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: $1,237 in Makati versus $705 in San Jose del Monte.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,035 in Makati versus $1,083 in San Jose del Monte.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Makati versus $1,461 in San Jose del Monte.

Living in Makati is roughly 75% more expensive than in San Jose del Monte, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 10% lower, San Jose del Monte 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.43 ₱403

$3.89 ₱244

65.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.02 ₱2,509

$16.51 ₱1,035

142.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 ₱287

$2.76 ₱173

65.94%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₱163

$1.87 ₱117

39.04%

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

$1.13 ₱70.6

$0.59 ₱37.09

91.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₱30.10

$0.34 ₱21.38

41.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ₱151

$1.02 ₱64.1

136.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₱204

$1.64 ₱103

98.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₱121

$1.63 ₱102

19.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 ₱76.9

$1.11 ₱69.5

10.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱66.9

$1.02 ₱63.7

4.90%

Eggs

$2.47 ₱155

$2.00 ₱125

23.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.28 ₱457

$5.25 ₱329

38.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 ₱304

$3.50 ₱220

38.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.91 ₱433

$6.81 ₱427

1.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 ₱250

$2.26 ₱141

76.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱125

$1.55 ₱97.1

29.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 ₱202

$2.36 ₱148

36.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 ₱148

$1.05 ₱65.6

125.71%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱216

$1.70 ₱107

102.94%

Onion (1kg)

$3.42 ₱215

$1.81 ₱113

88.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ₱69.6

$0.63 ₱39.49

76.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱72.7

$0.53 ₱33.03

118.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 ₱161

$2.91 ₱183

-11.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 ₱506

$8.79 ₱551

-8.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₱84.4

$0.97 ₱60.7

39.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₱129

$2.11 ₱132

-2.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₱61.6

$0.27 ₱17.10

262.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.9 ₱3,628

$11.34 ₱711

410.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 ₱38.53

$0.83 ₱51.9

-26.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.43

$0.23 ₱14.46

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ₱116

$1.96 ₱123

-5.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₱74.0

$1.16 ₱73.0

1.72%

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

$21.7K ₱1.4M

$21.1K ₱1.3M

2.58%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$19.2K ₱1.2M

0.95%

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

$154 ₱9,681

$126 ₱7,888

22.74%

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

$16.28 ₱1,021

$15.27 ₱957

6.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.31 ₱1,963

$23.90 ₱1,498

31.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.0 ₱3,383

$31.49 ₱1,974

71.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.31 ₱897

$4.73 ₱296

202.54%

Cinema Ticket

$7.10 ₱445

$5.15 ₱323

37.86%

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

$783 ₱49.1K

$134 ₱8,380

485.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,374 ₱462.3K

$9,002 ₱564.3K

-18.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,780

$29.14 ₱1,826

106.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.61 ₱2,358

$19.99 ₱1,253

88.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 ₱5,151

$72.7 ₱4,557

13.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ₱6,550

$55.7 ₱3,492

87.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$755 ₱47.3K

$270 ₱16.9K

179.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱26.9K

$171 ₱10.7K

150.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,337 ₱146.5K

$499 ₱31.3K

368.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 ₱67.2K

$348 ₱21.8K

207.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,941 ₱372.4K

$2,557 ₱160.3K

132.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,816 ₱239.2K

$1,023 ₱64.1K

273.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$606 ₱38.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

6.75

11.11%

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

Last update for Makati: September 6, 2026

Last update for San Jose del Monte: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $755 in Makati and $270 in San Jose del Monte. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Makati vs $17.00 in San Jose del Monte for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $173 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 75% 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 $1,855 in Makati and $1,057 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: $755 in Makati versus $270 in San Jose del Monte. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,237 per month in Makati versus $705 in San Jose del Monte – a 75% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in San Jose del Monte runs roughly 410% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $705 in San Jose del Monte versus $1,237 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 $705 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 75% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.