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: $1,204 in Makati versus $875 in Puerto Galera.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,023 in Makati versus $1,344 in Puerto Galera.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,841 in Makati versus $1,813 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 10% lower, Puerto Galera 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 ₱412

$4.87 ₱300

37.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.22 ₱2,728

$21.06 ₱1,299

109.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 ₱301

$3.01 ₱186

62.13%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ₱181

$2.92 ₱180

0.34%

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

$1.19 ₱73.7

$0.95 ₱58.3

25.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.78

$0.38 ₱23.20

47.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ₱150

$1.27 ₱78.3

90.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 ₱223

$2.64 ₱163

37.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 ₱136

$2.10 ₱130

4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ₱92.0

$1.21 ₱74.3

23.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱65.7

$1.07 ₱66.0

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.02 ₱125

15.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 ₱505

$7.17 ₱443

14.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.42 ₱273

$4.29 ₱265

3.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱475

$7.12 ₱439

8.29%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 ₱269

$4.28 ₱264

1.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱123

$1.53 ₱94.1

30.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 ₱159

$3.01 ₱186

-14.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₱138

$1.64 ₱101

35.98%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱213

$2.75 ₱170

25.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱176

$4.03 ₱249

-29.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.0

$1.61 ₱99.5

-29.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₱62.7

$1.01 ₱62.4

0.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ₱175

$3.16 ₱195

-10.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 ₱501

$7.52 ₱464

7.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱77.1

$1.54 ₱95.2

-18.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱143

$1.98 ₱122

17.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ₱33.40

$0.26 ₱15.83

107.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.64 ₱225

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱48.35

$0.82 ₱50.4

-4.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.11 ₱6.49

$0.25 ₱15.40

-56.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 ₱225

$2.09 ₱129

74.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.9

$1.11 ₱68.3

-0.90%

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

$33.4K ₱2.1M

$26.0K ₱1.6M

28.47%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

3.42%

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

$171 ₱10.5K

$164 ₱10.1K

4.26%

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

$26.96 ₱1,663

$33.29 ₱2,053

-19.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.97 ₱2,219

$30.18 ₱1,861

19.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.6 ₱3,430

$33.45 ₱2,063

66.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.87 ₱732

$4.50 ₱278

163.78%

Cinema Ticket

$8.19 ₱505

$7.22 ₱446

13.43%

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

$322 ₱19.9K

$82.5 ₱5,088

290.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,811 ₱481.8K

$2,769 ₱170.8K

182.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 ₱3,628

$31.81 ₱1,962

84.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.76 ₱2,206

$29.37 ₱1,812

21.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 ₱5,174

$97.0 ₱5,986

-13.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 ₱7,612

$95.2 ₱5,869

29.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$667 ₱41.2K

$267 ₱16.4K

150.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 ₱24.8K

$178 ₱11.0K

126.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,307 ₱142.3K

$586 ₱36.2K

293.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,015 ₱62.6K

$397 ₱24.5K

156.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,283 ₱387.5K

$2,623 ₱161.8K

139.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,903 ₱240.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$712 ₱43.9K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Puerto Galera: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $667 in Makati and $267 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 $236 vs $222 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 $1,807 in Makati and $1,312 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: $667 in Makati versus $267 in Puerto Galera. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,204 per month in Makati versus $875 in Puerto Galera – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $875 in Puerto Galera versus $1,204 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 $875 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.