Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Muntinlupa

For one person, living is cheaper in Muntinlupa: $727 a month against $1,230 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Makati
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Makati Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Muntinlupa
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Muntinlupa Living Index

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Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,230

/mo nomad

Muntinlupa

🇵🇭 Philippines

$727

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Makati and in Muntinlupa

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Makati and in Muntinlupa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,230 in Makati versus $727 in Muntinlupa.

Makati $1,230
Muntinlupa $727

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Makati versus $1,154 in Muntinlupa.

Makati $2,137
Muntinlupa $1,154

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,044 in Makati versus $1,581 in Muntinlupa.

Makati $3,044
Muntinlupa $1,581

Living in Makati is roughly 69% more expensive than in Muntinlupa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 10% lower, Muntinlupa 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.40 ₱408

$3.93 ₱250

62.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.45 ₱2,450

$26.10 ₱1,663

47.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 ₱305

$2.79 ₱178

71.33%

Cappuccino

$2.59 ₱165

$2.31 ₱147

12.12%

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

$1.09 ₱69.7

$0.92 ₱58.9

18.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.30

$0.45 ₱28.95

8.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ₱152

$1.19 ₱75.6

100.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ₱202

$1.84 ₱117

72.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ₱115

$1.62 ₱103

11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ₱80.6

$1.19 ₱75.7

5.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱65.7

$1.02 ₱65.2

0.98%

Eggs

$2.37 ₱151

$1.98 ₱126

19.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.91 ₱440

$5.02 ₱320

37.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 ₱314

$3.66 ₱233

34.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.74 ₱430

$6.89 ₱439

-2.18%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 ₱262

$2.29 ₱146

79.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ₱121

$1.50 ₱95.5

26.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 ₱203

$2.52 ₱161

26.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱143

$1.23 ₱78.2

82.93%

Potato (1kg)

$3.55 ₱226

$1.69 ₱108

110.06%

Onion (1kg)

$3.50 ₱223

$1.86 ₱118

88.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ₱67.9

$1.06 ₱67.4

0.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ₱71.7

$0.53 ₱34.05

113.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.60 ₱165

$2.91 ₱185

-10.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 ₱500

$8.67 ₱553

-9.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₱82.3

$1.29 ₱82.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₱123

$1.96 ₱125

-1.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ₱56.3

$0.24 ₱15.53

266.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 ₱3,585

$12.36 ₱788

355.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 ₱41.48

$0.71 ₱45.09

-8.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.34

$0.23 ₱14.68

-8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ₱121

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ₱81.4

$1.23 ₱78.5

4.07%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$21.2K ₱1.4M

-1.91%

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

$18.9K ₱1.2M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

-2.25%

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

$151 ₱9,643

$122 ₱7,754

24.37%

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

$15.59 ₱993

$15.80 ₱1,007

-1.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.38 ₱1,999

$24.08 ₱1,534

30.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 ₱3,394

$31.18 ₱1,987

70.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.04 ₱895

$5.39 ₱343

160.48%

Cinema Ticket

$7.22 ₱460

$4.99 ₱318

44.69%

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

$776 ₱49.4K

$133 ₱8,462

484.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,391 ₱471.0K

$8,812 ₱561.5K

-16.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 ₱3,816

$32.76 ₱2,087

82.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.96 ₱2,355

$18.94 ₱1,207

95.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 ₱5,163

$75.5 ₱4,810

7.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₱6,429

$56.7 ₱3,612

77.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$829 ₱52.8K

$281 ₱17.9K

195.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱27.3K

$166 ₱10.6K

158.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,151 ₱137.0K

$493 ₱31.4K

336.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₱83.4K

$395 ₱25.2K

231.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,714 ₱364.1K

$2,645 ₱168.6K

115.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,568 ₱227.4K

$1,105 ₱70.4K

222.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$587 ₱37.4K

$595 ₱37.9K

-1.35%

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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Muntinlupa: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Makati

$429 34.8%

Muntinlupa

$166 22.8% 61.3% $263

Groceries & Markets

Makati

$227 18.5%

Muntinlupa

$178 24.5% 21.7% $49

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Makati

$198 16.1%

Muntinlupa

$162 22.2% 18.5% $37

Clothing & Footwear

Makati

$125 10.2%

Muntinlupa

$83 11.4% 34% $43

Eating Out

Makati

$121 9.9%

Muntinlupa

$83 11.4% 31.9% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Makati

$68 5.5%

Muntinlupa

$41 5.7% 39.2% $27

Getting Around

Makati

$61 5%

Muntinlupa

$15 2.1% 75.3% $46

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $829 in Makati and $281 in Muntinlupa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38 in Makati vs $26 in Muntinlupa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $178 per month, with Muntinlupa cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Makati

🇵🇭 Muntinlupa

🕒 Local time

12:08 12:08 PM

Same time as Makati

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

582,602

543,445

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Makati Muntinlupa 19 km

From you

Makati
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Muntinlupa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Muntinlupa wins on cost – living expenses run 41% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Muntinlupa the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $1,845 in Makati and $1,091 in Muntinlupa to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $829 in Makati versus $281 in Muntinlupa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,230 per month in Makati versus $727 in Muntinlupa – Muntinlupa is about 41% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Muntinlupa runs roughly 78% less than in Makati. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

At $727 in Muntinlupa versus $1,230 in Makati, a $800 budget is realistic in Muntinlupa but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Muntinlupa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Makati and Muntinlupa are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Muntinlupa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.