Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Pangasinan Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Pangasinan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,204 in Makati versus $845 in Pangasinan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,023 in Makati versus $1,252 in Pangasinan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,841 in Makati versus $1,658 in Pangasinan.

Living in Makati is roughly 42% more expensive than Pangasinan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 10% lower, Pangasinan 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 ₱412

$1.35 ₱83.3

395.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.22 ₱2,728

$14.91 ₱920

196.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 ₱301

$3.03 ₱187

61.06%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ₱181

$0.94 ₱57.9

211.70%

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

$1.19 ₱73.7

$0.46 ₱28.39

158.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.78

$0.26 ₱16.01

115.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ₱150

$1.36 ₱83.6

77.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 ₱223

$2.16 ₱133

67.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 ₱136

$1.21 ₱74.6

81.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ₱92.0

$0.93 ₱57.3

60.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱65.7

$0.83 ₱51.0

28.92%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.27 ₱140

3.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 ₱505

$7.92 ₱489

3.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.42 ₱273

$4.38 ₱270

0.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱475

$7.74 ₱478

-0.39%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 ₱269

$4.46 ₱275

-2.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱123

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 ₱159

$2.59 ₱160

-0.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₱138

$2.28 ₱141

-2.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱213

$3.39 ₱209

1.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱176

$2.84 ₱175

0.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.0

$1.13 ₱69.6

0.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₱62.7

$1.00 ₱62.0

2.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ₱175

$2.96 ₱182

-4.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 ₱501

$8.04 ₱496

1.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱77.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱143

$2.30 ₱142

0.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ₱33.40

$0.28 ₱17.43

92.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.64 ₱225

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱48.35

$0.77 ₱47.37

1.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.11 ₱6.49

$0.13 ₱7.73

-15.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 ₱225

$3.50 ₱216

4.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.9

$1.11 ₱68.4

-0.90%

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

$33.4K ₱2.1M

$33.3K ₱2.1M

0.14%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$22.1K ₱1.4M

-2.76%

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

$171 ₱10.5K

$173 ₱10.7K

-1.27%

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

$26.96 ₱1,663

$26.91 ₱1,660

0.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.97 ₱2,219

$35.75 ₱2,205

0.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.6 ₱3,430

$33.68 ₱2,077

65.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.87 ₱732

$4.50 ₱278

163.78%

Cinema Ticket

$8.19 ₱505

$8.01 ₱494

2.25%

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

$322 ₱19.9K

$153 ₱9,446

110.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,811 ₱481.8K

$4,366 ₱269.3K

78.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 ₱3,628

$60.6 ₱3,741

-3.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.76 ₱2,206

$35.42 ₱2,185

0.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 ₱5,174

$84.7 ₱5,226

-0.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 ₱7,612

$53.4 ₱3,291

131.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$667 ₱41.2K

$271 ₱16.7K

146.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 ₱24.8K

$180 ₱11.1K

123.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,307 ₱142.3K

$588 ₱36.3K

292.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,015 ₱62.6K

$400 ₱24.7K

153.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,283 ₱387.5K

$2,066 ₱127.5K

204.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,903 ₱240.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$712 ₱43.9K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Pangasinan: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $667 in Makati and $271 in Pangasinan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44.00 in Makati vs $15.00 in Pangasinan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $218 per month, with Pangasinan 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 Pangasinan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pangasinan wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Pangasinan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,807 in Makati and $1,268 in Pangasinan 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: $667 in Makati versus $271 in Pangasinan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,204 per month in Makati versus $845 in Pangasinan – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $845 in Pangasinan versus $1,204 in Makati, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Pangasinan but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Pangasinan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Pangasinan delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $845 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Pangasinan hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Pangasinan 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 Pangasinan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.