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: $1,226 in Makati versus $811 in Puerto Galera.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,005 in Makati versus $1,220 in Puerto Galera.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,783 in Makati versus $1,629 in Puerto Galera.

Living in Makati is roughly 51% more expensive than in Puerto Galera, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 10% lower, Puerto Galera 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 ₱407

$4.30 ₱270

50.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.29 ₱2,531

$19.13 ₱1,202

110.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₱295

$2.73 ₱171

72.16%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₱166

$2.19 ₱137

21.00%

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

$1.11 ₱69.8

$0.70 ₱44.09

58.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱28.47

$0.29 ₱18.36

55.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ₱148

$1.42 ₱89.0

65.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ₱201

$2.71 ₱170

18.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱120

$1.71 ₱108

11.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ₱80.7

$1.12 ₱70.6

14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ₱65.8

$0.84 ₱52.7

25.00%

Eggs

$2.48 ₱156

$1.72 ₱108

44.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.98 ₱439

$6.64 ₱417

5.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 ₱305

$4.07 ₱256

19.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.77 ₱425

$7.20 ₱453

-5.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 ₱259

$3.91 ₱245

5.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱126

$1.41 ₱88.7

41.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 ₱201

$3.48 ₱219

-8.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱143

$1.18 ₱73.9

93.22%

Potato (1kg)

$3.52 ₱221

$2.34 ₱147

50.43%

Onion (1kg)

$3.59 ₱225

$3.40 ₱214

5.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₱69.4

$1.39 ₱87.2

-20.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₱71.8

$0.92 ₱57.7

23.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 ₱161

$2.74 ₱172

-6.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 ₱502

$7.34 ₱461

8.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₱82.9

$1.33 ₱83.3

-0.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₱127

$1.75 ₱110

16.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₱61.6

$0.23 ₱14.34

326.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 ₱3,619

$9.53 ₱599

504.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₱42.21

$0.81 ₱50.8

-17.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.17

$0.23 ₱14.48

-8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₱118

$2.52 ₱159

-25.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱78.1

$1.13 ₱71.2

9.73%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$21.0K ₱1.3M

0.61%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$18.7K ₱1.2M

4.98%

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

$152 ₱9,557

$162 ₱10.2K

-5.91%

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

$16.13 ₱1,014

$14.44 ₱907

11.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.63 ₱1,987

$24.87 ₱1,563

27.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 ₱3,422

$31.82 ₱1,999

71.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.45 ₱908

$5.31 ₱334

172.13%

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 ₱437

$7.23 ₱454

-3.87%

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

$803 ₱50.4K

$74.2 ₱4,660

982.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,454 ₱468.3K

$2,518 ₱158.2K

196.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 ₱3,761

$36.45 ₱2,290

64.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.50 ₱2,356

$22.52 ₱1,415

66.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 ₱5,139

$77.6 ₱4,877

5.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ₱6,555

$76.0 ₱4,777

37.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 ₱47.3K

$266 ₱16.7K

183.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱27.0K

$173 ₱10.9K

147.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,279 ₱143.2K

$500 ₱31.4K

355.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 ₱66.2K

$352 ₱22.1K

199.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,865 ₱368.5K

$2,228 ₱140.0K

163.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,745 ₱235.3K

$1,036 ₱65.1K

261.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₱38.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

7.14%

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

Last update for Makati: September 14, 2026

Last update for Puerto Galera: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $752 in Makati and $266 in Puerto Galera. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Makati vs $19.00 in Puerto Galera for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $204 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 51% 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 $1,840 in Makati and $1,216 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: $752 in Makati versus $266 in Puerto Galera. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,226 per month in Makati versus $811 in Puerto Galera – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Puerto Galera runs roughly 505% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $811 in Puerto Galera versus $1,226 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 $811 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 51% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.