Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Pagadian Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Pagadian

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,188 in Makati versus $776 in Pagadian.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Makati versus $1,092 in Pagadian.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Makati versus $1,408 in Pagadian.

Living in Makati is roughly 53% more expensive than in Pagadian, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 11% lower, Pagadian 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 ₱402

$3.49 ₱215

87.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.00 ₱2,770

$17.85 ₱1,099

152.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 ₱295

$3.22 ₱198

48.76%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ₱181

$2.90 ₱178

1.72%

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

$1.20 ₱73.8

$0.96 ₱58.8

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱35.43

$0.46 ₱28.18

26.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.08 ₱66.5

116.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 ₱219

$1.73 ₱107

105.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.72 ₱106

24.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.1

$1.07 ₱66.0

33.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.6

$1.03 ₱63.3

7.77%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$2.05 ₱126

13.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 ₱492

$8.19 ₱504

-2.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱279

$4.87 ₱300

-7.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱475

$5.85 ₱360

31.79%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 ₱279

$3.46 ₱213

31.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ₱122

$1.12 ₱68.9

76.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ₱168

$3.36 ₱207

-19.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱141

$1.38 ₱85.1

65.22%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱212

$2.65 ₱163

30.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 ₱173

$3.41 ₱210

-17.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.0

$1.10 ₱67.9

3.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱60.7

$0.75 ₱46.39

32.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱184

$2.60 ₱160

15.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 ₱493

$8.31 ₱511

-3.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱76.9

$1.04 ₱64.3

20.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$1.47 ₱90.4

52.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.57

$0.28 ₱17.29

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱220

$7.15 ₱440

-49.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.05

$0.77 ₱47.55

-1.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.13 ₱8.20

$0.22 ₱13.53

-40.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ₱212

$2.10 ₱129

64.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱71.0

$1.25 ₱76.9

-8.00%

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

$34.1K ₱2.1M

$26.7K ₱1.6M

27.48%

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

$22.0K ₱1.4M

$20.6K ₱1.3M

6.84%

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

$170 ₱10.4K

$93.9 ₱5,784

80.62%

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

$27.66 ₱1,703

$32.31 ₱1,989

-14.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.79 ₱2,203

$26.98 ₱1,661

32.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 ₱3,371

$33.52 ₱2,064

63.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.03 ₱741

$4.31 ₱265

179.12%

Cinema Ticket

$8.20 ₱505

$5.79 ₱356

41.62%

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

$324 ₱20.0K

$154 ₱9,480

110.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,680 ₱472.8K

$4,303 ₱264.9K

78.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ₱3,628

$46.08 ₱2,837

27.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 ₱2,209

$26.28 ₱1,618

36.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 ₱5,174

$74.2 ₱4,569

13.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 ₱7,609

$52.2 ₱3,213

136.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 ₱40.4K

$112 ₱6,883

487.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$176 ₱10.8K

121.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,273 ₱139.9K

$245 ₱15.1K

827.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 ₱62.0K

$153 ₱9,426

558.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,013 ₱370.2K

$2,755 ₱169.6K

118.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,732 ₱229.8K

$908 ₱55.9K

311.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ₱37.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

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

Last update for Makati: July 12, 2026

Last update for Pagadian: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Makati and $112 in Pagadian. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Makati vs $18.00 in Pagadian for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $204 per month, with Pagadian 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 Pagadian: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pagadian wins on cost – living expenses run 53% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Pagadian the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,783 in Makati and $1,165 in Pagadian 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $657 in Makati versus $112 in Pagadian. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,188 per month in Makati versus $776 in Pagadian – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Pagadian runs roughly 100% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $776 in Pagadian versus $1,188 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pagadian but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Pagadian the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Pagadian delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $776 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Pagadian hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Pagadian 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 Pagadian gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.