Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Makati

For one person, living is cheaper in Manila: $948 a month against $1,228 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

46

Cost of Living Index in Manila
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Manila Living Index
60

Cost of Living Index in Makati
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Makati Living Index

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Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$948

/mo nomad

Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,228

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manila and in Makati

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Manila and in Makati actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $948 in Manila versus $1,228 in Makati.

Manila $948
Makati $1,228

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,508 in Manila versus $2,028 in Makati.

Manila $1,508
Makati $2,028

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,068 in Manila versus $2,828 in Makati.

Manila $2,068
Makati $2,828

Living in Manila costs roughly 23% less than in Makati, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Manila 30% lower, Makati 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.46 ₱344

$6.22 ₱392

-12.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.93 ₱1,695

$39.57 ₱2,491

-31.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.90 ₱246

$4.88 ₱307

-20.08%

Cappuccino

$2.62 ₱165

$2.55 ₱161

2.75%

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

$1.36 ₱85.5

$1.06 ₱67.0

28.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₱52.3

$0.50 ₱31.54

66.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ₱76.9

$2.38 ₱150

-48.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱146

$3.21 ₱202

-27.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ₱123

$1.90 ₱120

3.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ₱89.1

$1.29 ₱81.5

10.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 ₱65.4

$1.06 ₱67.0

-1.89%

Eggs

$2.23 ₱140

$2.47 ₱155

-9.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 ₱485

$7.29 ₱459

5.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.91 ₱309

$4.86 ₱306

1.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.12 ₱448

$7.03 ₱442

1.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ₱204

$4.04 ₱254

-20.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱121

$1.94 ₱122

-1.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 ₱184

$3.22 ₱203

-9.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 ₱113

$2.29 ₱144

-21.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 ₱146

$3.48 ₱219

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 ₱172

$3.59 ₱226

-23.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 ₱133

$1.06 ₱66.8

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₱37.25

$1.11 ₱69.7

-46.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ₱200

$2.69 ₱169

18.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.81 ₱618

$8.11 ₱511

20.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 ₱84.1

$1.32 ₱82.9

1.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 ₱126

$1.98 ₱124

1.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ₱29.47

$0.90 ₱56.4

-47.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.56 ₱791

$56.8 ₱3,575

-77.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 ₱46.07

$0.67 ₱41.91

8.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.20

$0.21 ₱13.16

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₱118

$1.93 ₱121

-3.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ₱80.6

$1.25 ₱78.8

2.40%

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

$21.4K ₱1.3M

$21.3K ₱1.3M

0.51%

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

$19.3K ₱1.2M

$19.6K ₱1.2M

-1.33%

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

$124 ₱7,822

$153 ₱9,620

-18.69%

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

$15.73 ₱990

$16.06 ₱1,011

-2.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 ₱1,536

$32.37 ₱2,038

-24.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.31 ₱2,727

$54.9 ₱3,456

-21.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 ₱365

$14.14 ₱890

-59.05%

Cinema Ticket

$6.76 ₱425

$7.22 ₱454

-6.37%

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

$630 ₱39.7K

$794 ₱50.0K

-20.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,004 ₱566.9K

$7,321 ₱460.9K

22.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 ₱3,668

$61.2 ₱3,850

-4.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.34 ₱1,721

$36.86 ₱2,321

-25.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 ₱4,758

$81.5 ₱5,129

-7.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.6 ₱3,564

$103 ₱6,510

-45.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$536 ₱33.8K

$815 ₱51.3K

-34.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 ₱17.9K

$417 ₱26.3K

-32.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,874 ₱118.0K

$2,274 ₱143.2K

-17.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 ₱41.2K

$1,069 ₱67.3K

-38.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,438 ₱279.4K

$5,869 ₱369.5K

-24.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₱159.3K

$3,738 ₱235.4K

-32.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$467 ₱29.4K

$601 ₱37.9K

-22.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

7.5

-0.93%

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

Last update for Manila: October 11, 2026

Last update for Makati: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Manila

$284 29.9%

Makati

$417 34% 47.1% $134

Groceries & Markets

Manila

$222 23.5%

Makati

$231 18.8% 4% $9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manila

$164 17.3%

Makati

$201 16.4% 22.4% $37

Eating Out

Manila

$106 11.2%

Makati

$120 9.7% 12.4% $13

Clothing & Footwear

Manila

$98 10.3%

Makati

$127 10.4% 29.9% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Manila

$57 6%

Makati

$69 5.6% 22% $12

Getting Around

Manila

$16 1.7%

Makati

$62 5.1% 283% $46

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $536 in Manila and $815 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 29% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $27.00 in Manila vs $40.00 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 vs $231 per month, with Manila cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Manila

🇵🇭 Makati

🕒 Local time

06:40 6:40 AM

Same time as Manila

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,780,148 Capital

582,602

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Manila
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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

Manila vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manila wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Manila the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 29% lower in Makati. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $536 in Manila versus $815 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $948 per month in Manila versus $1,228 in Makati – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Manila runs roughly 352% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $948 in Manila versus $1,228 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Manila but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Manila the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Manila delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $948 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Manila hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Manila and Makati 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 Manila gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.