Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Siargao Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Siargao

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,188 in Makati versus $770 in Siargao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Makati versus $1,195 in Siargao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Makati versus $1,619 in Siargao.

Living in Makati is roughly 54% more expensive than in Siargao, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 11% lower, Siargao 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 ₱402

$3.53 ₱218

84.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.00 ₱2,770

$19.60 ₱1,207

129.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 ₱295

$3.38 ₱208

41.72%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ₱181

$2.62 ₱162

12.60%

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

$1.20 ₱73.8

$0.77 ₱47.37

55.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱35.43

$0.37 ₱22.60

56.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.29 ₱79.6

81.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 ₱219

$2.16 ₱133

64.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.83 ₱113

16.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.1

$1.23 ₱75.7

16.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.6

$0.95 ₱58.6

16.84%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$2.00 ₱123

16.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 ₱492

$8.13 ₱501

-1.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱279

$4.12 ₱254

9.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱475

$7.56 ₱465

1.98%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 ₱279

$2.94 ₱181

54.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ₱122

$1.57 ₱96.7

26.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ₱168

$2.58 ₱159

5.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱141

$1.54 ₱95.0

48.05%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱212

$2.25 ₱138

53.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 ₱173

$2.64 ₱163

6.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.0

$1.12 ₱69.1

1.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱60.7

$0.76 ₱46.50

30.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱184

$2.82 ₱174

6.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 ₱493

$6.74 ₱415

18.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱76.9

$1.16 ₱71.6

7.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$1.97 ₱122

13.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.57

$0.28 ₱17.35

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱220

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.05

$0.77 ₱47.13

-1.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.13 ₱8.20

$0.22 ₱13.45

-40.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ₱212

$2.16 ₱133

59.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱71.0

$1.10 ₱67.8

4.55%

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

$34.1K ₱2.1M

$26.9K ₱1.7M

26.81%

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

$22.0K ₱1.4M

$20.6K ₱1.3M

6.97%

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

$170 ₱10.4K

$114 ₱7,017

48.87%

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

$27.66 ₱1,703

$32.90 ₱2,026

-15.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.79 ₱2,203

$27.06 ₱1,666

32.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 ₱3,371

$34.28 ₱2,111

59.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.03 ₱741

$4.32 ₱266

178.47%

Cinema Ticket

$8.20 ₱505

$5.81 ₱358

41.14%

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

$324 ₱20.0K

$154 ₱9,460

110.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,680 ₱472.8K

$4,228 ₱260.3K

81.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ₱3,628

$45.21 ₱2,783

30.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 ₱2,209

$26.62 ₱1,639

34.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 ₱5,175

$75.2 ₱4,631

11.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 ₱7,609

$54.2 ₱3,337

128.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 ₱40.4K

$258 ₱15.9K

154.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$175 ₱10.8K

122.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,273 ₱140.0K

$579 ₱35.6K

292.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 ₱62.0K

$395 ₱24.3K

155.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,013 ₱370.2K

$2,349 ₱144.6K

156.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,732 ₱229.8K

$943 ₱58.0K

295.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ₱37.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Makati: July 12, 2026

Last update for Siargao: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Makati and $258 in Siargao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Makati vs $20.00 in Siargao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $201 per month, with Siargao 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 Siargao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Siargao wins on cost – living expenses run 54% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Siargao the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,783 in Makati and $1,156 in Siargao 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 $258 in Siargao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% 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 $770 in Siargao – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $770 in Siargao versus $1,188 in Makati, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Siargao but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Siargao the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Siargao delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $770 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Siargao hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Siargao 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 Siargao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.