Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Naga

For one person, living is cheaper in Naga: $552 a month against $1,230 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Makati
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Makati Living Index

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Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,230

/mo nomad

Naga

🇵🇭 Philippines

$552

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Makati and in Naga

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 Naga actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,230 in Makati versus $552 in Naga.

Makati $1,230
Naga $552

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Makati versus $845 in Naga.

Makati $2,137
Naga $845

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,044 in Makati versus $1,138 in Naga.

Makati $3,044
Naga $1,138

Living in Makati is roughly 123% more expensive than in Naga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 10% lower, Naga 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.40 ₱407

$5.10 ₱325

25.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.45 ₱2,449

$13.37 ₱851

187.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 ₱305

$2.77 ₱176

72.56%

Cappuccino

$2.59 ₱165

$2.74 ₱174

-5.47%

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

$1.09 ₱69.7

$0.67 ₱42.76

62.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.29

$0.22 ₱13.99

122.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ₱152

$1.31 ₱83.2

82.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ₱202

$3.09 ₱197

2.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ₱115

$1.95 ₱124

-7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ₱80.6

$0.80 ₱50.9

57.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱65.6

$0.77 ₱49.12

33.77%

Eggs

$2.37 ₱151

$1.68 ₱107

41.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.91 ₱440

$10.06 ₱641

-31.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 ₱314

$4.12 ₱263

19.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.74 ₱429

$6.84 ₱436

-1.46%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 ₱262

$1.90 ₱121

116.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ₱121

$1.66 ₱106

14.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 ₱203

$2.41 ₱154

32.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱143

$2.37 ₱151

-5.06%

Potato (1kg)

$3.55 ₱226

$2.53 ₱161

40.32%

Onion (1kg)

$3.50 ₱223

$2.21 ₱141

58.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ₱67.9

$4.63 ₱295

-76.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ₱71.7

$0.60 ₱38.26

88.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.60 ₱165

$2.76 ₱176

-5.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 ₱500

$3.77 ₱240

108.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₱82.3

$1.53 ₱97.3

-15.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₱123

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ₱56.3

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 ₱3,583

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 ₱41.46

$0.58 ₱36.71

12.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.33

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ₱121

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ₱81.4

$1.19 ₱75.8

7.56%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

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

$18.9K ₱1.2M

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

$151 ₱9,639

$97.7 ₱6,223

54.89%

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

$15.59 ₱993

$23.84 ₱1,518

-34.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.38 ₱1,999

$25.59 ₱1,630

22.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 ₱3,393

$7.73 ₱492

589.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.04 ₱894

Cinema Ticket

$7.22 ₱460

$4.80 ₱306

50.42%

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

$776 ₱49.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,391 ₱470.7K

$7,801 ₱496.8K

-5.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 ₱3,814

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.96 ₱2,354

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 ₱5,161

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₱6,426

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$829 ₱52.8K

$158 ₱10.1K

423.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱27.3K

$85.9 ₱5,470

398.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,151 ₱137.0K

$240 ₱15.3K

794.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₱83.3K

$195 ₱12.4K

570.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,714 ₱363.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,568 ₱227.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$587 ₱37.4K

$138 ₱8,815

324.16%

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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Naga: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Makati

$429 34.8%

Naga

–

Groceries & Markets

Makati

$227 18.5%

Naga

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Makati

$198 16.1%

Naga

–

Clothing & Footwear

Makati

$125 10.2%

Naga

–

Eating Out

Makati

$121 9.9%

Naga

–

Sport & Entertainment

Makati

$68 5.5%

Naga

–

Getting Around

Makati

$61 5%

Naga

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $829 in Makati and $158 in Naga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays about 4.2 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $38 in Makati vs $13 in Naga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $202 per month, with Naga cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Makati

🇵🇭 Naga

🕒 Local time

13:35 1:35 PM

Same time as Makati

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

582,602

115,750

💱 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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Highest

Between locations

Makati Naga 260 km

From you

Makati
Naga

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 Naga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Naga wins on cost – living expenses run 55% 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 in Makati is about 4.2 times higher, 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: $829 in Makati versus $158 in Naga. 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 $552 in Naga – Naga is about 55% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $552 in Naga versus $1,230 in Makati, a $1,200 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 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 Naga are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Naga wins on affordability, Makati on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.