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: $1,186 in Makati versus $731 in Santa Rosa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,004 in Makati versus $1,132 in Santa Rosa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,822 in Makati versus $1,533 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 12% lower, Santa Rosa 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 ₱415

$2.70 ₱164

152.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.54 ₱2,705

$20.90 ₱1,269

113.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 ₱296

$3.05 ₱185

60.00%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱174

$1.26 ₱76.6

127.78%

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

$1.16 ₱70.4

$0.37 ₱22.61

213.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱32.32

$0.26 ₱15.67

103.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱148

$1.25 ₱76.1

95.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₱211

$1.46 ₱88.5

138.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 ₱129

$2.10 ₱127

0.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ₱91.4

$1.25 ₱75.7

20.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ₱67.7

$1.06 ₱64.3

5.66%

Eggs

$2.25 ₱137

$1.82 ₱111

23.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.04 ₱488

$7.23 ₱439

11.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.42 ₱269

$4.15 ₱252

6.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 ₱474

$7.02 ₱426

11.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.51 ₱274

$4.37 ₱265

3.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ₱116

$0.91 ₱55.4

109.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ₱165

$2.99 ₱181

-9.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 ₱133

$1.66 ₱101

31.93%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 ₱198

$2.75 ₱167

18.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 ₱178

$4.20 ₱255

-30.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₱66.6

$1.59 ₱96.4

-30.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱60.1

$1.05 ₱63.8

-5.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 ₱173

$3.18 ₱193

-10.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.27 ₱502

$8.95 ₱544

-7.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 ₱71.9

$1.56 ₱94.5

-24.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₱141

$2.04 ₱124

14.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱30.91

$0.28 ₱17.12

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.49 ₱212

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱46.80

$0.84 ₱50.8

-8.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.13 ₱7.76

$0.24 ₱14.61

-45.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 ₱221

$2.16 ₱131

68.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱69.7

$1.14 ₱69.1

0.88%

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

$33.6K ₱2.0M

$26.1K ₱1.6M

28.71%

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

$22.1K ₱1.3M

$20.5K ₱1.2M

7.53%

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

$168 ₱10.2K

$53.0 ₱3,219

217.56%

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

$27.62 ₱1,677

$32.35 ₱1,965

-14.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.63 ₱2,224

$28.84 ₱1,751

27.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 ₱3,428

$33.29 ₱2,021

69.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.69 ₱710

$4.38 ₱266

166.89%

Cinema Ticket

$7.76 ₱471

$6.92 ₱420

12.14%

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

$320 ₱19.4K

$82.3 ₱4,997

288.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,666 ₱465.5K

$2,810 ₱170.6K

172.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 ₱3,554

$32.25 ₱1,958

81.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.71 ₱2,169

$29.29 ₱1,778

21.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 ₱5,231

$99.5 ₱6,040

-13.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 ₱7,609

$93.0 ₱5,648

34.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$660 ₱40.1K

$248 ₱15.1K

166.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ₱23.9K

$176 ₱10.7K

124.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,263 ₱137.4K

$392 ₱23.8K

476.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,009 ₱61.2K

$280 ₱17.0K

260.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,121 ₱371.7K

$2,788 ₱169.3K

119.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,737 ₱226.9K

$1,094 ₱66.4K

241.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$693 ₱42.1K

$147 ₱8,931

371.36%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Santa Rosa: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $660 in Makati and $248 in Santa Rosa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 371% 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: $45.00 in Makati vs $21.00 in Santa Rosa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 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 371% 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: $660 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 6% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,186 per month in Makati versus $731 in Santa Rosa – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $731 in Santa Rosa versus $1,186 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 $731 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.