Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Nueva Ecija

For one person, living is cheaper in Nueva Ecija: $529 a month against $1,228 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

60

Cost of Living Index in Makati
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Makati Living Index
26

Cost of Living Index in Nueva Ecija
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Nueva Ecija Living Index

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Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,228

/mo nomad

Nueva Ecija

🇵🇭 Philippines

$529

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Makati and in Nueva Ecija

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,228 in Makati versus $529 in Nueva Ecija.

Makati $1,228
Nueva Ecija $529

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,028 in Makati versus $935 in Nueva Ecija.

Makati $2,028
Nueva Ecija $935

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,828 in Makati versus $1,340 in Nueva Ecija.

Makati $2,828
Nueva Ecija $1,340

Living in Makati is roughly 132% more expensive than in Nueva Ecija, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 9% lower, Nueva Ecija 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.22 ₱392

$3.90 ₱246

59.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.57 ₱2,491

$16.99 ₱1,070

132.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 ₱307

$2.74 ₱173

78.10%

Cappuccino

$2.55 ₱161

$1.42 ₱89.2

79.58%

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

$1.06 ₱67.0

$0.56 ₱35.40

89.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱31.54

$0.30 ₱19.18

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 ₱150

$0.97 ₱61.2

145.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ₱202

$1.56 ₱98.5

105.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱120

$1.67 ₱105

13.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 ₱81.5

$0.96 ₱60.5

34.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ₱67.0

$0.89 ₱56.0

19.10%

Eggs

$2.47 ₱155

$1.54 ₱96.7

60.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.29 ₱459

$5.22 ₱329

39.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 ₱306

$3.31 ₱208

46.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.03 ₱442

$5.65 ₱356

24.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 ₱254

$2.20 ₱139

83.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 ₱122

$0.73 ₱46.06

165.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 ₱203

$1.76 ₱111

82.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 ₱144

$1.08 ₱67.8

112.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.48 ₱219

$1.66 ₱105

109.64%

Onion (1kg)

$3.59 ₱226

$1.72 ₱109

108.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 ₱66.8

$0.62 ₱38.73

70.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₱69.7

$0.43 ₱26.97

158.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.69 ₱169

$2.26 ₱142

19.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 ₱511

$4.36 ₱275

86.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₱82.9

$0.96 ₱60.3

37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₱124

$2.00 ₱126

-1.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ₱56.4

$0.27 ₱16.99

233.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.8 ₱3,575

$5.51 ₱347

930.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₱41.91

$0.70 ₱44.14

-4.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.16

$0.14 ₱9.01

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 ₱121

$1.01 ₱63.9

91.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₱78.8

$0.92 ₱58.1

35.87%

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

$21.3K ₱1.3M

$16.1K ₱1.0M

32.39%

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

$19.6K ₱1.2M

$19.2K ₱1.2M

2.11%

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

$153 ₱9,620

$78.7 ₱4,954

94.18%

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

$16.06 ₱1,011

$17.23 ₱1,085

-6.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.37 ₱2,038

$18.30 ₱1,152

76.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 ₱3,456

$36.48 ₱2,297

50.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.14 ₱890

$4.38 ₱276

222.83%

Cinema Ticket

$7.22 ₱454

$4.48 ₱282

61.16%

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

$794 ₱50.0K

$134 ₱8,440

492.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,321 ₱460.9K

$10.6K ₱669.6K

-31.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.2 ₱3,850

$29.15 ₱1,835

109.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.86 ₱2,321

$19.55 ₱1,231

88.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.5 ₱5,129

$70.6 ₱4,442

15.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 ₱6,510

$54.7 ₱3,445

88.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 ₱51.3K

$114 ₱7,197

612.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 ₱26.3K

$68.6 ₱4,321

508.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,274 ₱143.2K

$173 ₱10.9K

1218.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 ₱67.3K

$357 ₱22.5K

199.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,869 ₱369.5K

$2,452 ₱154.4K

139.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,738 ₱235.4K

$883 ₱55.6K

323.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$601 ₱37.9K

$189 ₱11.9K

218.19%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Nueva Ecija: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Makati

$417 34%

Nueva Ecija

$69 13% 83.6% $349

Groceries & Markets

Makati

$231 18.8%

Nueva Ecija

$147 27.7% 36.7% $85

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Makati

$201 16.4%

Nueva Ecija

$114 21.6% 43.2% $87

Clothing & Footwear

Makati

$127 10.4%

Nueva Ecija

$78 14.8% 38.5% $49

Eating Out

Makati

$120 9.7%

Nueva Ecija

$68 12.8% 43.2% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Makati

$69 5.6%

Nueva Ecija

$45 8.6% 34.5% $24

Getting Around

Makati

$62 5.1%

Nueva Ecija

$8 1.5% 87.1% $54

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $815 in Makati and $114 in Nueva Ecija. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 218% 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 $17.00 in Nueva Ecija for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $147 per month, with Nueva Ecija cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Makati

🇵🇭 Nueva Ecija

🕒 Local time

04:30 4:30 AM

Same time as Makati

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

582,602

64,610

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Makati Nueva Ecija 120 km

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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 Nueva Ecija: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nueva Ecija wins on cost – living expenses run 132% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nueva Ecija the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 218% 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: $815 in Makati versus $114 in Nueva Ecija. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,228 per month in Makati versus $529 in Nueva Ecija – a 132% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Nueva Ecija runs roughly 930% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $529 in Nueva Ecija versus $1,228 in Makati, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nueva Ecija but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Nueva Ecija the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Nueva Ecija delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $529 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nueva Ecija hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Nueva Ecija 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 Nueva Ecija gentler on the wallet – expenses run 132% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.