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: $1,237 in Makati versus $801 in Pangasinan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,035 in Makati versus $1,188 in Pangasinan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Makati versus $1,576 in Pangasinan.

Living in Makati is roughly 54% more expensive than in Pangasinan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.43 ₱403

$1.17 ₱73.3

449.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.02 ₱2,509

$13.62 ₱854

193.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 ₱287

$4.02 ₱252

13.93%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₱163

$2.71 ₱170

-4.06%

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

$1.13 ₱70.6

$1.13 ₱71.0

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₱30.10

$0.45 ₱28.50

6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ₱151

$0.83 ₱52.2

190.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₱204

$3.11 ₱195

4.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₱121

$1.09 ₱68.2

77.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 ₱76.9

$0.83 ₱52.1

48.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱66.9

$0.79 ₱49.76

35.44%

Eggs

$2.47 ₱155

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.28 ₱457

$7.42 ₱465

-1.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 ₱304

$5.00 ₱314

-3.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.91 ₱433

$6.83 ₱428

1.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 ₱250

$2.27 ₱143

75.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱126

$1.95 ₱122

2.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 ₱202

$3.30 ₱207

-2.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 ₱149

$2.33 ₱146

1.72%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱216

$3.66 ₱230

-5.74%

Onion (1kg)

$3.42 ₱215

$3.49 ₱219

-2.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ₱69.6

$1.13 ₱70.9

-1.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱72.7

$0.56 ₱35.28

107.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 ₱161

$2.71 ₱170

-5.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 ₱506

$8.17 ₱513

-1.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₱84.4

$1.35 ₱84.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₱129

$2.06 ₱129

-0.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₱61.6

$0.25 ₱15.51

292.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.9 ₱3,629

$11.08 ₱695

422.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 ₱38.54

$0.61 ₱38.38

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.44

$0.23 ₱14.46

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ₱116

$1.93 ₱121

-3.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₱74.0

$1.00 ₱62.8

18.00%

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

$21.7K ₱1.4M

$21.6K ₱1.4M

0.12%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$19.6K ₱1.2M

-1.06%

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

$154 ₱9,683

$154 ₱9,674

0.10%

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

$16.28 ₱1,021

$15.90 ₱997

2.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.31 ₱1,963

$31.90 ₱2,000

-1.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.0 ₱3,384

$32.12 ₱2,014

68.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.31 ₱897

$4.85 ₱304

195.05%

Cinema Ticket

$7.10 ₱445

$7.11 ₱446

-0.14%

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

$783 ₱49.1K

$132 ₱8,301

491.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,374 ₱462.3K

$7,555 ₱473.7K

-2.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,780

$32.11 ₱2,013

87.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.61 ₱2,358

$19.51 ₱1,223

92.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 ₱5,152

$82.5 ₱5,175

-0.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ₱6,551

$55.1 ₱3,452

89.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$755 ₱47.3K

$263 ₱16.5K

186.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱26.9K

$171 ₱10.7K

151.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,337 ₱146.5K

$508 ₱31.9K

359.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 ₱67.2K

$353 ₱22.1K

203.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,941 ₱372.5K

$2,582 ₱161.9K

130.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,816 ₱239.3K

$1,058 ₱66.4K

260.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$606 ₱38.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

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

Last update for Makati: September 6, 2026

Last update for Pangasinan: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $755 in Makati and $263 in Pangasinan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Makati vs $14.00 in Pangasinan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $204 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 54% 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 $1,855 in Makati and $1,201 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: $755 in Makati versus $263 in Pangasinan. 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 $801 in Pangasinan – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Pangasinan runs roughly 422% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $801 in Pangasinan versus $1,237 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 $801 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 54% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.