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: $1,223 in Makati versus $932 in Pasay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,017 in Makati versus $1,316 in Pasay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,812 in Makati versus $1,700 in Pasay.

Living in Makati is roughly 31% more expensive than Pasay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, Pasay 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.85 ₱412

$4.77 ₱287

43.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.09 ₱2,655

$21.29 ₱1,282

107.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 ₱300

$3.13 ₱189

58.79%

Cappuccino

$2.96 ₱178

$2.13 ₱128

38.97%

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

$1.15 ₱69.1

$0.60 ₱36.38

91.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₱34.46

$0.34 ₱20.68

67.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ₱140

$1.04 ₱62.5

123.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₱213

$1.54 ₱92.9

129.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₱130

$1.92 ₱116

13.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ₱89.9

$1.22 ₱73.3

22.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ₱64.1

$0.93 ₱56.0

13.98%

Eggs

$2.22 ₱134

$2.00 ₱121

11.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 ₱497

$5.09 ₱307

62.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.42 ₱266

$4.23 ₱255

4.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.54 ₱454

$5.56 ₱335

35.61%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 ₱275

$4.41 ₱265

3.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ₱115

$1.54 ₱92.7

23.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 ₱163

$2.52 ₱152

7.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 ₱131

$1.63 ₱98.3

33.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.31 ₱199

$2.75 ₱165

20.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 ₱169

$4.07 ₱245

-30.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₱65.5

$1.44 ₱86.9

-24.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₱61.3

$0.94 ₱56.9

8.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱180

$3.16 ₱190

-5.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.52 ₱513

$7.51 ₱452

13.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱75.2

$1.02 ₱61.6

22.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ₱138

$1.14 ₱68.4

100.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ₱32.85

$0.22 ₱13.26

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.57 ₱215

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱46.81

$0.68 ₱41.06

14.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.06

$0.27 ₱16.42

-55.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ₱209

$2.08 ₱125

67.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱69.5

$1.09 ₱65.6

5.50%

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

$33.5K ₱2.0M

$12.6K ₱757.1K

166.81%

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

$21.7K ₱1.3M

$15.9K ₱955.2K

36.80%

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

$169 ₱10.2K

$114 ₱6,880

47.90%

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

$26.89 ₱1,619

$32.42 ₱1,953

-17.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.15 ₱2,177

$29.55 ₱1,780

22.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.4 ₱3,339

$36.15 ₱2,177

53.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.69 ₱704

Cinema Ticket

$7.93 ₱477

$6.19 ₱373

28.11%

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

$324 ₱19.5K

$81.6 ₱4,912

296.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,613 ₱458.5K

$2,753 ₱165.8K

176.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 ₱3,565

$31.47 ₱1,895

88.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.26 ₱2,124

$17.55 ₱1,057

100.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 ₱5,188

$84.0 ₱5,059

2.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,375

$69.7 ₱4,195

75.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$661 ₱39.8K

$398 ₱23.9K

66.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱23.9K

$309 ₱18.6K

28.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,254 ₱135.8K

$1,462 ₱88.0K

54.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 ₱61.6K

$400 ₱24.1K

155.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,076 ₱366.0K

$1,919 ₱115.6K

216.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,885 ₱234.0K

$603 ₱36.3K

544.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$706 ₱42.5K

$532 ₱32.1K

32.59%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Pasay: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $661 in Makati and $398 in Pasay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 33% 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: $44.00 in Makati vs $21.00 in Pasay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $202 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 31% 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.

Makati pays 33% more on average, 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: $661 in Makati versus $398 in Pasay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,223 per month in Makati versus $932 in Pasay – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $932 in Pasay versus $1,223 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 $932 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 31% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.