Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Santa Rosa Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Santa Rosa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,204 in Makati versus $746 in Santa Rosa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,023 in Makati versus $1,142 in Santa Rosa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,841 in Makati versus $1,539 in Santa Rosa.

Living in Makati is roughly 62% more expensive than Santa Rosa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 10% lower, Santa Rosa 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 ₱412

$2.78 ₱171

140.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.22 ₱2,728

$21.58 ₱1,331

104.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 ₱301

$3.16 ₱195

54.43%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ₱181

$1.27 ₱78.2

130.71%

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

$1.19 ₱73.7

$0.37 ₱23.10

221.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.78

$0.26 ₱15.94

115.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ₱150

$1.25 ₱77.2

93.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 ₱223

$1.41 ₱86.8

156.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 ₱136

$2.14 ₱132

2.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ₱92.0

$1.25 ₱76.8

19.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱65.7

$1.11 ₱68.2

-3.60%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$1.73 ₱106

35.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 ₱505

$6.87 ₱424

19.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.42 ₱273

$4.18 ₱258

5.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱475

$7.39 ₱456

4.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 ₱269

$4.32 ₱267

0.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱123

$0.88 ₱54.2

127.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 ₱159

$2.89 ₱178

-11.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₱138

$1.63 ₱100

36.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱213

$2.74 ₱169

25.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱176

$4.00 ₱246

-28.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.0

$1.63 ₱100

-30.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₱62.7

$1.05 ₱65.0

-2.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ₱175

$3.27 ₱202

-13.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 ₱501

$9.09 ₱560

-10.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱77.1

$1.53 ₱94.6

-18.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱143

$2.02 ₱125

14.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ₱33.40

$0.28 ₱17.40

92.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.64 ₱225

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱48.35

$0.77 ₱47.59

1.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.11 ₱6.49

$0.22 ₱13.52

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 ₱225

$2.10 ₱129

73.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.9

$1.10 ₱67.6

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

$33.4K ₱2.1M

$25.9K ₱1.6M

28.74%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

3.73%

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

$171 ₱10.5K

$52.2 ₱3,219

226.98%

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

$26.96 ₱1,663

$32.54 ₱2,007

-17.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.97 ₱2,219

$28.70 ₱1,770

25.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.6 ₱3,430

$34.03 ₱2,099

63.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.87 ₱732

$4.54 ₱280

161.45%

Cinema Ticket

$8.19 ₱505

$6.98 ₱430

17.34%

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

$322 ₱19.9K

$81.9 ₱5,049

293.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,811 ₱481.8K

$2,737 ₱168.8K

185.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 ₱3,628

$32.23 ₱1,988

82.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.76 ₱2,206

$29.54 ₱1,822

21.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 ₱5,174

$96.3 ₱5,938

-12.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 ₱7,612

$95.6 ₱5,899

29.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$667 ₱41.2K

$248 ₱15.3K

168.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 ₱24.8K

$177 ₱10.9K

127.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,307 ₱142.3K

$398 ₱24.5K

479.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,015 ₱62.6K

$280 ₱17.3K

262.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,283 ₱387.5K

$2,577 ₱159.0K

143.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,903 ₱240.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$712 ₱43.9K

$153 ₱9,408

366.99%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Santa Rosa: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $667 in Makati and $248 in Santa Rosa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 367% 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 Santa Rosa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $221 per month, with Santa Rosa 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 Rosa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Rosa wins on cost – living expenses run 62% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Santa Rosa the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Makati pays 367% 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: $667 in Makati versus $248 in Santa Rosa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,204 per month in Makati versus $746 in Santa Rosa – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $746 in Santa Rosa versus $1,204 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Santa Rosa but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Santa Rosa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Santa Rosa delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $746 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Santa Rosa hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Santa Rosa 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 Rosa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.