Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Vigan

For one person, living is cheaper in Vigan: $720 a month against $1,174 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 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
34

Cost of Living Index in Vigan
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Vigan Living Index

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Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,174

/mo nomad

Vigan

🇵🇭 Philippines

$720

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Makati and in Vigan

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 Vigan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,174 in Makati versus $720 in Vigan.

Makati $1,174
Vigan $720

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,962 in Makati versus $1,087 in Vigan.

Makati $1,962
Vigan $1,087

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,750 in Makati versus $1,455 in Vigan.

Makati $2,750
Vigan $1,455

Living in Makati is roughly 63% more expensive than in Vigan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 13% lower, Vigan 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 ₱299

$3.88 ₱246

21.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.37 ₱1,671

$16.73 ₱1,060

57.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.01 ₱254

$1.74 ₱110

130.46%

Cappuccino

$2.46 ₱156

$1.76 ₱112

39.77%

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

$1.05 ₱66.6

$0.58 ₱37.01

81.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₱37.42

$0.31 ₱19.39

90.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ₱73.5

$1.00 ₱63.6

16.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 ₱153

$1.58 ₱100

52.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ₱118

$1.57 ₱99.7

18.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 ₱71.1

$1.14 ₱72.1

-1.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ₱62.4

$1.00 ₱63.5

-1.00%

Eggs

$2.20 ₱139

$1.99 ₱126

10.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.51 ₱476

$4.84 ₱307

55.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.63 ₱293

$3.29 ₱209

40.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.01 ₱444

$7.53 ₱477

-6.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ₱205

$2.24 ₱142

44.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ₱121

$1.58 ₱100

20.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 ₱175

$2.35 ₱149

17.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 ₱56.0

$1.01 ₱64.1

-12.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ₱84.2

$1.70 ₱107

-21.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ₱87.3

$1.70 ₱108

-18.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 ₱119

$0.87 ₱54.9

114.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱36.90

$0.52 ₱32.86

11.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 ₱192

$2.93 ₱186

3.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.67 ₱613

$8.50 ₱538

13.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱79.4

$0.94 ₱59.4

32.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ₱128

$2.04 ₱130

-1.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 ₱48.34

$0.24 ₱15.28

216.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.7 ₱3,655

$12.42 ₱787

364.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱47.64

$0.80 ₱50.4

-6.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 ₱12.66

$0.20 ₱12.69

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 ₱124

$1.84 ₱116

6.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₱79.5

$1.24 ₱78.7

0.81%

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

$20.9K ₱1.3M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

1.30%

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

$18.9K ₱1.2M

$18.6K ₱1.2M

1.97%

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

$111 ₱7,023

$137 ₱8,667

-18.97%

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

$16.82 ₱1,066

$17.37 ₱1,100

-3.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.00 ₱1,521

$23.09 ₱1,463

3.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 ₱3,587

$31.16 ₱1,974

81.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.14 ₱896

$5.31 ₱336

166.29%

Cinema Ticket

$6.31 ₱400

$5.20 ₱329

21.35%

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

$619 ₱39.2K

$132 ₱8,342

370.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,231 ₱331.4K

$10.5K ₱667.7K

-50.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ₱3,511

$28.61 ₱1,813

93.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.32 ₱1,984

$19.14 ₱1,213

63.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.0 ₱4,435

$70.6 ₱4,475

-0.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.8 ₱3,665

$54.1 ₱3,426

6.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$820 ₱51.9K

$251 ₱15.9K

226.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 ₱31.3K

$167 ₱10.6K

195.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,487 ₱157.6K

$490 ₱31.0K

407.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 ₱82.0K

$345 ₱21.8K

275.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,608 ₱355.3K

$2,582 ₱163.6K

117.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,558 ₱225.4K

$1,091 ₱69.2K

225.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ₱33.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

3.70%

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

Last update for Makati: November 2, 2026

Last update for Vigan: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Makati

$495 42.1%

Vigan

$167 23.3% 66.1% $327

Groceries & Markets

Makati

$203 17.3%

Vigan

$172 23.9% 15.4% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Makati

$152 12.9%

Vigan

$177 24.6% 16.9% $26

Eating Out

Makati

$97 8.2%

Vigan

$69 9.6% 28.3% $27

Clothing & Footwear

Makati

$97 8.2%

Vigan

$78 10.8% 19.6% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Makati

$69 5.9%

Vigan

$42 5.8% 40% $28

Getting Around

Makati

$62 5.3%

Vigan

$15 2.1% 75.7% $47

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $820 in Makati and $251 in Vigan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $26 in Makati vs $17 in Vigan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $172 per month, with Vigan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Makati

🇵🇭 Vigan

🕒 Local time

09:50 9:50 AM

Same time as Makati

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

582,602

53,879

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.58 USD

100 PHP = 1.4 EUR

100 PHP = 1.58 USD

100 PHP = 1.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Makati Vigan 340 km

From you

Makati
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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 Vigan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vigan wins on cost – living expenses run 39% 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 $1,761 in Makati and $1,080 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: $820 in Makati versus $251 in Vigan. 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 $720 in Vigan – Vigan is about 39% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Vigan runs roughly 78% less than in Makati. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your 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 Vigan are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Vigan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.