Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Naga Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Naga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,226 in Makati versus $549 in Naga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,005 in Makati versus $862 in Naga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,783 in Makati versus $1,175 in Naga.

Living in Makati is roughly 123% more expensive than in Naga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 10% lower, Naga 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 ₱406

$5.07 ₱318

27.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.29 ₱2,527

$13.27 ₱833

203.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₱295

$2.72 ₱171

72.79%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₱166

$2.66 ₱167

-0.38%

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

$1.11 ₱69.7

$0.75 ₱47.22

48.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱28.42

$0.25 ₱15.72

80.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ₱148

$1.33 ₱83.3

76.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ₱201

$3.19 ₱200

0.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱120

$1.88 ₱118

1.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ₱80.6

$0.79 ₱49.77

62.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ₱65.6

$0.83 ₱52.3

26.51%

Eggs

$2.48 ₱155

$1.69 ₱106

46.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.98 ₱438

$10.17 ₱638

-31.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 ₱304

$4.12 ₱258

17.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.77 ₱424

$7.19 ₱451

-5.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 ₱258

$1.94 ₱122

112.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱125

$1.66 ₱104

20.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 ₱200

$2.34 ₱147

36.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱143

$2.33 ₱146

-2.15%

Potato (1kg)

$3.52 ₱221

$2.56 ₱160

37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.59 ₱225

$2.33 ₱146

54.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₱69.3

$4.90 ₱307

-77.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₱71.7

$0.61 ₱38.55

86.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 ₱161

$2.91 ₱183

-11.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 ₱501

$3.79 ₱238

110.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₱82.7

$1.61 ₱101

-18.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₱127

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₱61.5

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 ₱3,613

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₱42.14

$0.58 ₱36.39

15.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₱117

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱78.0

$1.13 ₱71.0

9.73%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

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

$152 ₱9,541

$99.1 ₱6,215

53.52%

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

$16.13 ₱1,012

$24.16 ₱1,516

-33.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.63 ₱1,984

$26.88 ₱1,686

17.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 ₱3,416

$8.14 ₱510

569.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.45 ₱906

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 ₱436

$4.74 ₱297

46.62%

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

$803 ₱50.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,454 ₱467.5K

$8,005 ₱502.1K

-6.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 ₱3,755

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.50 ₱2,352

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 ₱5,130

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ₱6,544

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 ₱47.2K

$157 ₱9,870

377.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱26.9K

$87.2 ₱5,469

392.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,279 ₱142.9K

$251 ₱15.7K

808.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 ₱66.1K

$194 ₱12.2K

443.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,865 ₱367.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,745 ₱234.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₱38.3K

$143 ₱8,994

325.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

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

Last update for Makati: September 14, 2026

Last update for Naga: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $752 in Makati and $157 in Naga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 325% 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 $13.00 in Naga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $205 per month, with Naga 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 Naga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Naga wins on cost – living expenses run 123% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Naga the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 325% 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 $157 in Naga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,226 per month in Makati versus $549 in Naga – a 123% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $549 in Naga versus $1,226 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Naga but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Naga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Naga delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $549 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Naga hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Naga 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 Naga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 123% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.