Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Quezon City Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Quezon City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Makati versus $906 in Quezon City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,009 in Makati versus $1,375 in Quezon City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,786 in Makati versus $1,844 in Quezon City.

Living in Makati is roughly 36% more expensive than Quezon City, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, Quezon City 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ₱419

$4.89 ₱302

39.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 ₱2,784

$21.49 ₱1,325

110.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ₱304

$3.12 ₱192

58.01%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱177

$2.85 ₱176

0.70%

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

$1.19 ₱73.5

$0.92 ₱56.8

29.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.76

$0.38 ₱23.27

47.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱151

$1.22 ₱75.3

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₱225

$2.71 ₱167

35.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$2.16 ₱133

-0.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.4

$1.20 ₱74.1

19.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.5

$1.08 ₱66.4

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.03 ₱125

15.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱503

$7.10 ₱438

14.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱273

$4.24 ₱261

4.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱471

$7.39 ₱456

3.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₱282

$4.36 ₱269

4.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.60 ₱98.6

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$2.98 ₱184

-9.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱139

$1.63 ₱101

38.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$2.89 ₱178

13.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$4.16 ₱256

-31.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.8

$1.57 ₱97.0

-31.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.3

$1.05 ₱64.5

-5.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱181

$3.13 ₱193

-6.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ₱511

$7.20 ₱444

15.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.1

$1.55 ₱95.4

-22.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$2.02 ₱125

15.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.71

$0.46 ₱28.17

10.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.0

$0.84 ₱51.6

-3.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.44

$0.25 ₱15.24

-52.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.16 ₱133

65.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.8

$1.09 ₱67.1

0.92%

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

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$25.3K ₱1.6M

35.72%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$20.2K ₱1.2M

6.24%

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

$172 ₱10.6K

$161 ₱9,945

6.66%

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

$26.94 ₱1,661

$33.64 ₱2,074

-19.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.49 ₱2,250

$30.00 ₱1,850

21.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₱3,452

$24.35 ₱1,501

129.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 ₱727

$6.34 ₱391

85.96%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₱487

$7.22 ₱445

9.42%

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

$321 ₱19.8K

$79.8 ₱4,920

301.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 ₱464.8K

$2,821 ₱173.9K

167.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,717

$31.80 ₱1,961

89.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₱2,197

$29.11 ₱1,795

22.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 ₱5,277

$98.7 ₱6,085

-13.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,516

$95.6 ₱5,894

27.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₱41.1K

$274 ₱16.9K

143.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$198 ₱12.2K

96.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 ₱139.4K

$737 ₱45.5K

206.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 ₱63.1K

$430 ₱26.5K

138.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,010 ₱370.6K

$2,363 ₱145.7K

154.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₱237.5K

$1,479 ₱91.2K

160.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.0K

$436 ₱26.9K

56.27%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Quezon City: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Makati and $274 in Quezon City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 56% 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 $21.00 in Quezon City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $224 per month, with Quezon City 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 Quezon City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quezon City wins on cost – living expenses run 36% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Quezon City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Makati pays 56% 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: $666 in Makati versus $274 in Quezon City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Makati versus $906 in Quezon City – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $906 in Quezon City versus $1,232 in Makati, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Quezon City but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Quezon City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Quezon City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $906 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Quezon City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Quezon City 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 Quezon City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.