Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Marawi and Makati

For one person, living is cheaper in Marawi: $720 a month against $1,230 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

35

Cost of Living Index in Marawi
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Marawi Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Makati
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Makati Living Index

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Marawi

🇵🇭 Philippines

$720

/mo nomad

Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,230

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Marawi 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 Marawi and in Makati actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $720 in Marawi versus $1,230 in Makati.

Marawi $720
Makati $1,230

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,102 in Marawi versus $2,137 in Makati.

Marawi $1,102
Makati $2,137

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,484 in Marawi versus $3,044 in Makati.

Marawi $1,484
Makati $3,044

Living in Marawi costs roughly 41% less than in Makati, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Marawi 47% lower, Makati 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.83 ₱243

$6.40 ₱406

-40.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.52 ₱1,176

$38.45 ₱2,442

-51.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.69 ₱171

$4.78 ₱304

-43.72%

Cappuccino

$2.18 ₱139

$2.59 ₱165

-15.83%

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

$0.68 ₱43.05

$1.09 ₱69.5

-37.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₱19.34

$0.49 ₱31.20

-38.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 ₱81.6

$2.39 ₱152

-46.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₱143

$3.18 ₱202

-29.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ₱101

$1.80 ₱115

-12.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 ₱73.0

$1.26 ₱80.3

-8.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ₱57.8

$1.03 ₱65.5

-11.65%

Eggs

$1.90 ₱121

$2.37 ₱150

-19.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.60 ₱356

$6.91 ₱439

-18.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.13 ₱262

$4.93 ₱313

-16.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.85 ₱435

$6.74 ₱428

1.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ₱152

$4.12 ₱261

-41.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₱96.3

$1.90 ₱121

-20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ₱147

$3.19 ₱202

-27.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ₱73.2

$2.25 ₱143

-48.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 ₱131

$3.55 ₱225

-41.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 ₱143

$3.50 ₱222

-35.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₱70.1

$1.07 ₱67.7

2.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱36.57

$1.13 ₱71.5

-48.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ₱210

$2.60 ₱165

26.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.50 ₱413

$7.85 ₱499

-17.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₱53.7

$1.29 ₱82.1

-34.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₱136

$1.93 ₱123

10.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱14.11

$0.88 ₱56.1

-75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.88 ₱754

$56.3 ₱3,573

-78.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 ₱46.36

$0.65 ₱41.34

12.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱15.50

$0.21 ₱13.29

14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.72 ₱109

$1.90 ₱121

-9.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₱76.9

$1.28 ₱81.1

-5.47%

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

$20.3K ₱1.3M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

-2.58%

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

$18.9K ₱1.2M

0.29%

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

$129 ₱8,167

$151 ₱9,611

-15.03%

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

$15.78 ₱1,002

$15.59 ₱990

1.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.96 ₱1,522

$31.38 ₱1,993

-23.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.95 ₱1,775

$53.3 ₱3,383

-47.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.10 ₱324

$14.04 ₱892

-63.68%

Cinema Ticket

$5.13 ₱326

$7.22 ₱458

-28.95%

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

$128 ₱8,131

$776 ₱49.3K

-83.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,981 ₱506.8K

$7,391 ₱469.4K

7.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.94 ₱2,028

$59.9 ₱3,803

-46.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.14 ₱1,216

$36.96 ₱2,347

-48.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 ₱4,485

$81.0 ₱5,146

-12.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.5 ₱3,459

$101 ₱6,407

-46.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$252 ₱16.0K

$829 ₱52.6K

-69.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$164 ₱10.4K

$429 ₱27.2K

-61.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 ₱30.9K

$2,151 ₱136.6K

-77.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 ₱22.0K

$1,308 ₱83.1K

-73.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,810 ₱178.4K

$5,714 ₱362.9K

-50.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,103 ₱70.0K

$3,568 ₱226.6K

-69.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$284 ₱18.0K

$587 ₱37.3K

-51.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.92

7.5

-7.73%

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

Last update for Marawi: October 26, 2026

Last update for Makati: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Marawi

$176 24.5%

Makati

$227 18.5% 29% $51

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Marawi

$168 23.4%

Makati

$198 16.1% 17.8% $30

Accommodation & Living

Marawi

$164 22.7%

Makati

$429 34.8% 162% $265

Eating Out

Marawi

$80 11.1%

Makati

$121 9.9% 52.1% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Marawi

$79 11%

Makati

$125 10.2% 58.2% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Marawi

$38 5.3%

Makati

$68 5.5% 77.2% $29

Getting Around

Marawi

$15 2%

Makati

$61 5% 318% $47

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $252 in Marawi and $829 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays about 2.1 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $19 in Marawi vs $38 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $176 vs $227 per month, with Marawi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Marawi

🇵🇭 Makati

🕒 Local time

12:44 12:44 PM

Same time as Marawi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

207,010

582,602

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.4 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Marawi Makati 810 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Marawi
Makati

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

Marawi vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Marawi wins on cost – living expenses run 41% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Marawi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 52% lower in Marawi. 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: $252 in Marawi versus $829 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $720 per month in Marawi versus $1,230 in Makati – Marawi is about 41% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Marawi runs roughly 79% less than in Makati. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

At $720 in Marawi versus $1,230 in Makati, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Marawi but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Marawi the clear choice for anyone on this 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.

Expats usually find Marawi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.