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: $1,237 in Makati versus $798 in Palawan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,035 in Makati versus $1,222 in Palawan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Makati versus $1,646 in Palawan.

Living in Makati is roughly 55% more expensive than in Palawan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.43 ₱401

$3.46 ₱216

85.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.02 ₱2,495

$19.76 ₱1,232

102.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 ₱286

$3.41 ₱213

34.31%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₱162

$2.57 ₱160

1.17%

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

$1.13 ₱70.2

$0.78 ₱48.76

44.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₱29.94

$0.40 ₱24.68

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ₱150

$1.29 ₱80.5

86.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₱203

$2.08 ₱130

56.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₱121

$1.86 ₱116

4.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 ₱76.5

$1.23 ₱76.6

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱66.6

$0.94 ₱58.9

13.83%

Eggs

$2.47 ₱154

$2.09 ₱130

18.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.28 ₱454

$8.09 ₱505

-10.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 ₱302

$4.30 ₱268

12.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.91 ₱431

$7.92 ₱494

-12.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 ₱248

$2.99 ₱186

33.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱125

$1.57 ₱97.9

27.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 ₱201

$2.63 ₱164

22.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 ₱148

$1.56 ₱97.2

51.92%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱215

$2.25 ₱140

53.33%

Onion (1kg)

$3.42 ₱214

$2.61 ₱163

31.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ₱69.2

$1.11 ₱69.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱72.3

$0.75 ₱47.07

54.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 ₱160

$2.80 ₱175

-8.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 ₱504

$6.71 ₱419

20.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₱84.0

$1.14 ₱71.4

18.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₱128

$2.03 ₱127

0.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₱61.3

$0.28 ₱17.51

250.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.9 ₱3,609

$11.34 ₱707

410.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 ₱38.33

$0.76 ₱47.64

-19.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.36

$0.22 ₱13.70

4.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ₱116

$2.12 ₱132

-12.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₱73.6

$1.14 ₱71.3

3.51%

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

$21.7K ₱1.4M

$26.1K ₱1.6M

-16.94%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

-6.18%

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

$154 ₱9,630

$113 ₱7,076

36.09%

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

$16.28 ₱1,015

$33.33 ₱2,079

-51.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.31 ₱1,953

$27.41 ₱1,709

14.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.0 ₱3,365

$34.18 ₱2,131

57.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.31 ₱892

$4.51 ₱281

217.29%

Cinema Ticket

$7.10 ₱443

$5.78 ₱361

22.84%

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

$783 ₱48.8K

$151 ₱9,394

419.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,374 ₱459.8K

$4,317 ₱269.2K

70.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,760

$46.70 ₱2,912

29.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.61 ₱2,345

$26.76 ₱1,669

40.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 ₱5,124

$75.9 ₱4,736

8.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ₱6,515

$53.0 ₱3,308

96.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$755 ₱47.1K

$264 ₱16.5K

186.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱26.8K

$174 ₱10.9K

146.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,337 ₱145.7K

$576 ₱35.9K

306.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 ₱66.8K

$396 ₱24.7K

170.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,941 ₱370.5K

$2,362 ₱147.3K

151.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,816 ₱238.0K

$1,024 ₱63.9K

272.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$606 ₱37.8K

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: September 6, 2026

Last update for Palawan: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $755 in Makati and $264 in Palawan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Makati vs $20.00 in Palawan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $204 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 55% 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 $1,855 in Makati and $1,198 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: $755 in Makati versus $264 in Palawan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,237 per month in Makati versus $798 in Palawan – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Palawan runs roughly 410% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $798 in Palawan versus $1,237 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 $798 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 55% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.