Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and San Juan Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and San Juan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,188 in Makati versus $798 in San Juan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Makati versus $1,288 in San Juan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Makati versus $1,777 in San Juan.

Living in Makati is roughly 49% more expensive than in San Juan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 11% lower, San Juan 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 ₱403

$2.76 ₱170

136.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.00 ₱2,775

$8.65 ₱533

420.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 ₱295

$3.49 ₱215

37.25%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ₱182

$2.91 ₱180

1.37%

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

$1.20 ₱73.9

$0.78 ₱47.94

53.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱35.49

$0.45 ₱27.49

28.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.44 ₱88.8

62.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 ₱220

$2.05 ₱127

73.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.82 ₱112

17.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.3

$1.57 ₱96.6

-8.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.7

$0.98 ₱60.7

13.27%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$2.05 ₱126

13.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 ₱493

$7.94 ₱490

0.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱279

$5.05 ₱312

-10.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱475

$10.82 ₱667

-28.74%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 ₱280

$2.37 ₱146

91.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ₱122

$1.51 ₱93.0

31.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ₱168

$3.09 ₱191

-11.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱141

$1.15 ₱70.7

98.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱212

$1.68 ₱103

105.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 ₱173

$3.57 ₱220

-21.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.1

$1.11 ₱68.3

2.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱60.8

$0.87 ₱53.9

13.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱185

$2.88 ₱178

3.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 ₱494

$7.65 ₱472

4.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱77.0

$0.70 ₱43.01

78.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$1.63 ₱101

37.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.62

$0.17 ₱10.70

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.13

$0.72 ₱44.60

5.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.13 ₱8.21

$0.22 ₱13.56

-40.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ₱212

$2.16 ₱133

59.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱71.1

$1.15 ₱71.0

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

$34.1K ₱2.1M

$28.2K ₱1.7M

20.70%

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

$22.0K ₱1.4M

$17.7K ₱1.1M

24.44%

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

$170 ₱10.5K

$129 ₱7,974

31.22%

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

$27.66 ₱1,706

$33.17 ₱2,046

-16.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.79 ₱2,207

$26.36 ₱1,626

35.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 ₱3,376

$70.7 ₱4,358

-22.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.03 ₱742

$4.40 ₱271

173.41%

Cinema Ticket

$8.20 ₱506

$3.91 ₱241

109.72%

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

$324 ₱20.0K

$145 ₱8,954

123.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,680 ₱473.6K

$4,310 ₱265.8K

78.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ₱3,634

$45.56 ₱2,810

29.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 ₱2,213

$34.35 ₱2,119

4.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 ₱5,183

$68.1 ₱4,197

23.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 ₱7,622

$116 ₱7,171

6.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 ₱40.5K

$265 ₱16.3K

147.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.1K

$107 ₱6,616

263.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,273 ₱140.2K

$1,297 ₱80.0K

75.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 ₱62.2K

$398 ₱24.5K

153.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,013 ₱370.8K

$2,653 ₱163.6K

126.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,732 ₱230.2K

$917 ₱56.6K

306.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ₱37.3K

$240 ₱14.8K

151.99%

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 Juan: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Makati and $265 in San Juan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 152% 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 $9.00 in San Juan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $216 per month, with San Juan 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 Juan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan wins on cost – living expenses run 49% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making San Juan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 152% 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: $657 in Makati versus $265 in San Juan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% 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 $798 in San Juan – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $798 in San Juan versus $1,188 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in San Juan but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes San Juan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but San Juan delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $798 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes San Juan hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and San Juan 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 Juan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.