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: $1,232 in Makati versus $760 in Pagadian.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,009 in Makati versus $1,074 in Pagadian.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,786 in Makati versus $1,389 in Pagadian.

Living in Makati is roughly 62% more expensive than Pagadian, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, Pagadian 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ₱419

$3.57 ₱220

90.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 ₱2,784

$18.01 ₱1,110

150.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ₱304

$3.20 ₱197

54.06%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱177

$2.90 ₱179

-1.03%

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

$1.19 ₱73.5

$0.93 ₱57.1

27.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.76

$0.43 ₱26.38

30.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱151

$1.08 ₱66.3

125.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₱225

$1.76 ₱108

107.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.71 ₱106

25.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.4

$1.07 ₱66.1

33.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.5

$0.97 ₱59.8

11.34%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.03 ₱125

15.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱503

$8.25 ₱508

-1.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱273

$4.98 ₱307

-11.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱471

$5.85 ₱361

30.60%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₱282

$3.64 ₱224

25.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.12 ₱69.3

71.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$3.42 ₱211

-21.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱139

$1.34 ₱82.4

67.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$2.65 ₱164

24.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$3.46 ₱213

-17.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.8

$1.07 ₱66.1

0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.3

$0.70 ₱43.42

41.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱181

$2.71 ₱167

8.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ₱511

$7.91 ₱488

4.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.1

$1.05 ₱64.6

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.54 ₱94.8

51.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.71

$0.26 ₱16.03

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

$7.18 ₱443

-50.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.0

$0.82 ₱50.9

-1.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.44

$0.24 ₱14.87

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.10 ₱129

70.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.8

$1.19 ₱73.2

-7.56%

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

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$26.9K ₱1.7M

27.65%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$20.2K ₱1.2M

6.29%

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

$172 ₱10.6K

$96.0 ₱5,919

79.22%

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

$26.94 ₱1,661

$33.16 ₱2,045

-18.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.49 ₱2,250

$27.38 ₱1,688

33.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₱3,452

$33.61 ₱2,072

66.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 ₱727

$4.53 ₱279

160.26%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₱487

$5.95 ₱367

32.77%

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

$321 ₱19.8K

$149 ₱9,190

115.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 ₱464.8K

$4,359 ₱268.8K

72.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,717

$45.37 ₱2,798

32.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₱2,197

$26.79 ₱1,652

32.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 ₱5,277

$74.5 ₱4,592

14.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,516

$53.1 ₱3,271

129.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₱41.1K

$113 ₱6,956

490.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$177 ₱10.9K

120.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 ₱139.4K

$248 ₱15.3K

809.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 ₱63.1K

$150 ₱9,271

580.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,010 ₱370.6K

$2,118 ₱130.6K

183.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₱237.5K

$966 ₱59.6K

298.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.0K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Pagadian: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Makati and $113 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 $234 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 62% 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 $1,849 in Makati and $1,140 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: $666 in Makati versus $113 in Pagadian. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Makati versus $760 in Pagadian – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Pagadian runs roughly 101% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $760 in Pagadian versus $1,232 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 $760 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 62% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.