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: $1,226 in Makati versus $632 in San Pablo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,005 in Makati versus $923 in San Pablo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,783 in Makati versus $1,214 in San Pablo.

Living in Makati is roughly 94% more expensive than in San Pablo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 10% lower, San Pablo 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 ₱406

$3.94 ₱247

64.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.29 ₱2,527

$16.49 ₱1,035

144.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₱295

$2.74 ₱172

71.53%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₱166

$1.84 ₱116

44.02%

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

$1.11 ₱69.7

$0.39 ₱24.41

184.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱28.42

$0.17 ₱10.72

164.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ₱148

$1.04 ₱65.0

125.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ₱201

$1.62 ₱102

97.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱120

$1.59 ₱99.9

20.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ₱80.6

$1.08 ₱67.8

18.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ₱65.6

$0.91 ₱56.9

15.38%

Eggs

$2.48 ₱155

$2.00 ₱126

24.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.98 ₱438

$5.20 ₱326

34.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 ₱304

$3.45 ₱216

40.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.77 ₱424

$7.51 ₱471

-9.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 ₱258

$2.29 ₱144

79.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱125

$1.46 ₱91.3

36.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 ₱200

$1.60 ₱101

99.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱143

$1.02 ₱64.2

123.53%

Potato (1kg)

$3.52 ₱221

$1.58 ₱99.1

122.78%

Onion (1kg)

$3.59 ₱225

$1.79 ₱112

100.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₱69.3

$0.62 ₱38.87

77.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₱71.7

$0.53 ₱32.99

115.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 ₱161

$2.83 ₱178

-9.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 ₱501

$6.51 ₱408

22.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₱82.7

$0.95 ₱59.7

38.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₱127

$2.09 ₱131

-2.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₱61.5

$0.25 ₱15.74

292.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 ₱3,613

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₱42.14

$0.82 ₱51.3

-18.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.15

$0.23 ₱14.40

-8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₱117

$1.89 ₱118

-1.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱78.0

$0.92 ₱57.9

34.78%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$21.0K ₱1.3M

0.51%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$19.5K ₱1.2M

1.00%

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

$152 ₱9,541

$141 ₱8,813

8.26%

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

$16.13 ₱1,012

$17.71 ₱1,111

-8.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.63 ₱1,984

$23.56 ₱1,477

34.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 ₱3,416

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.45 ₱906

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 ₱436

$5.12 ₱321

35.74%

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

$803 ₱50.4K

$131 ₱8,233

511.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,454 ₱467.5K

$10.8K ₱677.7K

-31.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 ₱3,755

$29.12 ₱1,826

105.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.50 ₱2,352

$19.12 ₱1,199

96.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 ₱5,130

$70.1 ₱4,396

16.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ₱6,544

$54.6 ₱3,422

91.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 ₱47.2K

$146 ₱9,138

416.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱26.9K

$126 ₱7,878

241.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,279 ₱142.9K

$209 ₱13.1K

989.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 ₱66.1K

$193 ₱12.1K

446.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,865 ₱367.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,745 ₱234.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₱38.3K

$281 ₱17.6K

116.96%

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 14, 2026

Last update for San Pablo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $752 in Makati and $146 in San Pablo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 117% 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: $40.00 in Makati vs $16.00 in San Pablo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $165 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 94% 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.

Average pay runs 117% 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: $752 in Makati versus $146 in San Pablo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,226 per month in Makati versus $632 in San Pablo – a 94% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $632 in San Pablo versus $1,226 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 $632 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 94% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.