Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Ormoc

For one person, living is cheaper in Ormoc: $801 a month against $1,174 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Makati, Philippines
Ormoc, Philippines
Makati
🇵🇭 Philippines
$1,174
/mo nomad
Ormoc
🇵🇭 Philippines
$801
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Makati and in Ormoc

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,174 in Makati versus $801 in Ormoc.

  • Makati $1,174
  • Ormoc $801

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,962 in Makati versus $1,192 in Ormoc.

  • Makati $1,962
  • Ormoc $1,192

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,750 in Makati versus $1,582 in Ormoc.

  • Makati $2,750
  • Ormoc $1,582

Living in Makati is roughly 47% more expensive than in Ormoc, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 13% lower, Ormoc 41% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Makati
Ormoc
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.72 ₱299
$3.58 ₱227
31.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$26.37 ₱1,671
$16.26 ₱1,031
62.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.01 ₱254
$4.80 ₱305
-16.46%
Cappuccino
$2.46 ₱156
$2.15 ₱136
14.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05 ₱66.7
$0.69 ₱43.70
52.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 ₱37.43
$0.39 ₱24.47
51.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.16 ₱73.6
$1.26 ₱79.6
-7.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41 ₱153
$2.19 ₱139
10.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Makati
Ormoc
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.86 ₱118
$1.54 ₱97.4
20.78%
White Bread (500g)
$1.12 ₱71.2
$1.18 ₱74.5
-5.08%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.99 ₱62.5
$0.92 ₱58.3
7.61%
Eggs
$2.20 ₱139
$1.93 ₱122
13.99%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.51 ₱476
$4.16 ₱263
80.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.63 ₱293
$4.20 ₱266
10.24%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.01 ₱444
$6.12 ₱388
14.54%
Apples (1kg)
$3.23 ₱205
$2.37 ₱150
36.29%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 ₱121
$2.09 ₱132
-9.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.76 ₱175
$2.14 ₱136
28.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.88 ₱56.0
$0.93 ₱59.1
-5.38%
Potato (1kg)
$1.33 ₱84.3
$1.54 ₱97.5
-13.64%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ₱87.3
$1.50 ₱94.8
-8.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.87 ₱119
$0.80 ₱50.5
133.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58 ₱36.92
$0.55 ₱34.75
5.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.03 ₱192
$2.98 ₱189
1.68%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.67 ₱613
$6.85 ₱434
41.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 ₱79.5
$1.27 ₱80.6
-1.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01 ₱128
$1.75 ₱111
14.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Makati
Ormoc
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.76 ₱48.36
$0.21 ₱13.60
261.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$57.7 ₱3,657
$11.35 ₱719
408.28%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.75 ₱47.65
$0.87 ₱54.9
-13.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.20 ₱12.67
$0.20 ₱12.72
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.96 ₱124
$2.13 ₱135
-7.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.25 ₱79.5
$1.11 ₱70.7
12.61%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.9K ₱1.3M
$18.4K ₱1.2M
13.79%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.9K ₱1.2M
$17.6K ₱1.1M
7.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Makati
Ormoc
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$111 ₱7,025
$113 ₱7,166
-1.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.82 ₱1,066
$15.74 ₱998
6.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.00 ₱1,521
$26.03 ₱1,650
-7.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Makati
Ormoc
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.6 ₱3,588
$30.33 ₱1,923
86.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.14 ₱896
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.31 ₱400
$5.01 ₱317
25.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Makati
Ormoc
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$619 ₱39.3K
$308 ₱19.5K
100.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,231 ₱331.5K
$7,941 ₱503.3K
-34.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Makati
Ormoc
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.4 ₱3,512
$43.00 ₱2,725
28.86%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.32 ₱1,985
$28.33 ₱1,795
10.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$70.0 ₱4,437
$74.4 ₱4,718
-5.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.8 ₱3,666
$59.7 ₱3,786
-3.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Makati
Ormoc
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$820 ₱52.0K
$364 ₱23.1K
125.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$495 ₱31.4K
$247 ₱15.6K
100.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,487 ₱157.7K
$824 ₱52.3K
201.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,294 ₱82.0K
$457 ₱29.0K
183.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,608 ₱355.4K
$3,654 ₱231.6K
53.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,558 ₱225.5K
$2,438 ₱154.5K
45.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Makati
Ormoc
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$524 ₱33.2K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7
7
-

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

Last update for Makati: November 2, 2026

Last update for Ormoc: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Makati
$495
Ormoc
$247 50.1% $248
Groceries & Markets
Makati
$203
Ormoc
$169 16.9% $34
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Makati
$152
Ormoc
$155 2.1% $3.2
Eating Out
Makati
$97
Ormoc
$84 13.3% $13
Clothing & Footwear
Makati
$97
Ormoc
$92 4.2% $4.1
Sport & Entertainment
Makati
$69
Ormoc
$40 41.7% $29
Getting Around
Makati
$62
Ormoc
$14 77.5% $48

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $820 in Makati and $364 in Ormoc. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $26 in Makati vs $16 in Ormoc for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $169 per month, with Ormoc cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Makati
🇵🇭 Ormoc
🕒 Local time
02:02 2:02 AM
02:02 2:02 AM
Same time as Makati
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
582,602
230,998
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 63.38 PHP (100 PHP = 1.58 USD). 1 EUR = 70.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Makati Ormoc 550 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Makati
  • Ormoc

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 Ormoc: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Makati or Ormoc?
Ormoc wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Ormoc the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Makati and in Ormoc?
You’d need roughly $1,761 in Makati and $1,202 in Ormoc 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Makati compared to Ormoc?
Rent for a central apartment: $820 in Makati versus $364 in Ormoc. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Makati compared to Ormoc?
All in, you’ll spend $1,174 per month in Makati versus $801 in Ormoc – Ormoc is about 32% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How expensive is transport in Makati compared to Ormoc?
A monthly transit pass in Ormoc runs roughly 80% less than in Makati. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Makati or in Ormoc?
At $801 in Ormoc versus $1,174 in Makati, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ormoc but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Ormoc the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Makati or Ormoc?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Ormoc gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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