Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Palawan Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Palawan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Makati versus $778 in Palawan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,009 in Makati versus $1,221 in Palawan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,786 in Makati versus $1,664 in Palawan.

Living in Makati is roughly 59% more expensive than Palawan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, Palawan 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ₱419

$3.57 ₱220

90.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 ₱2,784

$19.25 ₱1,187

134.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ₱304

$3.41 ₱210

44.57%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱177

$2.61 ₱161

9.96%

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

$1.19 ₱73.5

$0.77 ₱47.45

54.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.76

$0.40 ₱24.37

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱151

$1.25 ₱77.0

95.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₱225

$2.12 ₱131

72.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.91 ₱118

12.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.4

$1.22 ₱75.1

17.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.5

$1.00 ₱61.8

8.00%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.10 ₱129

11.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱503

$8.14 ₱502

0.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱273

$4.16 ₱256

6.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱471

$7.55 ₱465

1.19%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₱282

$2.85 ₱176

60.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.52 ₱93.6

26.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$2.59 ₱160

4.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱139

$1.62 ₱99.9

38.89%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$2.29 ₱141

43.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$2.59 ₱159

10.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.8

$1.06 ₱65.6

1.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.3

$0.72 ₱44.51

37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱181

$2.82 ₱174

4.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ₱511

$6.94 ₱428

19.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.1

$1.16 ₱71.3

3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$2.03 ₱125

15.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.71

$0.26 ₱15.82

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.0

$0.76 ₱47.17

6.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.44

$0.22 ₱13.54

-45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.16 ₱133

65.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.8

$1.14 ₱70.2

-3.51%

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

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$26.9K ₱1.7M

27.38%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$20.6K ₱1.3M

4.49%

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

$172 ₱10.6K

$111 ₱6,825

55.42%

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

$26.94 ₱1,661

$32.27 ₱1,990

-16.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.49 ₱2,250

$27.45 ₱1,693

32.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₱3,452

$33.41 ₱2,060

67.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 ₱727

$4.38 ₱270

169.18%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₱487

$5.92 ₱365

33.45%

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

$321 ₱19.8K

$149 ₱9,188

115.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 ₱464.8K

$4,328 ₱266.9K

74.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,717

$45.65 ₱2,815

32.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₱2,197

$26.52 ₱1,635

34.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 ₱5,277

$74.2 ₱4,575

15.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,516

$54.1 ₱3,336

125.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₱41.1K

$266 ₱16.4K

150.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$180 ₱11.1K

116.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 ₱139.4K

$585 ₱36.1K

286.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 ₱63.1K

$402 ₱24.8K

154.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,010 ₱370.6K

$2,357 ₱145.4K

154.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₱237.5K

$964 ₱59.5K

299.46%

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 Palawan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Dining out: $45.00 in Makati vs $19.00 in Palawan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $202 per month, with Palawan 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 Palawan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Palawan wins on cost – living expenses run 59% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Palawan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,849 in Makati and $1,166 in Palawan 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 $266 in Palawan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Makati versus $778 in Palawan – a 59% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $778 in Palawan versus $1,232 in Makati, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Palawan but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Palawan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Palawan delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $778 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Palawan hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Palawan 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 Palawan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.