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 $917 in Pasay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,005 in Makati versus $1,255 in Pasay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,783 in Makati versus $1,592 in Pasay.

Living in Makati is roughly 34% more expensive than in Pasay, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 10% lower, Pasay 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 ₱406

$4.44 ₱278

45.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.29 ₱2,527

$19.04 ₱1,194

111.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₱295

$2.84 ₱178

65.49%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₱166

$2.23 ₱140

18.83%

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

$1.11 ₱69.7

$0.63 ₱39.26

76.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱28.42

$0.31 ₱19.24

45.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ₱148

$1.21 ₱76.1

94.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ₱201

$1.58 ₱99.0

102.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱120

$1.72 ₱108

11.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ₱80.6

$1.17 ₱73.2

9.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ₱65.6

$1.01 ₱63.6

3.96%

Eggs

$2.48 ₱155

$1.96 ₱123

26.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.98 ₱438

$5.15 ₱323

35.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 ₱304

$4.29 ₱269

13.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.77 ₱424

$7.26 ₱456

-6.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 ₱258

$2.29 ₱143

79.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱125

$1.54 ₱96.7

29.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 ₱200

$2.35 ₱147

35.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱143

$1.17 ₱73.3

94.87%

Potato (1kg)

$3.52 ₱221

$2.37 ₱149

48.52%

Onion (1kg)

$3.59 ₱225

$3.33 ₱209

7.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₱69.3

$1.25 ₱78.3

-12.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₱71.7

$0.89 ₱55.6

28.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 ₱161

$2.97 ₱186

-13.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 ₱501

$7.73 ₱485

3.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₱82.7

$0.97 ₱61.0

36.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₱127

$1.82 ₱114

11.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₱61.5

$0.19 ₱11.64

415.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 ₱3,613

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₱42.14

$0.76 ₱47.52

-11.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.15

$0.21 ₱13.12

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₱117

$1.96 ₱123

-4.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱78.0

$1.18 ₱74.2

5.08%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$21.2K ₱1.3M

-0.28%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$18.6K ₱1.2M

5.75%

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

$152 ₱9,541

$139 ₱8,713

9.50%

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

$16.13 ₱1,012

$14.20 ₱890

13.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.63 ₱1,984

$25.46 ₱1,597

24.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 ₱3,416

$47.18 ₱2,959

15.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.45 ₱906

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 ₱436

$5.20 ₱326

33.65%

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

$803 ₱50.4K

$73.4 ₱4,603

994.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,454 ₱467.5K

$2,546 ₱159.7K

192.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 ₱3,755

$36.19 ₱2,270

65.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.50 ₱2,352

$19.34 ₱1,213

93.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 ₱5,130

$70.1 ₱4,397

16.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ₱6,544

$64.3 ₱4,033

62.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 ₱47.2K

$432 ₱27.1K

74.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱26.9K

$315 ₱19.7K

36.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,279 ₱142.9K

$821 ₱51.5K

177.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 ₱66.1K

$361 ₱22.6K

192.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,865 ₱367.9K

$1,840 ₱115.4K

218.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,745 ₱234.9K

$571 ₱35.8K

555.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₱38.3K

$511 ₱32.0K

19.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

7.14%

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

Last update for Makati: September 14, 2026

Last update for Pasay: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $752 in Makati and $432 in Pasay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 19% 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: $40.00 in Makati vs $19.00 in Pasay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $189 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 34% 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 19% 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: $752 in Makati versus $432 in Pasay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% 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 $917 in Pasay – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $917 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 $917 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 34% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.