Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Puerto Galera

For one person, living is cheaper in Puerto Galera: $1,021 a month against $1,174 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

56

Cost of Living Index in Makati
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Makati Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Puerto Galera
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Puerto Galera Living Index

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Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,174

/mo nomad

Puerto Galera

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,021

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Makati and in Puerto Galera

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Makati and in Puerto Galera actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,174 in Makati versus $1,021 in Puerto Galera.

Makati $1,174
Puerto Galera $1,021

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,962 in Makati versus $1,448 in Puerto Galera.

Makati $1,962
Puerto Galera $1,448

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,750 in Makati versus $1,874 in Puerto Galera.

Makati $2,750
Puerto Galera $1,874

Living in Makati is roughly 15% more expensive than in Puerto Galera, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 13% lower, Puerto Galera 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 ₱298

$4.78 ₱301

-1.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.37 ₱1,660

$18.51 ₱1,165

42.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.01 ₱253

$2.60 ₱164

54.23%

Cappuccino

$2.46 ₱155

$2.70 ₱170

-8.89%

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

$1.05 ₱66.2

$0.90 ₱56.8

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₱37.18

$0.29 ₱18.36

103.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ₱73.1

$1.85 ₱116

-37.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 ₱152

$2.33 ₱147

3.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ₱117

$1.72 ₱108

8.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 ₱70.7

$1.14 ₱71.8

-1.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ₱62.0

$0.91 ₱57.0

8.79%

Eggs

$2.20 ₱138

$1.88 ₱118

17.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.51 ₱473

$4.65 ₱293

61.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.63 ₱291

$4.72 ₱297

-1.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.01 ₱442

$10.10 ₱636

-30.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ₱203

$2.15 ₱135

50.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ₱120

$1.98 ₱124

-4.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 ₱174

$2.26 ₱142

22.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 ₱55.6

$0.92 ₱57.9

-4.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ₱83.7

$0.99 ₱62.1

34.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ₱86.8

$1.95 ₱123

-29.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 ₱118

$1.05 ₱66.1

78.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱36.67

$0.57 ₱35.68

1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 ₱191

$3.07 ₱193

-1.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.67 ₱609

$7.31 ₱460

32.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱78.9

$0.46 ₱28.70

171.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ₱127

$1.23 ₱77.4

63.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 ₱48.04

$0.24 ₱14.94

216.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.7 ₱3,632

$11.39 ₱717

406.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱47.34

$1.06 ₱66.8

-29.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 ₱12.59

$0.22 ₱13.86

-9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 ₱123

$1.86 ₱117

5.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₱79.0

$1.30 ₱81.9

-3.85%

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

$20.9K ₱1.3M

$21.3K ₱1.3M

-1.86%

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

$18.9K ₱1.2M

$19.1K ₱1.2M

-0.57%

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

$111 ₱6,979

$265 ₱16.7K

-58.15%

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

$16.82 ₱1,059

$15.17 ₱955

10.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.00 ₱1,511

$24.23 ₱1,526

-0.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 ₱3,564

$32.75 ₱2,062

72.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.14 ₱890

Cinema Ticket

$6.31 ₱397

$7.77 ₱490

-18.79%

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

$619 ₱39.0K

$289 ₱18.2K

114.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,231 ₱329.4K

$8,181 ₱515.1K

-36.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ₱3,489

$39.70 ₱2,500

39.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.32 ₱1,972

$17.09 ₱1,076

83.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.0 ₱4,408

$81.6 ₱5,135

-14.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.8 ₱3,642

$78.7 ₱4,956

-26.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$820 ₱51.6K

$415 ₱26.1K

97.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 ₱31.1K

$278 ₱17.5K

77.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,487 ₱156.6K

$796 ₱50.1K

212.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 ₱81.5K

$494 ₱31.1K

162.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,608 ₱353.1K

$4,493 ₱282.9K

24.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,558 ₱224.0K

$2,470 ₱155.5K

44.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ₱33.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Makati: November 2, 2026

Last update for Puerto Galera: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Makati

$495 42.1%

Puerto Galera

$278 27.3% 43.7% $216

Groceries & Markets

Makati

$203 17.3%

Puerto Galera

$181 17.7% 10.9% $22

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Makati

$152 12.9%

Puerto Galera

$304 29.8% 101% $153

Eating Out

Makati

$97 8.2%

Puerto Galera

$97 9.5% 0.7% $0.6

Clothing & Footwear

Makati

$97 8.2%

Puerto Galera

$98 9.6% 1.1% $1.1

Sport & Entertainment

Makati

$69 5.9%

Puerto Galera

$48 4.7% 30.2% $21

Getting Around

Makati

$62 5.3%

Puerto Galera

$15 1.4% 76.8% $48

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $820 in Makati and $415 in Puerto Galera. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $26 in Makati vs $19 in Puerto Galera for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $181 per month, with Puerto Galera cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Makati

🇵🇭 Puerto Galera

🕒 Local time

11:24 11:24 AM

Same time as Makati

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

582,602

36,606

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Makati Puerto Galera 120 km

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 13% 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 $1,761 in Makati and $1,532 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: $820 in Makati versus $415 in Puerto Galera. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,174 per month in Makati versus $1,021 in Puerto Galera – Puerto Galera is about 13% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Puerto Galera runs roughly 80% less than in Makati. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Either city works on $1,500 a month, though Puerto Galera gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Makati and Puerto Galera are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Puerto Galera gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.