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: $1,188 in Makati versus $771 in Palawan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Makati versus $1,219 in Palawan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Makati versus $1,668 in Palawan.

Living in Makati is roughly 54% more expensive than in Palawan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 ₱402

$3.45 ₱212

89.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.00 ₱2,770

$19.38 ₱1,193

132.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 ₱295

$3.25 ₱200

47.38%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ₱181

$2.61 ₱161

13.03%

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

$1.20 ₱73.8

$0.76 ₱46.99

57.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱35.43

$0.37 ₱22.65

56.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.28 ₱78.9

82.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 ₱219

$2.10 ₱129

69.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.89 ₱116

13.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.1

$1.22 ₱74.9

17.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.6

$1.02 ₱62.5

8.82%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$1.98 ₱122

17.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 ₱492

$7.90 ₱486

1.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱279

$4.35 ₱268

3.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱475

$7.85 ₱483

-1.78%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 ₱279

$2.97 ₱183

52.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ₱122

$1.53 ₱93.9

29.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ₱168

$2.73 ₱168

-0.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱141

$1.60 ₱98.3

42.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱212

$2.27 ₱140

51.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 ₱173

$2.55 ₱157

9.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.0

$1.10 ₱67.9

3.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱60.7

$0.76 ₱46.75

30.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱184

$2.78 ₱171

7.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 ₱493

$6.66 ₱410

20.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱76.9

$1.15 ₱70.5

8.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$1.99 ₱123

12.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.57

$0.26 ₱15.82

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱220

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.05

$0.82 ₱50.7

-7.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.13 ₱8.20

$0.22 ₱13.47

-40.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ₱212

$2.15 ₱132

60.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱71.0

$1.14 ₱70.4

0.88%

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

$34.1K ₱2.1M

$27.0K ₱1.7M

26.09%

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

$22.0K ₱1.4M

$20.5K ₱1.3M

7.53%

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

$170 ₱10.4K

$112 ₱6,922

50.90%

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

$27.66 ₱1,703

$32.43 ₱1,997

-14.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.79 ₱2,203

$27.55 ₱1,696

29.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 ₱3,371

$34.16 ₱2,103

60.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.03 ₱741

$4.53 ₱279

165.56%

Cinema Ticket

$8.20 ₱505

$5.88 ₱362

39.46%

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

$324 ₱20.0K

$154 ₱9,477

110.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,680 ₱472.8K

$4,230 ₱260.4K

81.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ₱3,628

$45.12 ₱2,778

30.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 ₱2,209

$26.56 ₱1,635

35.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 ₱5,174

$75.7 ₱4,659

11.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 ₱7,609

$53.8 ₱3,312

129.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 ₱40.4K

$260 ₱16.0K

152.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$179 ₱11.0K

118.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,273 ₱139.9K

$587 ₱36.1K

287.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 ₱62.0K

$398 ₱24.5K

153.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,013 ₱370.2K

$2,311 ₱142.3K

160.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,732 ₱229.8K

$941 ₱57.9K

296.63%

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 Palawan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Makati and $260 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 $235 vs $203 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 54% 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 $1,783 in Makati and $1,156 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: $657 in Makati versus $260 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 $1,188 per month in Makati versus $771 in Palawan – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $771 in Palawan versus $1,188 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 $771 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 54% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.