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: $1,228 in Makati versus $873 in Quezon City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,025 in Makati versus $1,383 in Quezon City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,822 in Makati versus $1,893 in Quezon City.

Living in Makati is roughly 41% more expensive than in Quezon City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 11% lower, Quezon City 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.57 ₱411

$4.42 ₱277

48.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.99 ₱2,501

$19.35 ₱1,210

106.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 ₱287

$2.83 ₱177

62.19%

Cappuccino

$2.76 ₱173

$2.68 ₱168

2.99%

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

$1.07 ₱67.2

$0.75 ₱46.63

42.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱28.17

$0.27 ₱16.75

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ₱151

$1.47 ₱92.1

64.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₱203

$2.73 ₱171

19.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ₱115

$1.74 ₱109

5.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 ₱80.6

$1.13 ₱70.8

14.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱64.3

$0.85 ₱53.0

21.18%

Eggs

$2.38 ₱149

$1.78 ₱111

33.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.31 ₱457

$6.79 ₱424

7.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.84 ₱303

$4.13 ₱259

17.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.19 ₱449

$6.92 ₱433

3.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 ₱249

$3.87 ₱242

2.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 ₱127

$1.40 ₱87.3

45.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 ₱204

$3.62 ₱226

-9.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 ₱144

$1.19 ₱74.5

94.12%

Potato (1kg)

$3.47 ₱217

$2.29 ₱143

51.53%

Onion (1kg)

$3.47 ₱217

$3.49 ₱218

-0.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₱70.0

$1.39 ₱87.2

-19.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₱69.4

$0.93 ₱57.9

19.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.70 ₱169

$2.78 ₱174

-2.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.86 ₱491

$7.81 ₱488

0.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ₱87.4

$1.33 ₱83.2

5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₱130

$1.79 ₱112

16.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ₱56.1

$0.39 ₱24.62

130.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.3 ₱3,581

$19.47 ₱1,217

194.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 ₱38.09

$0.78 ₱48.83

-21.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.10

$0.23 ₱14.41

-8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₱117

$2.63 ₱164

-28.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₱78.3

$1.19 ₱74.7

5.04%

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

$21.3K ₱1.3M

$21.9K ₱1.4M

-2.78%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$19.0K ₱1.2M

3.57%

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

$154 ₱9,611

$165 ₱10.3K

-6.59%

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

$15.78 ₱987

$14.61 ₱914

8.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.11 ₱2,008

$25.24 ₱1,578

27.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.6 ₱3,413

$38.85 ₱2,429

40.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.41 ₱901

$3.35 ₱209

330.15%

Cinema Ticket

$7.39 ₱462

$7.18 ₱449

2.92%

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

$790 ₱49.4K

$73.2 ₱4,579

978.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,405 ₱463.0K

$2,493 ₱155.9K

197.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 ₱3,741

$36.64 ₱2,291

63.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.65 ₱2,354

$22.54 ₱1,410

67.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 ₱5,137

$79.0 ₱4,937

4.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 ₱6,468

$74.6 ₱4,665

38.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 ₱46.8K

$314 ₱19.7K

138.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 ₱26.9K

$192 ₱12.0K

124.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,276 ₱142.3K

$747 ₱46.7K

204.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 ₱67.5K

$527 ₱32.9K

104.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,003 ₱375.4K

$2,319 ₱145.0K

158.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,832 ₱239.6K

$1,463 ₱91.5K

161.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₱38.1K

$442 ₱27.6K

38.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

7.14%

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

Last update for Makati: August 31, 2026

Last update for Quezon City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $748 in Makati and $314 in Quezon City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 38% 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: $40.00 in Makati vs $19.00 in Quezon City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $206 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 41% 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.

Average pay runs 38% higher in Makati, 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: $748 in Makati versus $314 in Quezon City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,228 per month in Makati versus $873 in Quezon City – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Quezon City runs roughly 194% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $873 in Quezon City versus $1,228 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 $873 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 41% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.