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: $1,232 in Makati versus $806 in San Juan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,009 in Makati versus $1,302 in San Juan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,786 in Makati versus $1,797 in San Juan.

Living in Makati is roughly 53% more expensive than San Juan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, San Juan 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ₱419

$2.84 ₱175

139.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 ₱2,784

$8.61 ₱531

424.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ₱304

$3.59 ₱222

37.33%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱177

$2.97 ₱183

-3.37%

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

$1.19 ₱73.5

$0.83 ₱50.9

43.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.76

$0.45 ₱27.49

24.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱151

$1.47 ₱90.8

65.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₱225

$2.10 ₱130

74.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.73 ₱106

23.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.4

$1.62 ₱100

-11.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.5

$0.94 ₱57.9

14.89%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.01 ₱124

16.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱503

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱273

$5.25 ₱324

-15.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱471

$10.80 ₱666

-29.26%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₱282

$2.31 ₱142

97.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.53 ₱94.1

25.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$3.17 ₱196

-14.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱139

$1.15 ₱70.8

95.65%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$1.75 ₱108

88.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$3.44 ₱212

-16.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.8

$1.07 ₱66.1

0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.3

$0.90 ₱55.4

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱181

$2.87 ₱177

2.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ₱511

$7.33 ₱452

12.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.1

$0.74 ₱45.66

62.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.61 ₱99.4

45.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.71

$0.16 ₱9.57

218.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.0

$0.68 ₱41.69

19.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.44

$0.24 ₱14.86

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.09 ₱129

71.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.8

$1.11 ₱68.4

-0.90%

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

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$28.1K ₱1.7M

21.93%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$17.7K ₱1.1M

21.62%

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

$172 ₱10.6K

$128 ₱7,916

33.99%

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

$26.94 ₱1,661

$32.96 ₱2,032

-18.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.49 ₱2,250

$26.09 ₱1,609

39.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₱3,452

$72.0 ₱4,437

-22.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 ₱727

$4.37 ₱270

169.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₱487

$4.07 ₱251

94.10%

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

$321 ₱19.8K

$145 ₱8,965

120.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 ₱464.8K

$4,240 ₱261.5K

77.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,717

$45.32 ₱2,794

33.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₱2,197

$34.62 ₱2,134

2.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 ₱5,277

$69.1 ₱4,260

23.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,516

$117 ₱7,209

4.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₱41.1K

$269 ₱16.6K

147.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$107 ₱6,621

263.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 ₱139.4K

$1,273 ₱78.5K

77.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 ₱63.1K

$391 ₱24.1K

161.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,010 ₱370.6K

$2,438 ₱150.4K

146.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₱237.5K

$1,112 ₱68.6K

246.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.0K

$242 ₱14.9K

182.07%

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 Juan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Makati and $269 in San Juan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 182% 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 $234 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 53% 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.

Makati pays 182% more on average, 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: $666 in Makati versus $269 in San Juan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% 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 $806 in San Juan – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $806 in San Juan versus $1,232 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 $806 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 53% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.