Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Surigao

For one person, living is cheaper in Surigao: $733 a month against $1,174 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

56

Cost of Living Index in Makati
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Makati Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Surigao
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Surigao Living Index

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Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,174

/mo nomad

Surigao

🇵🇭 Philippines

$733

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Makati and in Surigao

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Makati and in Surigao actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,174 in Makati versus $733 in Surigao.

Makati $1,174
Surigao $733

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,962 in Makati versus $1,113 in Surigao.

Makati $1,962
Surigao $1,113

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,750 in Makati versus $1,492 in Surigao.

Makati $2,750
Surigao $1,492

Living in Makati is roughly 60% more expensive than in Surigao, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 13% lower, Surigao 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 ₱300

$3.95 ₱251

19.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.37 ₱1,674

$16.72 ₱1,062

57.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.01 ₱255

$2.82 ₱179

42.20%

Cappuccino

$2.46 ₱156

$2.13 ₱135

15.49%

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

$1.05 ₱66.8

$0.67 ₱42.83

56.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₱37.49

$0.31 ₱19.60

90.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ₱73.7

$1.16 ₱73.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 ₱153

$2.01 ₱128

19.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ₱118

$1.60 ₱102

16.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 ₱71.3

$1.14 ₱72.4

-1.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ₱62.6

$0.97 ₱61.3

2.06%

Eggs

$2.20 ₱139

$1.85 ₱118

18.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.51 ₱477

$5.62 ₱357

33.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.63 ₱294

$4.15 ₱264

11.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.01 ₱445

$6.87 ₱436

2.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ₱205

$2.42 ₱154

33.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ₱121

$1.58 ₱100

20.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 ₱175

$2.32 ₱147

18.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 ₱56.1

$1.13 ₱71.7

-22.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ₱84.4

$2.12 ₱135

-37.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ₱87.5

$2.26 ₱143

-38.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 ₱119

$1.09 ₱69.4

71.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱36.98

$0.57 ₱36.48

1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 ₱192

$2.95 ₱187

2.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.67 ₱614

$7.34 ₱466

31.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱79.6

$0.91 ₱57.6

37.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ₱128

$1.92 ₱122

4.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 ₱48.44

$0.22 ₱13.94

245.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.7 ₱3,663

$12.28 ₱780

369.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱47.73

$0.76 ₱48.05

-1.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 ₱12.69

$0.22 ₱13.99

-9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 ₱124

$1.90 ₱120

3.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₱79.6

$1.22 ₱77.6

2.46%

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

$20.9K ₱1.3M

$21.3K ₱1.4M

-1.67%

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

$18.9K ₱1.2M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

-1.63%

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

$111 ₱7,037

$120 ₱7,606

-7.48%

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

$16.82 ₱1,068

$15.80 ₱1,003

6.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.00 ₱1,524

$34.90 ₱2,216

-31.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 ₱3,594

$31.82 ₱2,020

77.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.14 ₱898

$5.07 ₱322

178.90%

Cinema Ticket

$6.31 ₱400

$5.06 ₱321

24.70%

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

$619 ₱39.3K

$128 ₱8,117

384.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,231 ₱332.1K

$7,715 ₱489.8K

-32.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ₱3,518

$32.90 ₱2,089

68.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.32 ₱1,988

$19.32 ₱1,227

62.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.0 ₱4,444

$71.4 ₱4,535

-2.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.8 ₱3,672

$53.7 ₱3,409

7.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$820 ₱52.0K

$250 ₱15.9K

227.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 ₱31.4K

$168 ₱10.7K

194.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,487 ₱157.9K

$485 ₱30.8K

412.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 ₱82.2K

$348 ₱22.1K

271.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,608 ₱356.0K

$2,651 ₱168.3K

111.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,558 ₱225.9K

$1,124 ₱71.3K

216.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ₱33.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.92

1.16%

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

Last update for Makati: November 2, 2026

Last update for Surigao: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Makati

$495 42.1%

Surigao

$168 22.9% 66.1% $327

Groceries & Markets

Makati

$203 17.3%

Surigao

$179 24.4% 12.1% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Makati

$152 12.9%

Surigao

$171 23.3% 12.4% $19

Eating Out

Makati

$97 8.2%

Surigao

$79 10.8% 17.7% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Makati

$97 8.2%

Surigao

$80 10.9% 17.4% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Makati

$69 5.9%

Surigao

$42 5.7% 39.4% $27

Getting Around

Makati

$62 5.3%

Surigao

$15 2.1% 76% $47

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $820 in Makati and $250 in Surigao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $26 in Makati vs $17 in Surigao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $179 per month, with Surigao cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Makati

🇵🇭 Surigao

🕒 Local time

12:03 12:03 PM

Same time as Makati

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

582,602

171,107

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.58 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.58 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Makati Surigao 720 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Makati
Surigao

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Surigao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surigao wins on cost – living expenses run 38% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Surigao the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $1,761 in Makati and $1,100 in Surigao 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: $820 in Makati versus $250 in Surigao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,174 per month in Makati versus $733 in Surigao – Surigao is about 38% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Surigao runs roughly 79% less than in Makati. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

At $733 in Surigao versus $1,174 in Makati, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Surigao but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Surigao the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Makati and Surigao are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Surigao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.