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: $1,232 in Makati versus $781 in Sorsogon City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,009 in Makati versus $1,207 in Sorsogon City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,786 in Makati versus $1,632 in Sorsogon City.

Living in Makati is roughly 58% more expensive than Sorsogon City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, Sorsogon City 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ₱419

$3.62 ₱223

87.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 ₱2,784

$17.63 ₱1,087

156.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ₱304

$3.40 ₱210

45.00%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱177

$2.34 ₱145

22.65%

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

$1.19 ₱73.5

$0.84 ₱51.5

41.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.76

$0.37 ₱22.59

51.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱151

$1.30 ₱80.3

87.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₱225

$2.09 ₱129

75.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.88 ₱116

13.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.4

$1.21 ₱74.8

18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.5

$0.96 ₱59.1

12.50%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.06 ₱127

13.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱503

$7.88 ₱486

3.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱273

$4.37 ₱270

1.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱471

$7.70 ₱475

-0.78%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₱282

$2.86 ₱176

59.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.54 ₱94.9

24.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$2.59 ₱160

4.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱139

$1.56 ₱96.5

44.23%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$2.30 ₱142

43.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$2.52 ₱156

13.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.8

$1.06 ₱65.4

1.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.3

$0.75 ₱46.49

32.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱181

$2.81 ₱173

4.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ₱511

$8.16 ₱503

1.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.1

$1.15 ₱71.2

4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$2.03 ₱125

15.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.71

$0.28 ₱17.42

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.0

$0.78 ₱47.83

3.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.44

$0.24 ₱14.81

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.18 ₱134

64.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.8

$1.11 ₱68.3

-0.90%

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

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$26.5K ₱1.6M

29.19%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

4.05%

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

$172 ₱10.6K

$112 ₱6,899

53.75%

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

$26.94 ₱1,661

$33.23 ₱2,049

-18.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.49 ₱2,250

$27.37 ₱1,687

33.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₱3,452

$33.72 ₱2,079

66.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 ₱727

$4.38 ₱270

169.18%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₱487

$5.99 ₱369

31.89%

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

$321 ₱19.8K

$150 ₱9,256

113.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 ₱464.8K

$4,254 ₱262.3K

77.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,717

$46.58 ₱2,873

29.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₱2,197

$26.36 ₱1,626

35.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 ₱5,277

$75.6 ₱4,663

13.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,516

$53.9 ₱3,321

126.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₱41.1K

$266 ₱16.4K

150.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$180 ₱11.1K

116.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 ₱139.4K

$587 ₱36.2K

285.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 ₱63.1K

$401 ₱24.7K

155.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,010 ₱370.6K

$2,280 ₱140.6K

163.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₱237.5K

$970 ₱59.8K

296.92%

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 Sorsogon City: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Makati and $266 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 $234 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 58% 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 $1,849 in Makati and $1,172 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: $666 in Makati versus $266 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 $1,232 per month in Makati versus $781 in Sorsogon City – a 58% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $781 in Sorsogon City versus $1,232 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 $781 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 58% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.