Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Negros Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Negros

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Makati versus $787 in Negros.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,009 in Makati versus $1,232 in Negros.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,786 in Makati versus $1,677 in Negros.

Living in Makati is roughly 57% more expensive than Negros, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, Negros 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ₱419

$3.53 ₱218

92.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 ₱2,787

$13.19 ₱814

242.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ₱304

$3.05 ₱188

61.64%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱177

$1.63 ₱101

76.07%

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

$1.19 ₱73.5

$0.33 ₱20.63

260.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.80

$0.42 ₱26.16

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱151

$1.30 ₱80.4

87.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₱226

$2.18 ₱134

67.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$2.29 ₱141

-6.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.5

$1.50 ₱92.6

-4.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.6

$1.17 ₱72.2

-7.69%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱504

$12.67 ₱782

-35.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱273

$5.20 ₱321

-14.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱472

$7.91 ₱488

-3.41%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₱282

$3.64 ₱225

25.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.52 ₱93.5

26.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$3.44 ₱212

-21.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱139

$2.19 ₱135

2.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$2.62 ₱162

25.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$2.44 ₱151

17.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.9

$1.00 ₱61.4

8.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.4

$0.80 ₱49.15

23.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱182

$3.27 ₱202

-10.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ₱511

$6.47 ₱400

27.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.2

$1.16 ₱71.6

3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$2.35 ₱145

-0.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.74

$0.26 ₱15.85

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.1

$0.84 ₱51.5

-3.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.45

$0.25 ₱15.53

-52.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.71 ₱168

32.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.9

$1.13 ₱70.0

-2.65%

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

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$29.9K ₱1.8M

14.44%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$27.4K ₱1.7M

-21.44%

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

$172 ₱10.6K

$98.5 ₱6,082

74.59%

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

$26.94 ₱1,663

$33.99 ₱2,098

-20.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.49 ₱2,252

$29.82 ₱1,840

22.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₱3,455

$34.07 ₱2,103

64.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 ₱727

$4.44 ₱274

165.54%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₱488

$6.04 ₱373

30.79%

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

$321 ₱19.8K

$228 ₱14.1K

40.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 ₱465.3K

$3,913 ₱241.5K

92.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,720

$45.23 ₱2,792

33.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₱2,199

$22.72 ₱1,402

56.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 ₱5,282

$75.7 ₱4,671

13.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,523

$55.7 ₱3,438

118.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₱41.1K

$266 ₱16.4K

150.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.1K

$174 ₱10.8K

123.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 ₱139.5K

$587 ₱36.2K

285.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 ₱63.2K

$401 ₱24.8K

154.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,010 ₱370.9K

$2,558 ₱157.9K

134.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₱237.7K

$1,078 ₱66.5K

257.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.1K

$246 ₱15.2K

177.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

-4.71%

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

Last update for Makati: May 30, 2026

Last update for Negros: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Makati and $266 in Negros. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 177% 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 $13.00 in Negros. Groceries flip the comparison at $234 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 Negros: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Negros wins on cost – living expenses run 57% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Negros the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Makati pays 177% more on average, 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: $666 in Makati versus $266 in Negros. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Makati pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Makati versus $787 in Negros – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $787 in Negros versus $1,232 in Makati, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Negros but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Negros the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Negros delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $787 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Negros hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Negros 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 Negros gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.