Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,228 in Makati versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,025 in Makati versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,822 in Makati versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Makati costs roughly 2% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 11% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.57 ₱411

$4.56 ฿151

44.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.99 ₱2,501

$32.62 ฿1,082

22.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 ₱287

$8.90 ฿295

-48.43%

Cappuccino

$2.76 ₱173

$2.80 ฿93.0

-1.43%

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

$1.07 ₱67.2

$0.88 ฿29.19

21.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱28.17

$0.49 ฿16.23

-8.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ₱151

$2.39 ฿79.2

1.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₱203

$3.71 ฿123

-12.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ₱115

$1.79 ฿59.3

2.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 ₱80.6

$1.44 ฿47.81

-10.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱64.3

$1.58 ฿52.6

-34.81%

Eggs

$2.38 ₱149

$2.13 ฿70.5

11.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.31 ₱457

$19.92 ฿661

-63.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.84 ₱303

$3.43 ฿114

41.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.19 ₱449

$11.33 ฿376

-36.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 ₱249

$2.95 ฿97.8

34.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 ₱127

$1.72 ฿57.1

18.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 ₱204

$2.32 ฿77.1

40.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 ₱144

$2.08 ฿69.0

11.06%

Potato (1kg)

$3.47 ₱217

$1.47 ฿48.77

136.05%

Onion (1kg)

$3.47 ₱217

$1.36 ฿45.05

155.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₱70.0

$1.10 ฿36.45

1.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₱69.4

$0.57 ฿19.06

94.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.70 ₱169

$4.27 ฿142

-36.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.86 ₱491

$18.42 ฿611

-57.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ₱87.4

$1.87 ฿62.1

-25.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₱130

$2.92 ฿96.9

-28.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ₱56.1

$2.22 ฿73.6

-59.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.3 ₱3,581

$22.90 ฿759

150.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 ₱38.09

$3.03 ฿101

-79.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.10

$1.07 ฿35.63

-80.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₱117

$3.93 ฿130

-52.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₱78.3

$1.49 ฿49.49

-16.11%

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

$21.3K ₱1.3M

$27.1K ฿899.8K

-21.61%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$27.5K ฿910.6K

-28.25%

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

$154 ₱9,611

$103 ฿3,410

49.52%

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

$15.78 ₱987

$10.99 ฿365

43.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.11 ₱2,008

$17.51 ฿581

83.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.6 ₱3,413

$53.5 ฿1,776

1.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.41 ₱901

$11.20 ฿371

28.66%

Cinema Ticket

$7.39 ₱462

$7.48 ฿248

-1.20%

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

$790 ₱49.4K

$557 ฿18.5K

41.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,405 ₱463.0K

$11.9K ฿393.2K

-37.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 ₱3,741

$64.1 ฿2,125

-6.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.65 ₱2,354

$29.07 ฿964

29.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 ₱5,137

$96.0 ฿3,183

-14.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 ₱6,468

$90.3 ฿2,997

14.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 ₱46.8K

$730 ฿24.2K

2.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 ₱26.9K

$500 ฿16.6K

-14.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,276 ₱142.3K

$2,090 ฿69.3K

8.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 ₱67.5K

$1,209 ฿40.1K

-10.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,003 ₱375.4K

$3,596 ฿119.3K

66.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,832 ₱239.6K

$2,512 ฿83.3K

52.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₱38.1K

$503 ฿16.7K

21.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

5.57

34.65%

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

Last update for Makati: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $748 in Makati and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Makati vs $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $231 vs $273, with Makati cheaper for home cooking.

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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Makati wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Makati the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 21% 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: $748 in Makati versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,228 per month in Makati versus $1,253 in Phuket – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Makati runs roughly 150% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,228 in Makati versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Makati but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Makati the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Makati delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,228 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Makati hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Phuket 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 Makati gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.