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: $1,232 in Makati versus $738 in Santa Cruz, Laguna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,009 in Makati versus $1,156 in Santa Cruz, Laguna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,786 in Makati versus $1,574 in Santa Cruz, Laguna.

Living in Makati is roughly 67% more expensive than Santa Cruz, Laguna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, Santa Cruz, Laguna 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ₱419

$1.80 ₱111

277.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 ₱2,784

$8.66 ₱534

421.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ₱304

$3.05 ₱188

61.64%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱177

$2.19 ₱135

31.05%

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

$1.19 ₱73.5

$0.43 ₱26.47

176.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.76

$0.26 ₱15.85

115.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱151

$1.27 ₱78.4

92.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₱225

$1.08 ₱66.7

238.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.81 ₱111

18.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.4

$1.21 ₱74.5

18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.5

$1.07 ₱66.0

0.93%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$1.74 ₱107

34.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱503

$5.38 ₱332

51.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱273

$4.31 ₱266

2.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱471

$7.16 ₱442

6.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₱282

$1.57 ₱97.1

191.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$0.51 ₱31.34

276.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$1.56 ₱96.2

73.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱139

$1.69 ₱104

33.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$2.86 ₱177

15.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$4.16 ₱256

-31.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.8

$1.56 ₱96.3

-30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.3

$1.04 ₱64.2

-4.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱181

$3.18 ₱196

-7.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ₱511

$8.92 ₱550

-7.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.1

$1.54 ₱95.3

-22.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.98 ₱122

18.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.71

$0.26 ₱15.84

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.0

$0.77 ₱47.63

5.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.44

$0.22 ₱13.53

-45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.19 ₱135

63.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.8

$1.09 ₱67.1

0.92%

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

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$25.4K ₱1.6M

34.86%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$20.4K ₱1.3M

5.51%

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

$172 ₱10.6K

$94.5 ₱5,826

82.05%

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

$26.94 ₱1,661

$33.54 ₱2,068

-19.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.49 ₱2,250

$29.99 ₱1,849

21.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₱3,452

$34.24 ₱2,111

63.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 ₱727

$4.49 ₱277

162.58%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₱487

$6.91 ₱426

14.33%

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

$321 ₱19.8K

$81.2 ₱5,005

294.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 ₱464.8K

$2,818 ₱173.7K

167.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,717

$32.30 ₱1,992

86.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₱2,197

$29.26 ₱1,804

21.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 ₱5,277

$97.3 ₱5,998

-12.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,516

$92.8 ₱5,719

31.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₱41.1K

$271 ₱16.7K

145.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$179 ₱11.0K

118.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 ₱139.4K

$579 ₱35.7K

290.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 ₱63.1K

$399 ₱24.6K

156.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,010 ₱370.6K

$2,557 ₱157.7K

135.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₱237.5K

$1,067 ₱65.8K

261.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.0K

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 Santa Cruz, Laguna: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Makati and $271 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 $234 vs $191 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 67% 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 $1,849 in Makati and $1,107 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: $666 in Makati versus $271 in Santa Cruz, Laguna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% 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 $738 in Santa Cruz, Laguna – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $738 in Santa Cruz, Laguna versus $1,232 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 $738 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 67% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.