Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Marikina and Makati

For one person, living is cheaper in Marikina: $704 a month against $1,228 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

34

Cost of Living Index in Marikina
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Marikina Living Index
60

Cost of Living Index in Makati
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Makati Living Index

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Marikina

🇵🇭 Philippines

$704

/mo nomad

Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,228

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $704 in Marikina versus $1,228 in Makati.

Marikina $704
Makati $1,228

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,094 in Marikina versus $2,028 in Makati.

Marikina $1,094
Makati $2,028

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,484 in Marikina versus $2,828 in Makati.

Marikina $1,484
Makati $2,828

Living in Marikina costs roughly 43% less than in Makati, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Marikina 48% lower, Makati 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 ₱257

$6.22 ₱392

-34.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.37 ₱2,038

$39.57 ₱2,491

-18.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.17 ₱199

$4.88 ₱307

-35.04%

Cappuccino

$2.29 ₱144

$2.55 ₱161

-10.20%

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

$0.55 ₱34.81

$1.06 ₱67.0

-48.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₱20.92

$0.50 ₱31.54

-34.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 ₱63.7

$2.38 ₱150

-57.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₱149

$3.21 ₱202

-26.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 ₱117

$1.90 ₱120

-2.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 ₱77.7

$1.29 ₱81.5

-4.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ₱66.5

$1.06 ₱67.0

Eggs

$2.08 ₱131

$2.47 ₱155

-15.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.39 ₱466

$7.29 ₱459

1.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.20 ₱264

$4.86 ₱306

-13.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.78 ₱427

$7.03 ₱442

-3.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 ₱155

$4.04 ₱254

-39.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 ₱128

$1.94 ₱122

4.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱146

$3.22 ₱203

-27.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 ₱145

$2.29 ₱144

0.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 ₱150

$3.48 ₱219

-31.61%

Onion (1kg)

$3.48 ₱219

$3.59 ₱226

-3.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₱69.5

$1.06 ₱66.8

3.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₱44.21

$1.11 ₱69.7

-36.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 ₱184

$2.69 ₱169

8.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.73 ₱550

$8.11 ₱511

7.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 ₱62.0

$1.32 ₱82.9

-25.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₱129

$1.98 ₱124

3.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 ₱31.34

$0.90 ₱56.4

-44.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.8 ₱3,575

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 ₱46.04

$0.67 ₱41.91

8.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.53

$0.21 ₱13.16

9.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 ₱122

$1.93 ₱121

0.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱78.3

$1.25 ₱78.8

-0.80%

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

$21.7K ₱1.4M

$21.3K ₱1.3M

1.98%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$19.6K ₱1.2M

-0.67%

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

$139 ₱8,744

$153 ₱9,620

-9.11%

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

$16.19 ₱1,019

$16.06 ₱1,011

0.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.10 ₱1,769

$32.37 ₱2,038

-13.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.73 ₱2,312

$54.9 ₱3,456

-33.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.14 ₱890

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 ₱448

$7.22 ₱454

-1.52%

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

$131 ₱8,250

$794 ₱50.0K

-83.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,456 ₱469.4K

$7,321 ₱460.9K

1.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 ₱3,774

$61.2 ₱3,850

-1.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.37 ₱1,786

$36.86 ₱2,321

-23.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 ₱4,745

$81.5 ₱5,129

-7.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.7 ₱3,442

$103 ₱6,510

-47.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$180 ₱11.3K

$815 ₱51.3K

-77.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$79.2 ₱4,986

$417 ₱26.3K

-81.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$322 ₱20.3K

$2,274 ₱143.2K

-85.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$145 ₱9,110

$1,069 ₱67.3K

-86.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,134 ₱71.4K

$5,869 ₱369.5K

-80.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$481 ₱30.3K

$3,738 ₱235.4K

-87.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 ₱24.3K

$601 ₱37.9K

-35.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

7.5

-10.00%

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

Last update for Marikina: October 11, 2026

Last update for Makati: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Marikina

$206 29.2%

Makati

$231 18.8% 12.6% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Marikina

$183 26%

Makati

$201 16.4% 9.9% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Marikina

$98 14%

Makati

$127 10.4% 29.5% $29

Eating Out

Marikina

$83 11.8%

Makati

$120 9.7% 44.2% $37

Accommodation & Living

Marikina

$79 11.3%

Makati

$417 34% 427% $338

Sport & Entertainment

Marikina

$51 7.2%

Makati

$69 5.6% 36.1% $18

Getting Around

Marikina

$3.9 * 0.6%

Makati

$62 5.1% 1500% $58

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $180 in Marikina and $815 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 56% 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: $32.00 in Marikina vs $40.00 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $231 per month, with Marikina cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Marikina

🇵🇭 Makati

🕒 Local time

05:49 5:49 AM

Same time as Marikina

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

456,059

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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Marikina Makati 12 km

From you

Marikina
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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

Marikina vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Marikina wins on cost – living expenses run 74% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Marikina the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 56% 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: $180 in Marikina versus $815 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $704 per month in Marikina versus $1,228 in Makati – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $704 in Marikina versus $1,228 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Marikina but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Marikina the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Marikina delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $704 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Marikina hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Marikina 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 Marikina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.