Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Pasay Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Pasay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,226 in Makati versus $924 in Pasay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,003 in Makati versus $1,317 in Pasay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,780 in Makati versus $1,711 in Pasay.

Living in Makati is roughly 33% more expensive than in Pasay, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, Pasay 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.61 ₱405

$4.89 ₱299

35.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.73 ₱2,738

$21.56 ₱1,320

107.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 ₱292

$3.17 ₱194

50.47%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ₱181

$2.14 ₱131

37.85%

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

$1.15 ₱70.7

$0.57 ₱34.90

101.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₱32.00

$0.38 ₱22.96

36.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 ₱145

$1.03 ₱63.2

130.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ₱221

$1.53 ₱93.7

135.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ₱131

$1.91 ₱117

12.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ₱88.3

$1.26 ₱77.2

14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ₱64.8

$0.95 ₱58.0

11.58%

Eggs

$2.35 ₱144

$1.96 ₱120

19.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.87 ₱482

$4.82 ₱295

63.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.48 ₱274

$4.24 ₱259

5.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.80 ₱477

$5.58 ₱342

39.78%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 ₱271

$4.33 ₱265

2.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 ₱121

$1.57 ₱96.2

25.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 ₱159

$2.50 ₱153

3.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 ₱133

$1.64 ₱101

32.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.41 ₱209

$2.81 ₱172

21.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 ₱172

$4.22 ₱258

-33.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₱66.5

$1.40 ₱85.5

-22.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ₱57.4

$0.99 ₱60.7

-5.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₱180

$3.12 ₱191

-5.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 ₱483

$7.84 ₱480

0.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱75.3

$1.02 ₱62.2

20.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₱137

$1.20 ₱73.5

87.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ₱33.97

$0.20 ₱12.24

175.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.63 ₱222

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱47.41

$0.68 ₱41.43

13.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.11 ₱6.82

$0.27 ₱16.68

-59.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 ₱221

$2.08 ₱128

74.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱70.3

$1.10 ₱67.5

4.55%

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

$33.4K ₱2.0M

$12.3K ₱750.2K

172.67%

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

$21.9K ₱1.3M

$15.8K ₱968.5K

38.11%

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

$173 ₱10.6K

$112 ₱6,858

54.68%

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

$27.42 ₱1,678

$32.89 ₱2,013

-16.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.34 ₱2,225

$29.71 ₱1,819

22.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 ₱3,367

$35.53 ₱2,175

54.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.72 ₱717

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 ₱493

$6.21 ₱380

29.63%

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

$323 ₱19.8K

$81.7 ₱5,002

295.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,720 ₱472.6K

$2,835 ₱173.6K

172.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 ₱3,653

$32.18 ₱1,970

85.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.00 ₱2,203

$17.51 ₱1,072

105.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 ₱5,235

$85.2 ₱5,217

0.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,474

$70.8 ₱4,331

72.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$660 ₱40.4K

$402 ₱24.6K

64.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱23.9K

$306 ₱18.7K

27.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,259 ₱138.3K

$1,446 ₱88.5K

56.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,032 ₱63.2K

$403 ₱24.6K

156.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,059 ₱370.9K

$1,908 ₱116.8K

217.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,835 ₱234.7K

$579 ₱35.4K

562.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₱37.3K

$524 ₱32.1K

16.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

-16.63%

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

Last update for Makati: July 28, 2026

Last update for Pasay: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $660 in Makati and $402 in Pasay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 16% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Makati vs $22.00 in Pasay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $203 per month, with Pasay 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 Pasay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pasay wins on cost – living expenses run 33% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Pasay the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 16% higher in Makati, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $660 in Makati versus $402 in Pasay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% 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 $924 in Pasay – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $924 in Pasay versus $1,226 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pasay but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Pasay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Pasay delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $924 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Pasay hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Pasay 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 Pasay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.