Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Palawan

For one person, living is cheaper in Palawan: $784 a month against $1,230 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Makati
Learn more

Makati Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Palawan
Learn more

Palawan Living Index

Jump to prices

Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,230

/mo nomad

Palawan

🇵🇭 Philippines

$784

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Makati and in Palawan

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,230 in Makati versus $784 in Palawan.

Makati $1,230
Palawan $784

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Makati versus $1,223 in Palawan.

Makati $2,137
Palawan $1,223

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,044 in Makati versus $1,661 in Palawan.

Makati $3,044
Palawan $1,661

Living in Makati is roughly 57% more expensive than in Palawan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 10% lower, Palawan 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.40 ₱409

$3.48 ₱222

83.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.45 ₱2,457

$19.38 ₱1,238

98.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 ₱306

$3.31 ₱211

44.41%

Cappuccino

$2.59 ₱166

$2.52 ₱161

2.78%

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

$1.09 ₱69.9

$0.78 ₱49.78

39.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.39

$0.39 ₱25.21

25.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ₱153

$1.31 ₱83.5

82.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ₱203

$2.15 ₱137

47.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ₱115

$1.90 ₱121

-5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ₱80.8

$1.22 ₱77.7

3.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱65.9

$1.00 ₱63.8

3.00%

Eggs

$2.37 ₱151

$2.00 ₱128

18.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.91 ₱441

$7.91 ₱505

-12.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 ₱315

$4.35 ₱278

13.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.74 ₱431

$7.62 ₱487

-11.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 ₱263

$2.87 ₱183

43.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ₱122

$1.58 ₱101

20.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 ₱204

$2.62 ₱167

21.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱144

$1.55 ₱99.2

45.16%

Potato (1kg)

$3.55 ₱227

$2.24 ₱143

58.48%

Onion (1kg)

$3.50 ₱223

$2.54 ₱162

37.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ₱68.1

$1.11 ₱70.7

-3.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ₱71.9

$0.75 ₱48.14

50.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.60 ₱166

$2.89 ₱185

-10.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 ₱502

$6.95 ₱444

12.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₱82.6

$1.17 ₱74.4

10.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₱124

$1.98 ₱127

-2.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ₱56.4

$0.26 ₱16.47

238.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 ₱3,595

$11.46 ₱732

390.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 ₱41.59

$0.81 ₱52.0

-19.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.38

$0.22 ₱14.04

-4.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ₱122

$2.08 ₱133

-8.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ₱81.6

$1.13 ₱72.4

13.27%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$26.1K ₱1.7M

-20.37%

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

$18.9K ₱1.2M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

-9.03%

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

$151 ₱9,669

$112 ₱7,135

35.52%

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

$15.59 ₱996

$33.36 ₱2,132

-53.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.38 ₱2,005

$27.52 ₱1,758

14.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 ₱3,403

$34.20 ₱2,185

55.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.04 ₱897

$4.55 ₱291

208.57%

Cinema Ticket

$7.22 ₱461

$5.96 ₱381

21.14%

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

$776 ₱49.6K

$153 ₱9,793

406.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,391 ₱472.2K

$4,354 ₱278.2K

69.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 ₱3,826

$46.66 ₱2,981

28.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.96 ₱2,361

$26.57 ₱1,698

39.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 ₱5,177

$74.4 ₱4,754

8.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₱6,446

$54.1 ₱3,458

86.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$829 ₱53.0K

$263 ₱16.8K

214.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱27.4K

$174 ₱11.1K

145.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,151 ₱137.4K

$576 ₱36.8K

273.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₱83.6K

$390 ₱24.9K

235.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,714 ₱365.1K

$2,321 ₱148.3K

146.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,568 ₱228.0K

$1,122 ₱71.7K

218.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$587 ₱37.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

6.67

12.44%

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

Last update for Makati: October 26, 2026

Last update for Palawan: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Makati

$429 34.8%

Palawan

$174 22.2% 59.3% $254

Groceries & Markets

Makati

$227 18.5%

Palawan

$202 25.8% 10.9% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Makati

$198 16.1%

Palawan

$173 22% 13% $26

Clothing & Footwear

Makati

$125 10.2%

Palawan

$91 11.6% 27.6% $35

Eating Out

Makati

$121 9.9%

Palawan

$84 10.7% 31.1% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Makati

$68 5.5%

Palawan

$46 5.9% 31.9% $22

Getting Around

Makati

$61 5%

Palawan

$14 1.8% 76.6% $47

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $829 in Makati and $263 in Palawan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38 in Makati vs $19 in Palawan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $202 per month, with Palawan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Makati

🇵🇭 Palawan

🕒 Local time

04:03 4:03 AM

Same time as Makati

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

582,602

939,594

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Makati Palawan 580 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Makati
Palawan

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 Palawan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Palawan wins on cost – living expenses run 36% 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 $1,845 in Makati and $1,176 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: $829 in Makati versus $263 in Palawan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,230 per month in Makati versus $784 in Palawan – Palawan is about 36% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Palawan runs roughly 80% less than in Makati. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

At $784 in Palawan versus $1,230 in Makati, a $1,000 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 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.

Safety-wise, Makati and Palawan are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Palawan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.