Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Puerto Galera Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Puerto Galera

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Makati versus $886 in Puerto Galera.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,017 in Makati versus $1,360 in Puerto Galera.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,812 in Makati versus $1,833 in Puerto Galera.

Living in Makati is roughly 38% more expensive than Puerto Galera, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, Puerto Galera 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.85 ₱412

$4.85 ₱292

41.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.09 ₱2,655

$21.50 ₱1,295

105.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 ₱300

$3.09 ₱186

60.84%

Cappuccino

$2.96 ₱178

$2.86 ₱172

3.50%

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

$1.15 ₱69.1

$0.95 ₱57.0

21.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₱34.46

$0.38 ₱22.59

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ₱140

$1.20 ₱72.5

93.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₱213

$2.63 ₱158

34.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₱130

$2.10 ₱127

3.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ₱89.9

$1.20 ₱72.3

24.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ₱64.1

$1.07 ₱64.7

-0.93%

Eggs

$2.22 ₱134

$2.00 ₱120

11.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 ₱497

$7.18 ₱433

15.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.42 ₱266

$4.30 ₱259

2.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.54 ₱454

$7.39 ₱445

2.03%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 ₱275

$4.27 ₱257

6.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ₱115

$1.59 ₱95.9

19.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 ₱163

$2.89 ₱174

-6.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 ₱131

$1.64 ₱98.5

32.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.31 ₱199

$2.84 ₱171

16.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 ₱169

$4.03 ₱243

-30.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₱65.5

$1.59 ₱95.7

-31.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₱61.3

$1.06 ₱63.7

-3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱180

$3.25 ₱196

-8.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.52 ₱513

$7.59 ₱457

12.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱75.2

$1.56 ₱94.0

-19.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ₱138

$1.95 ₱117

17.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ₱32.85

$0.28 ₱16.88

96.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.57 ₱215

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱46.81

$0.83 ₱49.80

-6.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.06

$0.25 ₱15.00

-52.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ₱209

$2.09 ₱126

66.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱69.5

$1.10 ₱66.4

4.55%

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

$33.5K ₱2.0M

$26.1K ₱1.6M

28.67%

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

$21.7K ₱1.3M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

4.25%

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

$169 ₱10.2K

$166 ₱9,984

1.92%

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

$26.89 ₱1,619

$33.46 ₱2,015

-19.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.15 ₱2,177

$30.02 ₱1,808

20.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.4 ₱3,339

$33.41 ₱2,012

65.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.69 ₱704

$4.31 ₱260

171.23%

Cinema Ticket

$7.93 ₱477

$7.15 ₱431

10.91%

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

$324 ₱19.5K

$80.4 ₱4,842

302.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,613 ₱458.5K

$2,737 ₱164.8K

178.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 ₱3,565

$31.87 ₱1,919

85.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.26 ₱2,124

$29.63 ₱1,784

19.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 ₱5,188

$98.2 ₱5,915

-12.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,375

$94.0 ₱5,659

30.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$661 ₱39.8K

$270 ₱16.3K

145.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱23.9K

$177 ₱10.6K

124.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,254 ₱135.8K

$581 ₱35.0K

288.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 ₱61.6K

$401 ₱24.1K

155.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,076 ₱366.0K

$2,507 ₱151.0K

142.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,885 ₱234.0K

$1,116 ₱67.2K

248.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$706 ₱42.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

8.13

-17.96%

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

Last update for Makati: June 14, 2026

Last update for Puerto Galera: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $661 in Makati and $270 in Puerto Galera. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44.00 in Makati vs $21.00 in Puerto Galera for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $224 per month, with Puerto Galera 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 Puerto Galera: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Puerto Galera wins on cost – living expenses run 38% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Puerto Galera the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,834 in Makati and $1,329 in Puerto Galera to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $661 in Makati versus $270 in Puerto Galera. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,223 per month in Makati versus $886 in Puerto Galera – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $886 in Puerto Galera versus $1,223 in Makati, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Puerto Galera but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Puerto Galera the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Puerto Galera delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $886 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Puerto Galera hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Puerto Galera 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 Puerto Galera gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.