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: $1,232 in Makati versus $775 in San Jose del Monte.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,009 in Makati versus $1,217 in San Jose del Monte.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,786 in Makati versus $1,659 in San Jose del Monte.

Living in Makati is roughly 59% more expensive than San Jose del Monte, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, San Jose del Monte 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ₱419

$4.47 ₱275

52.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 ₱2,784

$26.36 ₱1,625

71.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ₱304

$3.62 ₱223

36.19%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱177

$2.66 ₱164

7.89%

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

$1.19 ₱73.5

$0.87 ₱53.5

36.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.76

$0.49 ₱30.20

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱151

$1.49 ₱92.0

63.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₱225

$2.64 ₱163

38.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.95 ₱121

9.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.4

$1.34 ₱82.5

6.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.5

$0.95 ₱58.5

13.68%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.07 ₱128

13.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱503

$9.29 ₱573

-12.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱273

$5.23 ₱322

-15.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱471

$8.64 ₱533

-11.57%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₱282

$0.72 ₱44.61

534.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.74 ₱107

10.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$0.51 ₱31.45

429.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱139

$1.45 ₱89.6

55.17%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$2.18 ₱134

50.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$1.39 ₱85.6

105.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.8

$1.08 ₱66.6

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.3

$0.65 ₱40.34

52.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱181

$3.30 ₱203

-10.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ₱511

$8.74 ₱539

-5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.1

$1.39 ₱85.6

-13.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$2.22 ₱137

5.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.71

$0.26 ₱15.84

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.0

$0.79 ₱48.56

2.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.44

$0.22 ₱13.50

-45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.14 ₱132

67.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.8

$1.17 ₱72.2

-5.98%

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

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$26.2K ₱1.6M

30.61%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$18.0K ₱1.1M

19.63%

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

$172 ₱10.6K

$129 ₱7,956

33.33%

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

$26.94 ₱1,661

$21.51 ₱1,327

25.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.49 ₱2,250

$26.89 ₱1,658

35.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₱3,452

$34.14 ₱2,105

64.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 ₱727

$4.40 ₱271

167.95%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₱487

$6.77 ₱417

16.69%

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

$321 ₱19.8K

$153 ₱9,411

110.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 ₱464.8K

$4,255 ₱262.4K

77.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,717

$46.67 ₱2,878

29.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₱2,197

$33.89 ₱2,090

5.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 ₱5,277

$69.5 ₱4,288

23.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,516

$46.41 ₱2,862

162.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₱41.1K

$266 ₱16.4K

149.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$175 ₱10.8K

123.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 ₱139.4K

$577 ₱35.6K

291.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 ₱63.1K

$398 ₱24.6K

157.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,010 ₱370.6K

$2,384 ₱147.0K

152.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₱237.5K

$1,056 ₱65.1K

264.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.0K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for San Jose del Monte: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 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 $26.00 in San Jose del Monte for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 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 59% 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 $1,849 in Makati and $1,162 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: $666 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 $1,232 per month in Makati versus $775 in San Jose del Monte – a 59% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $775 in San Jose del Monte versus $1,232 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 $775 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 59% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.