Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Vigan Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Vigan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Makati versus $688 in Vigan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,009 in Makati versus $1,085 in Vigan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,786 in Makati versus $1,483 in Vigan.

Living in Makati is roughly 79% more expensive than Vigan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ₱419

$3.52 ₱217

93.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 ₱2,784

$13.40 ₱827

236.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ₱304

$1.76 ₱108

180.11%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱177

$1.75 ₱108

64.00%

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

$1.19 ₱73.5

$0.66 ₱40.45

80.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.76

$0.41 ₱25.00

36.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱151

$1.27 ₱78.6

92.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₱225

$1.74 ₱107

110.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.89 ₱117

13.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.4

$1.25 ₱76.9

14.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.5

$0.75 ₱46.30

44.00%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.19 ₱135

6.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱503

$8.60 ₱530

-5.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱273

$3.88 ₱239

14.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱471

$7.50 ₱463

1.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₱282

$2.62 ₱162

74.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.63 ₱101

17.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$2.35 ₱145

14.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱139

$1.16 ₱71.4

93.97%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$1.65 ₱102

99.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$2.15 ₱132

33.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.8

$0.69 ₱42.26

56.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.3

$0.77 ₱47.64

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱181

$2.34 ₱144

25.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ₱511

$8.78 ₱541

-5.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.1

$1.07 ₱65.7

12.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.72 ₱106

36.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.71

$0.28 ₱17.35

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.0

$0.69 ₱42.81

17.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.44

$0.15 ₱9.44

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.44 ₱151

46.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.8

$1.11 ₱68.7

-0.90%

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

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$14.4K ₱890.1K

137.43%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$15.9K ₱982.7K

34.89%

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

$172 ₱10.6K

$53.8 ₱3,314

220.04%

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

$26.94 ₱1,661

$34.55 ₱2,130

-22.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.49 ₱2,250

$25.88 ₱1,596

41.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₱3,452

$33.47 ₱2,064

67.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 ₱727

$4.38 ₱270

169.18%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₱487

$5.85 ₱361

35.04%

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

$321 ₱19.8K

$35.01 ₱2,159

815.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 ₱464.8K

$4,692 ₱289.3K

60.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,717

$47.89 ₱2,953

25.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₱2,197

$27.53 ₱1,698

29.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 ₱5,277

$62.3 ₱3,839

37.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,516

$46.98 ₱2,897

159.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₱41.1K

$267 ₱16.5K

149.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$173 ₱10.7K

125.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 ₱139.4K

$585 ₱36.1K

286.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 ₱63.1K

$400 ₱24.6K

156.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,010 ₱370.6K

$2,315 ₱142.7K

159.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₱237.5K

$933 ₱57.5K

312.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

4.5

48.22%

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

Last update for Makati: May 30, 2026

Last update for Vigan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Makati and $267 in Vigan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Makati vs $13.00 in Vigan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $197 per month, with Vigan 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 Vigan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vigan wins on cost – living expenses run 79% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Vigan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,849 in Makati and $1,032 in Vigan 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 $267 in Vigan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% 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 $688 in Vigan – a 79% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $688 in Vigan versus $1,232 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Vigan but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Vigan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Vigan delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $688 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Vigan hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Vigan 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 Vigan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.