₱16.65

-51.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ₱212

$2.08 ₱128

65.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱71.0

$1.17 ₱72.3

-1.71%

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

$34.1K ₱2.1M

$26.1K ₱1.6M

30.65%

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

$22.0K ₱1.4M

$22.8K ₱1.4M

-3.51%

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

$170 ₱10.4K

$135 ₱8,337

25.29%

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

$27.66 ₱1,703

$21.56 ₱1,327

28.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.79 ₱2,203

$27.58 ₱1,698

29.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 ₱3,371

$41.41 ₱2,549

32.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.03 ₱741

$6.82 ₱420

76.39%

Cinema Ticket

$8.20 ₱505

$6.92 ₱426

18.50%

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

$324 ₱20.0K

$363 ₱22.3K

-10.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,680 ₱472.8K

$11.6K ₱713.4K

-33.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ₱3,628

$47.10 ₱2,900

25.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 ₱2,209

$34.39 ₱2,117

4.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 ₱5,174

$81.9 ₱5,040

2.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 ₱7,609

$47.42 ₱2,919

160.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 ₱40.4K

$486 ₱29.9K

35.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$272 ₱16.7K

43.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,273 ₱139.9K

$1,729 ₱106.5K

31.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 ₱62.0K

$641 ₱39.5K

57.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,013 ₱370.2K

$4,332 ₱266.7K

38.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,732 ₱229.8K

$2,602 ₱160.2K

43.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ₱37.3K

$467 ₱28.7K

29.63%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Manila: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Makati and $486 in Manila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 30% 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 $235 vs $241, 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 24% 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 30% 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 $486 in Manila. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,188 per month in Makati versus $957 in Manila – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Manila runs roughly 239% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $957 in Manila versus $1,188 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 $957 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 24% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.