Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Muntinlupa and Makati

For one person, living is cheaper in Muntinlupa: $727 a month against $1,230 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

35

Cost of Living Index in Muntinlupa
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Muntinlupa Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Makati
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Makati Living Index

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Muntinlupa

🇵🇭 Philippines

$727

/mo nomad

Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,230

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $727 in Muntinlupa versus $1,230 in Makati.

Muntinlupa $727
Makati $1,230

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,154 in Muntinlupa versus $2,137 in Makati.

Muntinlupa $1,154
Makati $2,137

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,581 in Muntinlupa versus $3,044 in Makati.

Muntinlupa $1,581
Makati $3,044

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 ₱250

$6.40 ₱408

-38.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.10 ₱1,663

$38.45 ₱2,450

-32.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.79 ₱178

$4.78 ₱305

-41.63%

Cappuccino

$2.31 ₱147

$2.59 ₱165

-10.81%

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

$0.92 ₱58.9

$1.09 ₱69.7

-15.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱28.95

$0.49 ₱31.30

-8.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 ₱75.6

$2.39 ₱152

-50.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ₱117

$3.18 ₱202

-42.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ₱103

$1.80 ₱115

-10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ₱75.7

$1.26 ₱80.6

-5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱65.2

$1.03 ₱65.7

-0.97%

Eggs

$1.98 ₱126

$2.37 ₱151

-16.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.02 ₱320

$6.91 ₱440

-27.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ₱233

$4.93 ₱314

-25.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.89 ₱439

$6.74 ₱430

2.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₱146

$4.12 ₱262

-44.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 ₱95.5

$1.90 ₱121

-21.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 ₱161

$3.19 ₱203

-21.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 ₱78.2

$2.25 ₱143

-45.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ₱108

$3.55 ₱226

-52.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 ₱118

$3.50 ₱223

-46.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 ₱67.4

$1.07 ₱67.9

-0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱34.05

$1.13 ₱71.7

-53.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 ₱185

$2.60 ₱165

11.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.67 ₱553

$7.85 ₱500

10.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₱82.4

$1.29 ₱82.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ₱125

$1.93 ₱123

1.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₱15.53

$0.88 ₱56.3

-72.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.36 ₱788

$56.3 ₱3,585

-78.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 ₱45.09

$0.65 ₱41.48

9.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.68

$0.21 ₱13.34

9.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ₱121

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₱78.5

$1.28 ₱81.4

-3.91%

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

$21.2K ₱1.4M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

1.95%

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

$19.3K ₱1.2M

$18.9K ₱1.2M

2.30%

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

$122 ₱7,754

$151 ₱9,643

-19.59%

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

$15.80 ₱1,007

$15.59 ₱993

1.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.08 ₱1,534

$31.38 ₱1,999

-23.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.18 ₱1,987

$53.3 ₱3,394

-41.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.39 ₱343

$14.04 ₱895

-61.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.99 ₱318

$7.22 ₱460

-30.89%

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

$133 ₱8,462

$776 ₱49.4K

-82.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,812 ₱561.5K

$7,391 ₱471.0K

19.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.76 ₱2,087

$59.9 ₱3,816

-45.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.94 ₱1,207

$36.96 ₱2,355

-48.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 ₱4,810

$81.0 ₱5,163

-6.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.7 ₱3,612

$101 ₱6,429

-43.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 ₱17.9K

$829 ₱52.8K

-66.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$166 ₱10.6K

$429 ₱27.3K

-61.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$493 ₱31.4K

$2,151 ₱137.0K

-77.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 ₱25.2K

$1,308 ₱83.4K

-69.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,645 ₱168.6K

$5,714 ₱364.1K

-53.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,105 ₱70.4K

$3,568 ₱227.4K

-69.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ₱37.9K

$587 ₱37.4K

1.37%

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 Muntinlupa: October 25, 2026

Last update for Makati: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Muntinlupa

$178 24.5%

Makati

$227 18.5% 27.7% $49

Accommodation & Living

Muntinlupa

$166 22.8%

Makati

$429 34.8% 158% $263

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Muntinlupa

$162 22.2%

Makati

$198 16.1% 22.7% $37

Clothing & Footwear

Muntinlupa

$83 11.4%

Makati

$125 10.2% 51.6% $43

Eating Out

Muntinlupa

$83 11.4%

Makati

$121 9.9% 46.9% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Muntinlupa

$41 5.7%

Makati

$68 5.5% 64.5% $27

Getting Around

Muntinlupa

$15 2.1%

Makati

$61 5% 305% $46

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $281 in Muntinlupa and $829 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $26 in Muntinlupa vs $38 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $178 vs $227 per month, with Muntinlupa cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Muntinlupa

🇵🇭 Makati

🕒 Local time

15:56 3:56 PM

Same time as Muntinlupa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

543,445

582,602

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Muntinlupa Makati 19 km

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Muntinlupa
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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

Muntinlupa vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

You’d need roughly $1,091 in Muntinlupa and $1,845 in Makati 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: $281 in Muntinlupa versus $829 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $727 per month in Muntinlupa versus $1,230 in Makati – Muntinlupa is about 41% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Muntinlupa runs roughly 78% less than in Makati. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

At $727 in Muntinlupa versus $1,230 in Makati, a $800 budget is realistic in Muntinlupa but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Muntinlupa 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.

Safety-wise, Muntinlupa and Makati are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Muntinlupa 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.