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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Makati versus $846 in San Pablo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,009 in Makati versus $1,261 in San Pablo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,786 in Makati versus $1,675 in San Pablo.

Living in Makati is roughly 46% more expensive than San Pablo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, San Pablo 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ₱419

$4.92 ₱304

38.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 ₱2,786

$14.03 ₱866

221.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ₱304

$3.15 ₱194

56.51%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱177

$2.86 ₱176

0.35%

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

$1.19 ₱73.5

$0.46 ₱28.20

158.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.79

$0.28 ₱17.31

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱151

$0.69 ₱42.72

253.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₱226

$2.09 ₱129

75.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.73 ₱107

23.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.5

$0.89 ₱54.9

60.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.6

$0.68 ₱41.86

58.82%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.02 ₱124

15.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱504

$5.12 ₱316

59.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱273

$3.81 ₱235

16.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱471

$7.28 ₱449

4.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₱282

$4.36 ₱269

4.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.03 ₱63.7

86.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$2.24 ₱139

20.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱139

$1.72 ₱106

30.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$1.45 ₱89.3

126.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$1.03 ₱63.6

177.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.9

$0.88 ₱54.2

22.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.4

$0.64 ₱39.67

54.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱182

$2.55 ₱158

15.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ₱511

$6.60 ₱407

25.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.2

$1.18 ₱72.9

1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$2.02 ₱125

15.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.73

$0.28 ₱17.37

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.0

$0.77 ₱47.73

5.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.45

$0.24 ₱14.89

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.10 ₱130

70.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.9

$1.09 ₱67.3

0.92%

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

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$25.9K ₱1.6M

32.18%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$20.5K ₱1.3M

4.66%

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

$172 ₱10.6K

$162 ₱9,967

6.49%

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

$26.94 ₱1,663

$33.55 ₱2,070

-19.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.49 ₱2,251

$30.44 ₱1,878

19.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₱3,455

$34.19 ₱2,110

63.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 ₱727

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₱488

$7.18 ₱443

10.03%

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

$321 ₱19.8K

$82.4 ₱5,087

288.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 ₱465.1K

$2,784 ₱171.8K

170.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,720

$17.32 ₱1,069

248.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₱2,198

$29.70 ₱1,832

19.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 ₱5,280

$97.3 ₱6,004

-12.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,521

$92.9 ₱5,732

31.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₱41.1K

$126 ₱7,774

428.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.1K

$180 ₱11.1K

116.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 ₱139.4K

$577 ₱35.6K

291.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 ₱63.2K

$397 ₱24.5K

157.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,010 ₱370.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₱237.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.1K

$290 ₱17.9K

134.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

8.13

-17.96%

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

Last update for Makati: May 30, 2026

Last update for San Pablo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Makati and $126 in San Pablo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 135% 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 $14.00 in San Pablo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $180 per month, with San Pablo 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 Pablo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Pablo wins on cost – living expenses run 46% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making San Pablo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Makati pays 135% 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 $126 in San Pablo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% 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 $846 in San Pablo – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $846 in San Pablo versus $1,232 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in San Pablo but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes San Pablo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but San Pablo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $846 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes San Pablo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and San Pablo 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 Pablo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.