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: $1,204 in Makati versus $898 in Pasay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,023 in Makati versus $1,290 in Pasay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,841 in Makati versus $1,682 in Pasay.

Living in Makati is roughly 34% more expensive than Pasay, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 ₱412

$4.71 ₱291

42.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.22 ₱2,728

$20.86 ₱1,287

111.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 ₱301

$3.12 ₱192

56.41%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ₱181

$2.22 ₱137

31.98%

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

$1.19 ₱73.7

$0.58 ₱35.65

105.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.78

$0.38 ₱23.16

47.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ₱150

$1.08 ₱66.3

124.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 ₱223

$1.48 ₱91.4

144.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 ₱136

$2.01 ₱124

9.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ₱92.0

$1.25 ₱77.0

19.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱65.7

$0.92 ₱56.5

16.30%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.02 ₱124

15.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 ₱505

$5.02 ₱310

63.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.42 ₱273

$4.28 ₱264

3.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱475

$5.62 ₱347

37.19%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 ₱269

$4.46 ₱275

-2.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱123

$1.60 ₱98.4

25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 ₱159

$2.44 ₱151

5.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₱138

$1.69 ₱104

31.95%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱213

$2.77 ₱171

24.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱176

$4.09 ₱252

-30.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.0

$1.41 ₱86.9

-19.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₱62.7

$0.92 ₱56.8

10.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ₱175

$3.11 ₱192

-8.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 ₱501

$7.52 ₱464

7.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱77.1

$1.03 ₱63.4

21.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱143

$1.19 ₱73.4

94.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ₱33.40

$0.22 ₱13.60

145.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.64 ₱225

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱48.35

$0.70 ₱43.06

11.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.11 ₱6.49

$0.27 ₱16.78

-59.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 ₱225

$2.17 ₱134

68.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.9

$1.09 ₱67.2

0.92%

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

$33.4K ₱2.1M

$12.3K ₱761.5K

170.35%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$16.1K ₱992.5K

33.35%

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

$171 ₱10.5K

$111 ₱6,831

54.09%

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

$26.96 ₱1,663

$32.86 ₱2,027

-17.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.97 ₱2,219

$30.37 ₱1,873

18.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.6 ₱3,430

$34.88 ₱2,151

59.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.87 ₱732

Cinema Ticket

$8.19 ₱505

$6.06 ₱374

35.15%

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

$322 ₱19.9K

$82.4 ₱5,080

290.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,811 ₱481.8K

$2,774 ₱171.1K

181.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 ₱3,628

$32.10 ₱1,980

83.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.76 ₱2,206

$17.71 ₱1,092

101.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 ₱5,174

$84.5 ₱5,212

-0.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 ₱7,612

$70.0 ₱4,317

76.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$667 ₱41.2K

$400 ₱24.7K

66.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 ₱24.8K

$311 ₱19.2K

29.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,307 ₱142.3K

$1,493 ₱92.1K

54.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,015 ₱62.6K

$403 ₱24.9K

151.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,283 ₱387.5K

$1,976 ₱121.9K

217.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,903 ₱240.8K

$583 ₱35.9K

570.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$712 ₱43.9K

$528 ₱32.6K

34.87%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Pasay: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $667 in Makati and $400 in Pasay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 35% 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 $236 vs $204 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.

Makati pays 35% 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: $667 in Makati versus $400 in Pasay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,204 per month in Makati versus $898 in Pasay – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $898 in Pasay versus $1,204 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 $898 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.