Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Surigao Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Surigao

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,188 in Makati versus $795 in Surigao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Makati versus $1,210 in Surigao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Makati versus $1,625 in Surigao.

Living in Makati is roughly 50% more expensive than in Surigao, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 11% lower, Surigao 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 ₱403

$3.63 ₱224

79.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.00 ₱2,775

$18.01 ₱1,111

149.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 ₱295

$3.27 ₱201

46.48%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ₱182

$2.39 ₱147

23.43%

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

$1.20 ₱73.9

$0.78 ₱47.97

53.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱35.49

$0.36 ₱22.37

61.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.30 ₱79.9

80.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 ₱220

$2.12 ₱131

67.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.89 ₱116

13.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.3

$1.22 ₱75.5

17.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.7

$1.00 ₱61.7

11.00%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$2.03 ₱125

14.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 ₱493

$8.17 ₱504

-2.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱279

$4.30 ₱265

5.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱475

$7.77 ₱479

-0.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 ₱280

$2.86 ₱176

58.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ₱122

$1.59 ₱97.9

24.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ₱168

$2.59 ₱160

5.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱141

$1.54 ₱95.0

48.05%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱212

$2.32 ₱143

48.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 ₱173

$2.64 ₱163

6.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.1

$1.07 ₱66.2

6.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱60.8

$0.76 ₱46.75

30.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱185

$2.87 ₱177

4.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 ₱494

$8.57 ₱529

-6.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱77.0

$1.16 ₱71.5

7.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$2.05 ₱126

9.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.62

$0.28 ₱17.27

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.13

$0.78 ₱48.07

-2.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.13 ₱8.21

$0.22 ₱13.56

-40.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ₱212

$2.11 ₱130

63.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱71.1

$1.15 ₱70.8

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

$34.1K ₱2.1M

$27.1K ₱1.7M

25.61%

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

$22.0K ₱1.4M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

6.05%

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

$170 ₱10.5K

$111 ₱6,820

53.42%

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

$27.66 ₱1,706

$24.36 ₱1,502

13.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.79 ₱2,207

$38.92 ₱2,400

-8.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 ₱3,376

$33.84 ₱2,087

61.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.03 ₱742

$4.50 ₱278

167.33%

Cinema Ticket

$8.20 ₱506

$5.97 ₱368

37.35%

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

$324 ₱20.0K

$150 ₱9,223

116.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,680 ₱473.6K

$4,262 ₱262.8K

80.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ₱3,634

$45.84 ₱2,827

28.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 ₱2,213

$26.73 ₱1,649

34.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 ₱5,183

$76.3 ₱4,707

10.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 ₱7,622

$53.0 ₱3,269

133.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 ₱40.5K

$264 ₱16.3K

149.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.1K

$180 ₱11.1K

116.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,273 ₱140.2K

$584 ₱36.0K

289.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 ₱62.2K

$393 ₱24.3K

156.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,013 ₱370.8K

$2,042 ₱126.0K

194.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,732 ₱230.2K

$890 ₱54.9K

319.22%

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 Surigao: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Makati and $264 in Surigao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Makati vs $18.00 in Surigao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $207 per month, with Surigao 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 Surigao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surigao wins on cost – living expenses run 50% 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 $1,783 in Makati and $1,192 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: $657 in Makati versus $264 in Surigao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% 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 $795 in Surigao – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $795 in Surigao versus $1,188 in Makati, a $1,500 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 work as nomad bases, but Surigao delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $795 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Surigao hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Surigao 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 Surigao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.