Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Sorsogon City Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Sorsogon City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,188 in Makati versus $769 in Sorsogon City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Makati versus $1,218 in Sorsogon City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Makati versus $1,667 in Sorsogon City.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 ₱402

$3.59 ₱221

81.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.00 ₱2,770

$17.90 ₱1,102

151.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 ₱295

$3.26 ₱201

46.93%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ₱181

$2.44 ₱150

20.90%

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

$1.20 ₱73.8

$0.82 ₱50.7

46.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱35.43

$0.40 ₱24.44

45.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.31 ₱80.7

78.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 ₱219

$2.16 ₱133

64.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.90 ₱117

12.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.1

$1.22 ₱75.0

17.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.6

$0.94 ₱57.7

18.09%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$2.05 ₱126

13.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 ₱492

$7.98 ₱491

0.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱279

$4.18 ₱257

8.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱475

$7.63 ₱470

1.05%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 ₱279

$2.90 ₱179

56.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ₱122

$1.59 ₱97.9

24.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ₱168

$2.70 ₱166

0.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱141

$1.56 ₱96.1

46.15%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱212

$2.31 ₱142

49.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 ₱173

$2.53 ₱156

10.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.0

$1.10 ₱67.8

3.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱60.7

$0.73 ₱44.70

35.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱184

$2.92 ₱180

2.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 ₱493

$8.32 ₱512

-3.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱76.9

$1.15 ₱70.9

8.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$2.02 ₱124

10.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.57

$0.28 ₱17.26

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱220

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.05

$0.77 ₱47.63

-1.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.13 ₱8.20

$0.24 ₱14.81

-45.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ₱212

$2.15 ₱132

60.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱71.0

$1.13 ₱69.7

1.77%

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

$34.1K ₱2.1M

$26.4K ₱1.6M

29.00%

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

$22.0K ₱1.4M

$20.3K ₱1.2M

8.55%

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

$170 ₱10.4K

$112 ₱6,916

51.05%

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

$27.66 ₱1,703

$32.75 ₱2,016

-15.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.79 ₱2,203

$27.04 ₱1,664

32.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 ₱3,371

$33.70 ₱2,075

62.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.03 ₱741

$4.38 ₱270

174.66%

Cinema Ticket

$8.20 ₱505

$5.95 ₱366

37.82%

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

$324 ₱20.0K

$150 ₱9,248

115.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,680 ₱472.8K

$4,250 ₱261.6K

80.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ₱3,628

$46.14 ₱2,840

27.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 ₱2,209

$26.28 ₱1,618

36.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 ₱5,174

$75.4 ₱4,644

11.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 ₱7,609

$54.2 ₱3,339

127.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 ₱40.4K

$268 ₱16.5K

145.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$179 ₱11.0K

118.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,273 ₱139.9K

$597 ₱36.8K

280.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 ₱62.0K

$393 ₱24.2K

156.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,013 ₱370.2K

$2,462 ₱151.6K

144.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,732 ₱229.8K

$995 ₱61.2K

275.29%

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 Sorsogon City: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Makati and $268 in Sorsogon City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Makati vs $18.00 in Sorsogon City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $205 per month, with Sorsogon City 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 Sorsogon City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

You'd need roughly $1,783 in Makati and $1,154 in Sorsogon City 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 $268 in Sorsogon City. 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 $1,188 per month in Makati versus $769 in Sorsogon City – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $769 in Sorsogon City versus $1,188 in Makati, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sorsogon City but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Sorsogon City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Sorsogon City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $769 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Sorsogon City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Sorsogon City 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 Sorsogon City 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.