Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Marikina Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Marikina

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,226 in Makati versus $717 in Marikina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,005 in Makati versus $1,122 in Marikina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,783 in Makati versus $1,527 in Marikina.

Living in Makati is roughly 71% more expensive than in Marikina, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 10% lower, Marikina 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 ₱406

$3.93 ₱246

64.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.29 ₱2,527

$31.72 ₱1,989

27.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₱295

$3.14 ₱197

49.68%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₱166

$2.19 ₱137

21.00%

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

$1.11 ₱69.7

$0.60 ₱37.77

85.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱28.42

$0.33 ₱20.84

36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ₱148

$0.94 ₱59.0

150.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ₱201

$2.43 ₱153

31.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱120

$1.90 ₱119

0.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ₱80.6

$1.29 ₱81.1

-0.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ₱65.6

$1.05 ₱65.9

Eggs

$2.48 ₱155

$2.09 ₱131

18.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.98 ₱438

$7.15 ₱448

-2.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 ₱304

$4.34 ₱272

11.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.77 ₱424

$7.49 ₱470

-9.61%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 ₱258

$2.35 ₱148

75.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱125

$1.99 ₱125

0.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 ₱200

$2.32 ₱146

37.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱143

$2.19 ₱138

4.11%

Potato (1kg)

$3.52 ₱221

$3.19 ₱200

10.34%

Onion (1kg)

$3.59 ₱225

$3.43 ₱215

4.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₱69.3

$1.10 ₱69.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₱71.7

$0.71 ₱44.60

60.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 ₱161

$2.96 ₱185

-13.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 ₱501

$8.92 ₱560

-10.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₱82.7

$0.96 ₱60.5

37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₱127

$2.04 ₱128

-0.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₱61.5

$0.50 ₱31.09

96.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 ₱3,613

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₱42.14

$0.71 ₱44.29

-5.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.15

$0.23 ₱14.44

-8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₱117

$1.95 ₱122

-4.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱78.0

$1.19 ₱74.7

4.20%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$21.0K ₱1.3M

0.51%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$19.5K ₱1.2M

1.00%

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

$152 ₱9,541

$139 ₱8,706

9.59%

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

$16.13 ₱1,012

$16.12 ₱1,011

0.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.63 ₱1,984

$27.23 ₱1,708

16.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 ₱3,416

$37.73 ₱2,366

44.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.45 ₱906

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 ₱436

$7.11 ₱446

-2.25%

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

$803 ₱50.4K

$130 ₱8,151

517.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,454 ₱467.5K

$7,413 ₱464.9K

0.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 ₱3,755

$60.2 ₱3,777

-0.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.50 ₱2,352

$27.54 ₱1,727

36.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 ₱5,130

$75.6 ₱4,739

8.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ₱6,544

$55.8 ₱3,500

86.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 ₱47.2K

$181 ₱11.4K

314.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱26.9K

$80.5 ₱5,048

433.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,279 ₱142.9K

$314 ₱19.7K

624.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 ₱66.1K

$169 ₱10.6K

522.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,865 ₱367.9K

$1,117 ₱70.1K

425.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,745 ₱234.9K

$485 ₱30.4K

671.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₱38.3K

$394 ₱24.7K

54.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

6.75

11.11%

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

Last update for Makati: September 14, 2026

Last update for Marikina: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $752 in Makati and $181 in Marikina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 55% 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 $32.00 in Marikina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $210 per month, with Marikina 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 Marikina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Marikina wins on cost – living expenses run 71% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Marikina the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 55% 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: $752 in Makati versus $181 in Marikina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,226 per month in Makati versus $717 in Marikina – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $717 in Marikina versus $1,226 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Marikina but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Marikina the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Marikina delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $717 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Marikina hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Marikina 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 Marikina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.