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: $1,226 in Makati versus $736 in Vigan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,005 in Makati versus $1,092 in Vigan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,783 in Makati versus $1,448 in Vigan.

Living in Makati is roughly 67% more expensive than in Vigan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 10% lower, Vigan 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 ₱407

$3.88 ₱244

66.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.29 ₱2,531

$16.63 ₱1,045

142.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₱295

$1.79 ₱112

162.57%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₱166

$1.76 ₱111

50.57%

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

$1.11 ₱69.8

$0.60 ₱37.45

85.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱28.47

$0.33 ₱20.97

36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ₱148

$1.04 ₱65.1

125.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ₱201

$1.58 ₱99.2

102.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱120

$1.59 ₱100

20.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ₱80.7

$1.15 ₱72.2

11.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ₱65.8

$1.03 ₱64.4

1.94%

Eggs

$2.48 ₱156

$2.08 ₱131

19.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.98 ₱439

$5.15 ₱324

35.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 ₱305

$3.47 ₱218

39.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.77 ₱425

$7.81 ₱491

-13.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 ₱259

$2.29 ₱144

79.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱126

$1.60 ₱100

25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 ₱201

$2.32 ₱146

37.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱143

$1.02 ₱64.1

123.53%

Potato (1kg)

$3.52 ₱221

$1.72 ₱108

104.65%

Onion (1kg)

$3.59 ₱225

$1.77 ₱111

102.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₱69.4

$0.67 ₱41.92

64.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₱71.8

$0.49 ₱31.00

132.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 ₱161

$2.92 ₱183

-11.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 ₱502

$8.68 ₱545

-7.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₱82.9

$0.91 ₱57.0

45.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₱127

$2.05 ₱129

-0.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₱61.6

$0.26 ₱16.37

276.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 ₱3,619

$12.05 ₱757

378.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₱42.21

$0.78 ₱48.80

-14.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.17

$0.23 ₱14.35

-8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₱118

$1.89 ₱119

-1.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱78.1

$1.20 ₱75.5

3.33%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$21.5K ₱1.3M

-1.64%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$19.5K ₱1.2M

0.63%

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

$152 ₱9,557

$140 ₱8,825

8.30%

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

$16.13 ₱1,014

$17.18 ₱1,080

-6.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.63 ₱1,987

$23.34 ₱1,467

35.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 ₱3,422

$30.92 ₱1,943

76.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.45 ₱908

$5.22 ₱328

176.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 ₱437

$5.31 ₱334

30.89%

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

$803 ₱50.4K

$131 ₱8,221

513.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,454 ₱468.3K

$10.7K ₱674.6K

-30.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 ₱3,761

$28.45 ₱1,787

110.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.50 ₱2,356

$19.51 ₱1,226

92.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 ₱5,139

$72.1 ₱4,527

13.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ₱6,555

$54.7 ₱3,434

90.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 ₱47.3K

$298 ₱18.7K

152.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱27.0K

$167 ₱10.5K

156.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,279 ₱143.2K

$462 ₱29.0K

393.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 ₱66.2K

$395 ₱24.8K

166.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,865 ₱368.5K

$2,579 ₱162.0K

127.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,745 ₱235.3K

$1,164 ₱73.1K

221.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₱38.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

6.75

11.11%

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

Last update for Makati: September 14, 2026

Last update for Vigan: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $752 in Makati and $298 in Vigan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Makati vs $17.00 in Vigan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $175 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 67% 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 $1,840 in Makati and $1,104 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: $752 in Makati versus $298 in Vigan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,226 per month in Makati versus $736 in Vigan – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Vigan runs roughly 378% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $736 in Vigan versus $1,226 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 $736 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 67% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.