Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Pasig Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Pasig

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,237 in Makati versus $718 in Pasig.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,035 in Makati versus $1,200 in Pasig.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Makati versus $1,682 in Pasig.

Living in Makati is roughly 72% more expensive than in Pasig, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 10% lower, Pasig 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.43 ₱403

$3.97 ₱249

61.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.02 ₱2,509

$25.72 ₱1,613

55.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 ₱287

$2.74 ₱172

67.15%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₱163

$2.31 ₱145

12.55%

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

$1.13 ₱70.6

$0.66 ₱41.67

71.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₱30.10

$0.31 ₱19.68

54.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ₱151

$1.14 ₱71.4

111.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₱204

$2.69 ₱169

20.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₱121

$1.67 ₱104

16.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 ₱76.9

$1.16 ₱73.0

6.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱66.9

$1.03 ₱64.4

3.88%

Eggs

$2.47 ₱155

$2.07 ₱130

19.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.28 ₱457

$5.70 ₱357

27.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 ₱304

$3.37 ₱211

43.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.91 ₱433

$7.68 ₱481

-10.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 ₱250

$3.20 ₱201

24.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱125

$1.56 ₱97.7

28.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 ₱202

$2.96 ₱186

8.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 ₱148

$1.70 ₱107

39.41%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱216

$2.35 ₱147

46.81%

Onion (1kg)

$3.42 ₱215

$2.60 ₱163

31.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ₱69.6

$2.17 ₱136

-48.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱72.7

$0.55 ₱34.55

110.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 ₱161

$2.89 ₱181

-11.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 ₱506

$9.55 ₱599

-15.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₱84.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₱129

$2.01 ₱126

1.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₱61.6

$0.50 ₱31.12

96.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.9 ₱3,628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 ₱38.53

$0.77 ₱48.31

-20.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.43

$0.21 ₱13.11

9.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ₱116

$1.92 ₱121

-3.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₱74.0

$1.14 ₱71.4

3.51%

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

$21.7K ₱1.4M

$21.1K ₱1.3M

2.73%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$19.1K ₱1.2M

1.62%

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

$154 ₱9,681

$123 ₱7,733

25.20%

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

$16.28 ₱1,021

$17.58 ₱1,102

-7.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.31 ₱1,963

$23.97 ₱1,503

30.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.0 ₱3,383

$30.49 ₱1,911

77.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.31 ₱897

Cinema Ticket

$7.10 ₱445

$6.40 ₱401

10.94%

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

$783 ₱49.1K

$133 ₱8,318

490.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,374 ₱462.3K

$9,084 ₱569.4K

-18.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,780

$34.53 ₱2,165

74.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.61 ₱2,358

$27.89 ₱1,749

34.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 ₱5,151

$72.8 ₱4,563

12.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ₱6,550

$54.8 ₱3,437

90.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$755 ₱47.3K

$277 ₱17.4K

172.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱26.9K

$129 ₱8,061

233.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,337 ₱146.5K

$520 ₱32.6K

349.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 ₱67.2K

$477 ₱29.9K

124.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,941 ₱372.4K

$3,260 ₱204.3K

82.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,816 ₱239.2K

$2,540 ₱159.3K

50.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$606 ₱38.0K

$440 ₱27.6K

37.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

6.75

11.11%

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

Last update for Makati: September 6, 2026

Last update for Pasig: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $755 in Makati and $277 in Pasig. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 38% 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 $26.00 in Pasig for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $201 per month, with Pasig 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 Pasig: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pasig wins on cost – living expenses run 72% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Pasig the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 38% 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: $755 in Makati versus $277 in Pasig. 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 $1,237 per month in Makati versus $718 in Pasig – a 72% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $718 in Pasig versus $1,237 in Makati, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Pasig but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Pasig the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Pasig delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $718 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Pasig hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Pasig 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 Pasig gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.