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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,204 in Makati versus $822 in Puerto Princesa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,023 in Makati versus $1,201 in Puerto Princesa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,841 in Makati versus $1,580 in Puerto Princesa.

Living in Makati is roughly 47% more expensive than Puerto Princesa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 10% lower, Puerto Princesa 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 ₱412

$4.09 ₱252

63.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.22 ₱2,728

$26.83 ₱1,655

64.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 ₱301

$4.21 ₱260

15.91%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ₱181

$2.43 ₱150

20.58%

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

$1.19 ₱73.7

$0.69 ₱42.45

72.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.78

$0.41 ₱25.42

36.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ₱150

$1.25 ₱77.1

93.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 ₱223

$1.76 ₱109

105.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 ₱136

$1.53 ₱94.5

43.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ₱92.0

$1.14 ₱70.1

30.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱65.7

$0.86 ₱53.3

24.42%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$1.90 ₱117

23.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 ₱505

$8.95 ₱552

-8.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.42 ₱273

$5.08 ₱314

-12.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱475

$6.31 ₱389

22.19%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 ₱269

$3.63 ₱224

20.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱123

$1.01 ₱62.4

98.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 ₱159

$3.63 ₱224

-29.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₱138

$0.90 ₱55.7

147.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱213

$1.72 ₱106

100.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱176

$1.32 ₱81.1

116.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.0

$2.72 ₱168

-58.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₱62.7

$0.74 ₱45.56

37.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ₱175

$2.93 ₱181

-3.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 ₱501

$7.19 ₱443

12.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱77.1

$1.12 ₱69.0

11.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱143

$1.81 ₱111

28.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ₱33.40

$0.26 ₱15.93

107.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.64 ₱225

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱48.35

$1.75 ₱108

-55.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.11 ₱6.49

$0.24 ₱14.82

-54.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 ₱225

$2.09 ₱129

74.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.9

$1.16 ₱71.6

-5.17%

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

$33.4K ₱2.1M

$14.0K ₱865.2K

137.95%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$20.6K ₱1.3M

4.25%

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

$171 ₱10.5K

$119 ₱7,324

43.72%

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

$26.96 ₱1,663

$13.53 ₱835

99.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.97 ₱2,219

$34.32 ₱2,117

4.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.6 ₱3,430

$26.60 ₱1,641

109.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.87 ₱732

$4.40 ₱271

169.77%

Cinema Ticket

$8.19 ₱505

$5.30 ₱327

54.53%

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

$322 ₱19.9K

$62.8 ₱3,875

412.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,811 ₱481.8K

$4,240 ₱261.5K

84.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 ₱3,628

$45.10 ₱2,782

30.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.76 ₱2,206

$26.45 ₱1,631

35.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 ₱5,174

$75.7 ₱4,669

10.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 ₱7,612

$53.4 ₱3,296

130.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$667 ₱41.2K

$291 ₱18.0K

129.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 ₱24.8K

$225 ₱13.9K

79.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,307 ₱142.3K

$449 ₱27.7K

413.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,015 ₱62.6K

$311 ₱19.2K

226.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,283 ₱387.5K

$2,338 ₱144.2K

168.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,903 ₱240.8K

$1,142 ₱70.5K

241.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$712 ₱43.9K

$232 ₱14.3K

206.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

8.25

-19.15%

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

Last update for Makati: April 25, 2026

Last update for Puerto Princesa: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $667 in Makati and $291 in Puerto Princesa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 207% 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: $44.00 in Makati vs $27.00 in Puerto Princesa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $203 per month, with Puerto Princesa 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 Princesa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Puerto Princesa wins on cost – living expenses run 47% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Puerto Princesa the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Makati pays 207% 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: $667 in Makati versus $291 in Puerto Princesa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% 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 $822 in Puerto Princesa – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $822 in Puerto Princesa versus $1,204 in Makati, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Puerto Princesa but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Puerto Princesa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Puerto Princesa delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $822 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Puerto Princesa hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Puerto Princesa 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 Princesa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.