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: $1,232 in Makati versus $762 in Siargao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,009 in Makati versus $1,194 in Siargao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,786 in Makati versus $1,627 in Siargao.

Living in Makati is roughly 62% more expensive than Siargao, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, Siargao 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ₱419

$3.61 ₱223

88.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 ₱2,784

$19.19 ₱1,183

135.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ₱304

$3.44 ₱212

43.31%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱177

$2.62 ₱161

9.54%

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

$1.19 ₱73.5

$0.77 ₱47.48

54.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.76

$0.37 ₱22.55

51.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱151

$1.24 ₱76.2

96.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₱225

$2.15 ₱133

70.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.91 ₱118

12.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.4

$1.26 ₱77.7

13.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.5

$1.00 ₱61.9

8.00%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.03 ₱125

15.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱503

$7.99 ₱492

2.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱273

$4.30 ₱265

3.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱471

$7.82 ₱482

-2.30%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₱282

$2.98 ₱184

53.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.55 ₱95.8

23.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$2.69 ₱166

0.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱139

$1.61 ₱99.1

39.75%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$2.20 ₱135

49.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$2.54 ₱157

12.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.8

$1.07 ₱66.0

0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.3

$0.75 ₱46.35

32.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱181

$2.81 ₱173

4.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ₱511

$6.83 ₱421

21.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.1

$1.17 ₱72.0

2.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.99 ₱122

17.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.71

$0.28 ₱17.35

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.0

$0.83 ₱51.0

-2.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.44

$0.24 ₱14.85

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.07 ₱127

72.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.8

$1.09 ₱67.0

0.92%

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

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$26.2K ₱1.6M

30.76%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$20.4K ₱1.3M

5.18%

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

$172 ₱10.6K

$114 ₱7,015

51.21%

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

$26.94 ₱1,661

$32.85 ₱2,026

-17.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.49 ₱2,250

$27.70 ₱1,708

31.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₱3,452

$34.41 ₱2,122

62.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 ₱727

$4.36 ₱269

170.41%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₱487

$6.12 ₱377

29.08%

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

$321 ₱19.8K

$154 ₱9,471

108.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 ₱464.8K

$4,272 ₱263.4K

76.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,717

$45.30 ₱2,793

33.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₱2,197

$26.82 ₱1,654

32.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 ₱5,277

$76.8 ₱4,735

11.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,516

$52.2 ₱3,218

133.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₱41.1K

$260 ₱16.1K

155.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$175 ₱10.8K

122.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 ₱139.4K

$577 ₱35.6K

291.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 ₱63.1K

$400 ₱24.7K

155.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,010 ₱370.6K

$2,316 ₱142.8K

159.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₱237.5K

$959 ₱59.1K

301.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.0K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Siargao: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Makati and $260 in Siargao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Makati vs $19.00 in Siargao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $204 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 62% 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 $1,849 in Makati and $1,142 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: $666 in Makati versus $260 in Siargao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% 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 $762 in Siargao – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $762 in Siargao versus $1,232 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 $762 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 62% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.