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: $1,226 in Makati versus $623 in Santa Rosa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,005 in Makati versus $881 in Santa Rosa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,783 in Makati versus $1,139 in Santa Rosa.

Living in Makati is roughly 97% more expensive than in Santa Rosa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 10% lower, Santa Rosa 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 ₱407

$2.40 ₱151

169.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.29 ₱2,531

$16.91 ₱1,062

138.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₱295

$2.78 ₱174

69.06%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₱166

$1.08 ₱68.0

145.37%

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

$1.11 ₱69.8

$0.34 ₱21.19

226.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱28.47

$0.23 ₱14.43

95.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ₱148

$0.96 ₱60.6

144.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ₱201

$1.30 ₱81.4

146.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱120

$1.66 ₱104

15.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ₱80.7

$1.16 ₱72.9

10.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ₱65.8

$1.01 ₱63.3

3.96%

Eggs

$2.48 ₱156

$1.57 ₱98.8

57.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.98 ₱439

$5.23 ₱329

33.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 ₱305

$3.42 ₱215

41.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.77 ₱425

$8.01 ₱503

-15.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 ₱259

$2.29 ₱144

79.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱126

$0.76 ₱47.45

163.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 ₱201

$2.29 ₱144

39.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱143

$1.03 ₱64.5

121.36%

Potato (1kg)

$3.52 ₱221

$1.65 ₱104

113.33%

Onion (1kg)

$3.59 ₱225

$1.70 ₱107

111.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₱69.4

$0.66 ₱41.55

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₱71.8

$0.49 ₱31.00

132.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 ₱161

$2.87 ₱180

-10.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 ₱502

$8.99 ₱565

-11.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₱82.9

$0.92 ₱57.6

43.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₱127

$2.00 ₱125

1.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₱61.6

$0.28 ₱17.46

250.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 ₱3,619

$12.17 ₱765

373.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₱42.21

$0.81 ₱50.7

-17.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.17

$0.23 ₱14.41

-8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₱118

$1.96 ₱123

-4.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱78.1

$1.03 ₱65.0

20.39%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$21.5K ₱1.4M

-1.88%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$19.5K ₱1.2M

0.61%

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

$152 ₱9,557

$63.2 ₱3,970

140.73%

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

$16.13 ₱1,014

$6.28 ₱395

156.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.63 ₱1,987

$22.95 ₱1,442

37.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 ₱3,422

$32.36 ₱2,033

68.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.45 ₱908

$5.16 ₱324

180.04%

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 ₱437

$5.10 ₱321

36.27%

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

$803 ₱50.4K

$135 ₱8,466

495.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,454 ₱468.3K

$5,487 ₱344.7K

35.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 ₱3,761

$28.46 ₱1,788

110.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.50 ₱2,356

$19.68 ₱1,236

90.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 ₱5,139

$72.3 ₱4,543

13.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ₱6,555

$55.1 ₱3,463

89.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 ₱47.3K

$271 ₱17.1K

177.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱27.0K

$172 ₱10.8K

149.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,279 ₱143.2K

$505 ₱31.7K

351.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 ₱66.2K

$174 ₱10.9K

506.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,865 ₱368.5K

$2,830 ₱177.8K

107.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,745 ₱235.3K

$1,033 ₱64.9K

262.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₱38.3K

$144 ₱9,033

324.23%

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 Santa Rosa: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $752 in Makati and $271 in Santa Rosa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 324% 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 $17.00 in Santa Rosa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $169 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 97% 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.

Average pay runs 324% 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 $271 in Santa Rosa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,226 per month in Makati versus $623 in Santa Rosa – a 97% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Santa Rosa runs roughly 373% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $623 in Santa Rosa versus $1,226 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 $623 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 97% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.