Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and San Jose del Monte Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and San Jose del Monte

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,188 in Makati versus $785 in San Jose del Monte.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Makati versus $1,244 in San Jose del Monte.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Makati versus $1,702 in San Jose del Monte.

Living in Makati is roughly 51% more expensive than in San Jose del Monte, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 11% lower, San Jose del Monte 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 ₱402

$4.56 ₱281

43.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.00 ₱2,770

$26.53 ₱1,633

69.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 ₱295

$3.53 ₱217

35.69%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ₱181

$2.71 ₱167

8.86%

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

$1.20 ₱73.8

$0.87 ₱53.5

37.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱35.43

$0.45 ₱27.73

28.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.42 ₱87.5

64.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 ₱219

$2.61 ₱161

36.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.98 ₱122

8.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.1

$1.35 ₱82.9

5.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.6

$1.01 ₱62.3

9.90%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$1.98 ₱122

17.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 ₱492

$9.09 ₱560

-12.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱279

$5.18 ₱319

-12.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱475

$8.72 ₱537

-11.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 ₱279

$0.68 ₱42.12

567.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ₱122

$1.81 ₱111

9.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ₱168

$0.54 ₱33.34

403.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱141

$1.45 ₱89.3

57.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱212

$2.19 ₱135

57.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 ₱173

$1.44 ₱88.4

94.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.0

$1.04 ₱63.8

9.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱60.7

$0.69 ₱42.28

43.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱184

$3.34 ₱206

-10.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 ₱493

$8.85 ₱545

-9.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱76.9

$1.33 ₱82.2

-6.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$2.19 ₱135

2.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.57

$0.26 ₱15.84

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱220

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.05

$0.81 ₱50.1

-6.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.13 ₱8.20

$0.22 ₱13.48

-40.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ₱212

$2.10 ₱129

64.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱71.0

$1.12 ₱68.9

2.68%

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

$34.1K ₱2.1M

$26.2K ₱1.6M

30.19%

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

$22.0K ₱1.4M

$17.4K ₱1.1M

26.29%

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

$170 ₱10.4K

$131 ₱8,093

29.07%

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

$27.66 ₱1,703

$21.61 ₱1,331

28.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.79 ₱2,203

$26.31 ₱1,620

36.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 ₱3,371

$33.40 ₱2,056

63.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.03 ₱741

$4.44 ₱273

170.95%

Cinema Ticket

$8.20 ₱505

$6.93 ₱427

18.33%

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

$324 ₱20.0K

$151 ₱9,321

114.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,680 ₱472.8K

$4,375 ₱269.4K

75.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ₱3,628

$46.13 ₱2,840

27.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 ₱2,209

$33.94 ₱2,089

5.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 ₱5,174

$67.6 ₱4,164

24.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 ₱7,609

$46.72 ₱2,876

164.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 ₱40.4K

$266 ₱16.4K

146.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$177 ₱10.9K

120.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,273 ₱139.9K

$584 ₱36.0K

289.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 ₱62.0K

$402 ₱24.7K

150.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,013 ₱370.2K

$2,456 ₱151.2K

144.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,732 ₱229.8K

$967 ₱59.5K

285.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ₱37.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

6.17

8.10%

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

Last update for Makati: July 12, 2026

Last update for San Jose del Monte: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Makati and $266 in San Jose del Monte. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Makati vs $27.00 in San Jose del Monte for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $199 per month, with San Jose del Monte 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 San Jose del Monte: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Jose del Monte wins on cost – living expenses run 51% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making San Jose del Monte the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,783 in Makati and $1,178 in San Jose del Monte 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: $657 in Makati versus $266 in San Jose del Monte. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,188 per month in Makati versus $785 in San Jose del Monte – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $785 in San Jose del Monte versus $1,188 in Makati, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Jose del Monte but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes San Jose del Monte the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but San Jose del Monte delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $785 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes San Jose del Monte hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and San Jose del Monte 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 San Jose del Monte gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.