Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Santa Cruz, Laguna Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Santa Cruz, Laguna

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,188 in Makati versus $752 in Santa Cruz, Laguna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Makati versus $1,163 in Santa Cruz, Laguna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Makati versus $1,574 in Santa Cruz, Laguna.

Living in Makati is roughly 58% more expensive than in Santa Cruz, Laguna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 11% lower, Santa Cruz, Laguna 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 ₱402

$1.81 ₱111

260.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.00 ₱2,770

$8.80 ₱542

411.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 ₱295

$3.07 ₱189

56.03%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ₱181

$2.10 ₱129

40.48%

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

$1.20 ₱73.8

$0.43 ₱26.23

179.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱35.43

$0.28 ₱17.43

107.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.22 ₱75.3

91.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 ₱219

$1.09 ₱67.0

226.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.81 ₱112

18.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.1

$1.25 ₱77.3

14.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.6

$1.04 ₱63.9

6.73%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$1.72 ₱106

35.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 ₱492

$5.18 ₱319

54.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱279

$4.35 ₱268

3.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱475

$7.26 ₱447

6.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 ₱279

$1.58 ₱97.0

187.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ₱122

$0.52 ₱31.79

280.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ₱168

$1.55 ₱95.6

75.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱141

$1.63 ₱101

39.88%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱212

$2.90 ₱179

18.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 ₱173

$4.00 ₱246

-30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.0

$1.57 ₱96.7

-27.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱60.7

$1.06 ₱65.3

-6.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱184

$3.17 ₱195

-5.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 ₱493

$9.17 ₱564

-12.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱76.9

$1.61 ₱99.4

-22.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$1.94 ₱120

15.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.57

$0.26 ₱15.81

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱220

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.05

$0.79 ₱48.46

-3.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.13 ₱8.20

$0.22 ₱13.48

-40.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ₱212

$2.14 ₱132

61.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱71.0

$1.10 ₱68.0

4.55%

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

$34.1K ₱2.1M

$25.9K ₱1.6M

31.39%

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

$22.0K ₱1.4M

$20.5K ₱1.3M

7.46%

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

$170 ₱10.4K

$95.2 ₱5,863

78.15%

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

$27.66 ₱1,703

$33.23 ₱2,046

-16.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.79 ₱2,203

$30.15 ₱1,856

18.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 ₱3,371

$33.67 ₱2,073

62.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.03 ₱741

$4.30 ₱265

179.77%

Cinema Ticket

$8.20 ₱505

$6.89 ₱424

19.01%

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

$324 ₱20.0K

$81.0 ₱4,989

300.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,680 ₱472.8K

$2,775 ₱170.9K

176.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ₱3,628

$32.05 ₱1,973

83.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 ₱2,209

$29.37 ₱1,808

22.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 ₱5,174

$99.3 ₱6,110

-15.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 ₱7,609

$95.8 ₱5,897

29.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 ₱40.4K

$265 ₱16.3K

147.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$173 ₱10.7K

125.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,273 ₱139.9K

$588 ₱36.2K

286.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 ₱62.0K

$400 ₱24.6K

151.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,013 ₱370.2K

$2,399 ₱147.7K

150.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,732 ₱229.8K

$1,116 ₱68.7K

234.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ₱37.3K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz, Laguna: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Dining out: $45.00 in Makati vs $9.00 in Santa Cruz, Laguna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $192 per month, with Santa Cruz, Laguna 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 Santa Cruz, Laguna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Cruz, Laguna wins on cost – living expenses run 58% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Santa Cruz, Laguna the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,783 in Makati and $1,128 in Santa Cruz, Laguna to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $657 in Makati versus $265 in Santa Cruz, Laguna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% 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 $752 in Santa Cruz, Laguna – a 58% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $752 in Santa Cruz, Laguna versus $1,188 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Santa Cruz, Laguna but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Santa Cruz, Laguna the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Santa Cruz, Laguna delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $752 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Santa Cruz, Laguna hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Santa Cruz, Laguna 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 Santa Cruz, Laguna gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.