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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Makati versus $684 in Valencia City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,009 in Makati versus $1,060 in Valencia City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,786 in Makati versus $1,436 in Valencia City.

Living in Makati is roughly 80% more expensive than Valencia City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, Valencia City 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ₱419

$2.96 ₱183

129.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 ₱2,784

$23.91 ₱1,474

88.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ₱304

$1.78 ₱110

176.97%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱177

$1.57 ₱96.5

82.80%

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

$1.19 ₱73.5

$0.40 ₱24.56

197.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.76

$0.34 ₱20.90

64.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱151

$1.03 ₱63.6

136.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₱225

$1.57 ₱96.8

133.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.31 ₱80.6

63.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.4

$0.64 ₱39.34

123.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.5

$0.75 ₱46.36

44.00%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$1.63 ₱100

43.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱503

$5.94 ₱366

37.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱273

$2.16 ₱133

105.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱471

$3.02 ₱186

152.98%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₱282

$1.72 ₱106

165.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.17 ₱72.3

64.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$2.28 ₱141

18.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱139

$0.93 ₱57.3

141.94%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$0.84 ₱51.6

291.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$2.17 ₱134

31.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.8

$0.42 ₱26.11

157.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.3

$0.45 ₱27.82

120.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱181

$2.65 ₱163

10.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ₱511

$1.86 ₱115

345.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.1

$0.78 ₱48.13

53.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.36 ₱83.6

72.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.71

$0.28 ₱17.37

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.0

$0.93 ₱57.1

-12.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.44

$0.23 ₱14.07

-47.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.18 ₱134

64.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.8

$1.09 ₱67.2

0.92%

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

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$22.0K ₱1.4M

56.14%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$21.1K ₱1.3M

1.83%

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

$172 ₱10.6K

$105 ₱6,470

63.94%

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

$26.94 ₱1,661

$33.47 ₱2,064

-19.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.49 ₱2,250

$36.28 ₱2,237

0.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₱3,452

$34.42 ₱2,122

62.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 ₱727

$4.44 ₱274

165.54%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₱487

$4.30 ₱265

83.72%

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

$321 ₱19.8K

$120 ₱7,407

166.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 ₱464.8K

$4,379 ₱270.0K

72.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,717

$46.12 ₱2,844

30.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₱2,197

$30.38 ₱1,873

17.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 ₱5,277

$77.1 ₱4,752

11.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,516

$69.9 ₱4,310

74.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₱41.1K

$263 ₱16.2K

152.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$177 ₱10.9K

120.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 ₱139.4K

$594 ₱36.6K

280.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 ₱63.1K

$400 ₱24.7K

155.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,010 ₱370.6K

$2,359 ₱145.4K

154.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₱237.5K

$948 ₱58.4K

306.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

9.56

-30.23%

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

Last update for Makati: May 30, 2026

Last update for Valencia City: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Makati and $263 in Valencia City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Makati vs $24.00 in Valencia City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $120 per month, with Valencia 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 Valencia City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Valencia City wins on cost – living expenses run 80% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Valencia City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,849 in Makati and $1,027 in Valencia 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 $263 in Valencia City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 95% 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 $684 in Valencia City – a 80% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $684 in Valencia City versus $1,232 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Valencia City but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Valencia City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Valencia City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $684 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Valencia City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Valencia 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 Valencia City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.