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: $1,226 in Makati versus $846 in Pangasinan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,003 in Makati versus $1,258 in Pangasinan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,780 in Makati versus $1,670 in Pangasinan.

Living in Makati is roughly 45% more expensive than in Pangasinan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, Pangasinan 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.61 ₱406

$1.36 ₱83.5

386.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.73 ₱2,746

$14.97 ₱919

198.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 ₱293

$3.15 ₱193

51.43%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ₱181

$0.99 ₱60.7

197.98%

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

$1.15 ₱70.9

$0.45 ₱27.92

155.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₱32.10

$0.28 ₱17.39

85.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 ₱145

$1.35 ₱82.8

75.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ₱222

$2.08 ₱128

73.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ₱132

$1.27 ₱78.0

69.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ₱88.6

$0.92 ₱56.7

56.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ₱65.0

$0.88 ₱53.8

20.45%

Eggs

$2.35 ₱144

$2.26 ₱139

3.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.87 ₱483

$7.92 ₱486

-0.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.48 ₱275

$4.56 ₱280

-1.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.80 ₱479

$7.71 ₱474

1.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 ₱272

$4.38 ₱269

1.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 ₱121

$1.91 ₱117

3.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 ₱159

$2.73 ₱167

-5.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 ₱133

$2.27 ₱139

-4.41%

Potato (1kg)

$3.41 ₱209

$3.30 ₱203

3.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 ₱172

$2.80 ₱172

0.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₱66.7

$1.14 ₱69.9

-4.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ₱57.6

$0.93 ₱57.4

1.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₱181

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 ₱485

$8.09 ₱497

-2.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱75.6

$1.25 ₱76.5

-1.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₱138

$2.33 ₱143

-3.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ₱34.08

$0.26 ₱15.81

111.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.63 ₱223

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱47.56

$0.81 ₱49.86

-4.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.11 ₱6.84

$0.14 ₱8.30

-21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 ₱222

$3.63 ₱223

-0.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱70.5

$1.11 ₱67.9

3.60%

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

$33.4K ₱2.1M

$34.2K ₱2.1M

-2.23%

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

$21.9K ₱1.3M

$22.0K ₱1.4M

-0.81%

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

$173 ₱10.6K

$172 ₱10.5K

0.87%

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

$27.42 ₱1,683

$27.12 ₱1,665

1.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.34 ₱2,232

$36.22 ₱2,224

0.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 ₱3,377

$34.39 ₱2,111

59.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.72 ₱720

$4.35 ₱267

169.43%

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 ₱494

$7.87 ₱484

2.29%

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

$323 ₱19.8K

$150 ₱9,202

115.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,720 ₱474.0K

$4,304 ₱264.3K

79.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 ₱3,664

$59.4 ₱3,645

0.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.00 ₱2,210

$35.21 ₱2,162

2.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 ₱5,251

$85.3 ₱5,235

0.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,497

$52.1 ₱3,200

134.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$660 ₱40.5K

$269 ₱16.5K

145.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱23.9K

$174 ₱10.7K

124.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,259 ₱138.7K

$594 ₱36.5K

280.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,032 ₱63.4K

$400 ₱24.5K

158.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,059 ₱372.0K

$2,147 ₱131.8K

182.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,835 ₱235.5K

$880 ₱54.0K

336.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₱37.4K

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 28, 2026

Last update for Pangasinan: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $660 in Makati and $269 in Pangasinan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Makati vs $15.00 in Pangasinan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 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 45% 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 $1,840 in Makati and $1,269 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: $660 in Makati versus $269 in Pangasinan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,226 per month in Makati versus $846 in Pangasinan – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $846 in Pangasinan versus $1,226 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 $846 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 45% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.