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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Makati versus $822 in San Pedro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,017 in Makati versus $1,253 in San Pedro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,812 in Makati versus $1,685 in San Pedro.

Living in Makati is roughly 49% more expensive than in San Pedro, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, San Pedro 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.85 ₱414

$4.92 ₱298

39.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.09 ₱2,669

$21.67 ₱1,312

103.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 ₱301

$3.18 ₱193

56.29%

Cappuccino

$2.96 ₱179

$2.70 ₱163

9.63%

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

$1.15 ₱69.5

$0.96 ₱58.2

19.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₱34.64

$0.37 ₱22.47

54.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ₱141

$1.22 ₱74.0

90.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₱214

$2.59 ₱157

36.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₱131

$1.91 ₱116

13.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ₱90.3

$1.22 ₱73.6

22.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ₱64.5

$1.05 ₱63.5

0.95%

Eggs

$2.22 ₱135

$1.95 ₱118

13.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 ₱500

$6.81 ₱412

21.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.42 ₱267

$4.32 ₱261

2.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.54 ₱457

$7.02 ₱425

7.41%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 ₱276

$3.42 ₱207

33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ₱115

$1.60 ₱96.7

18.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 ₱164

$2.89 ₱175

-6.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 ₱131

$1.71 ₱104

26.90%

Potato (1kg)

$3.31 ₱200

$2.74 ₱166

20.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 ₱170

$3.17 ₱192

-11.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₱65.8

$1.57 ₱95.2

-30.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₱61.6

$0.68 ₱41.26

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱181

$3.25 ₱197

-8.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.52 ₱516

$8.94 ₱541

-4.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱75.6

$1.44 ₱87.2

-13.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ₱139

$2.02 ₱122

13.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ₱33.02

$0.28 ₱17.05

96.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.57 ₱216

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱47.06

$0.77 ₱46.49

1.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.10

$0.24 ₱14.53

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ₱210

$2.14 ₱130

62.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱69.8

$1.14 ₱69.3

0.88%

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

$33.5K ₱2.0M

$25.3K ₱1.5M

32.83%

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

$21.7K ₱1.3M

$20.2K ₱1.2M

7.39%

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

$169 ₱10.2K

$135 ₱8,178

25.08%

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

$26.89 ₱1,628

$21.69 ₱1,313

23.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.15 ₱2,189

$27.10 ₱1,641

33.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.4 ₱3,356

$33.73 ₱2,042

64.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.69 ₱707

$4.38 ₱265

166.89%

Cinema Ticket

$7.93 ₱480

$6.59 ₱399

20.33%

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

$324 ₱19.6K

$81.7 ₱4,948

296.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,613 ₱460.9K

$2,776 ₱168.1K

174.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 ₱3,584

$32.54 ₱1,970

81.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.26 ₱2,135

$29.10 ₱1,761

21.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 ₱5,215

$83.5 ₱5,053

3.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,414

$46.79 ₱2,833

161.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$661 ₱40.0K

$270 ₱16.3K

145.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱24.0K

$173 ₱10.5K

128.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,254 ₱136.5K

$593 ₱35.9K

279.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 ₱61.9K

$390 ₱23.6K

161.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,076 ₱367.9K

$2,393 ₱144.9K

153.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,885 ₱235.2K

$1,001 ₱60.6K

287.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$706 ₱42.7K

$310 ₱18.8K

127.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

7.52

-11.30%

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

Last update for Makati: June 14, 2026

Last update for San Pedro: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $661 in Makati and $270 in San Pedro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 128% 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: $44.00 in Makati vs $22.00 in San Pedro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $211 per month, with San Pedro 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 Pedro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Pedro 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 Pedro the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 128% 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: $661 in Makati versus $270 in San Pedro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,223 per month in Makati versus $822 in San Pedro – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $822 in San Pedro versus $1,223 in Makati, a $1,500 budget is realistic in San Pedro but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes San Pedro the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but San Pedro delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $822 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes San Pedro hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and San Pedro 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 Pedro 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.