Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Polomolok Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Polomolok

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Makati versus $656 in Polomolok.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,009 in Makati versus $1,043 in Polomolok.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,786 in Makati versus $1,431 in Polomolok.

Living in Makati is roughly 88% more expensive than Polomolok, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, Polomolok 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ₱419

$1.78 ₱110

282.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 ₱2,784

$13.54 ₱835

233.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ₱304

$2.26 ₱140

118.14%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱177

$2.05 ₱127

40.00%

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

$1.19 ₱73.5

$0.46 ₱28.30

158.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.76

$0.49 ₱30.10

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱151

$1.13 ₱69.4

115.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₱225

$1.62 ₱100.0

125.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.74 ₱107

22.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.4

$0.98 ₱60.6

45.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.5

$0.74 ₱45.67

45.95%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.06 ₱127

13.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱503

$5.89 ₱363

38.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱273

$3.00 ₱185

47.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱471

$6.06 ₱374

26.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₱282

$2.90 ₱179

57.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$0.60 ₱36.95

220.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$2.29 ₱141

17.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱139

$0.86 ₱53.3

161.63%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$1.36 ₱83.9

141.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$3.17 ₱195

-9.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.8

$0.92 ₱56.9

17.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.3

$0.60 ₱36.89

65.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱181

$2.60 ₱160

13.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ₱511

$7.42 ₱458

11.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.1

$1.05 ₱65.0

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.55 ₱95.5

50.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.71

$0.26 ₱16.01

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

$14.20 ₱876

-74.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.0

$0.90 ₱55.5

-10.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.44

$0.25 ₱15.48

-52.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.14 ₱132

67.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.8

$1.02 ₱63.1

7.84%

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

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$17.4K ₱1.1M

96.53%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$19.1K ₱1.2M

12.37%

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

$172 ₱10.6K

$57.9 ₱3,571

197.05%

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

$26.94 ₱1,661

$12.51 ₱772

115.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.49 ₱2,250

$29.48 ₱1,818

23.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₱3,452

$33.43 ₱2,061

67.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 ₱727

$4.52 ₱279

160.84%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₱487

$4.39 ₱271

79.95%

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

$321 ₱19.8K

$117 ₱7,214

173.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 ₱464.8K

$1,479 ₱91.2K

409.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,717

$46.28 ₱2,854

30.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₱2,197

$27.00 ₱1,665

31.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 ₱5,277

$70.5 ₱4,350

21.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,516

$69.7 ₱4,298

74.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₱41.1K

$268 ₱16.5K

148.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$176 ₱10.9K

121.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 ₱139.4K

$593 ₱36.6K

281.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 ₱63.1K

$390 ₱24.0K

162.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,010 ₱370.6K

$2,419 ₱149.1K

148.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₱237.5K

$971 ₱59.9K

296.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.0K

$241 ₱14.9K

182.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

11.17%

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

Last update for Makati: May 30, 2026

Last update for Polomolok: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Makati and $268 in Polomolok. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 183% 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: $45.00 in Makati vs $14.00 in Polomolok for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $165 per month, with Polomolok 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 Polomolok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Polomolok wins on cost – living expenses run 88% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Polomolok the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Makati pays 183% 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: $666 in Makati versus $268 in Polomolok. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Makati versus $656 in Polomolok – a 88% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Polomolok runs roughly 297% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $656 in Polomolok versus $1,232 in Makati, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Polomolok but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Polomolok the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Polomolok delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $656 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Polomolok hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Polomolok 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 Polomolok gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.