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: $1,186 in Makati versus $822 in Puerto Princesa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,004 in Makati versus $1,177 in Puerto Princesa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,822 in Makati versus $1,531 in Puerto Princesa.

Living in Makati is roughly 44% more expensive than Puerto Princesa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 12% lower, Puerto Princesa 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 ₱415

$3.92 ₱238

74.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.54 ₱2,705

$26.79 ₱1,627

66.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 ₱296

$4.26 ₱258

14.55%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱174

$2.42 ₱147

18.60%

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

$1.16 ₱70.4

$0.63 ₱38.28

84.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱32.32

$0.41 ₱24.92

29.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱148

$1.28 ₱77.5

90.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₱211

$1.78 ₱108

95.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 ₱129

$1.51 ₱91.7

40.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ₱91.4

$1.12 ₱68.2

34.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ₱67.7

$0.81 ₱49.44

38.27%

Eggs

$2.25 ₱137

$1.80 ₱109

25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.04 ₱488

$8.91 ₱541

-9.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.42 ₱269

$5.13 ₱311

-13.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 ₱474

$6.33 ₱384

23.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.51 ₱274

$3.51 ₱213

28.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ₱116

$0.96 ₱58.0

98.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ₱165

$3.47 ₱210

-21.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 ₱133

$0.93 ₱56.2

135.48%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 ₱198

$1.80 ₱110

81.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 ₱178

$1.37 ₱82.9

113.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₱66.6

$1.08 ₱65.6

1.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱60.1

$0.72 ₱43.92

37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 ₱173

$2.98 ₱181

-4.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.27 ₱502

$7.50 ₱456

10.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 ₱71.9

$1.08 ₱65.6

9.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₱141

$1.75 ₱106

33.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱30.91

$0.28 ₱17.01

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.49 ₱212

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱46.80

$1.80 ₱109

-57.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.13 ₱7.76

$0.24 ₱14.65

-45.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 ₱221

$2.10 ₱127

73.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱69.7

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

$33.6K ₱2.0M

$14.3K ₱867.7K

135.02%

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

$22.1K ₱1.3M

$20.1K ₱1.2M

9.72%

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

$168 ₱10.2K

$118 ₱7,148

43.04%

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

$27.62 ₱1,677

$13.79 ₱837

100.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.63 ₱2,224

$33.70 ₱2,046

8.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 ₱3,428

$26.90 ₱1,633

109.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.69 ₱710

$4.56 ₱277

156.36%

Cinema Ticket

$7.76 ₱471

$5.42 ₱329

43.17%

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

$320 ₱19.4K

$62.3 ₱3,783

413.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,666 ₱465.5K

$4,257 ₱258.5K

80.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 ₱3,554

$45.27 ₱2,749

29.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.71 ₱2,169

$26.49 ₱1,609

34.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 ₱5,231

$76.8 ₱4,665

12.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 ₱7,609

$53.0 ₱3,217

136.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$660 ₱40.1K

$294 ₱17.8K

124.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ₱23.9K

$226 ₱13.7K

74.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,263 ₱137.4K

$439 ₱26.7K

415.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,009 ₱61.2K

$310 ₱18.8K

225.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,121 ₱371.7K

$2,408 ₱146.2K

154.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,737 ₱226.9K

$988 ₱60.0K

278.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$693 ₱42.1K

$225 ₱13.6K

208.47%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Puerto Princesa: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $660 in Makati and $294 in Puerto Princesa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 208% 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: $45.00 in Makati vs $27.00 in Puerto Princesa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $195 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 44% 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 208% 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: $660 in Makati versus $294 in Puerto Princesa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,186 per month in Makati versus $822 in Puerto Princesa – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $822 in Puerto Princesa versus $1,186 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 44% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.