Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nueva Ecija and Makati

For one person, living is cheaper in Nueva Ecija: $529 a month against $1,228 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

26

Cost of Living Index in Nueva Ecija
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Nueva Ecija Living Index
60

Cost of Living Index in Makati
Learn more

Makati Living Index

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Nueva Ecija

🇵🇭 Philippines

$529

/mo nomad

Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,228

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $529 in Nueva Ecija versus $1,228 in Makati.

Nueva Ecija $529
Makati $1,228

Estimated couple costs with rent: $935 in Nueva Ecija versus $2,028 in Makati.

Nueva Ecija $935
Makati $2,028

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,340 in Nueva Ecija versus $2,828 in Makati.

Nueva Ecija $1,340
Makati $2,828

Living in Nueva Ecija costs roughly 57% less than in Makati, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nueva Ecija 61% lower, Makati 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.90 ₱246

$6.22 ₱392

-37.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.99 ₱1,070

$39.57 ₱2,491

-57.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.74 ₱173

$4.88 ₱307

-43.85%

Cappuccino

$1.42 ₱89.2

$2.55 ₱161

-44.31%

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

$0.56 ₱35.40

$1.06 ₱67.0

-47.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₱19.18

$0.50 ₱31.54

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.97 ₱61.2

$2.38 ₱150

-59.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ₱98.5

$3.21 ₱202

-51.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ₱105

$1.90 ₱120

-12.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 ₱60.5

$1.29 ₱81.5

-25.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 ₱56.0

$1.06 ₱67.0

-16.04%

Eggs

$1.54 ₱96.7

$2.47 ₱155

-37.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.22 ₱329

$7.29 ₱459

-28.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 ₱208

$4.86 ₱306

-31.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.65 ₱356

$7.03 ₱442

-19.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 ₱139

$4.04 ₱254

-45.54%

Banana (1kg)

$0.73 ₱46.06

$1.94 ₱122

-62.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 ₱111

$3.22 ₱203

-45.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 ₱67.8

$2.29 ₱144

-52.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 ₱105

$3.48 ₱219

-52.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 ₱109

$3.59 ₱226

-52.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ₱38.73

$1.06 ₱66.8

-41.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₱26.97

$1.11 ₱69.7

-61.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 ₱142

$2.69 ₱169

-15.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.36 ₱275

$8.11 ₱511

-46.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₱60.3

$1.32 ₱82.9

-27.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 ₱126

$1.98 ₱124

1.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ₱16.99

$0.90 ₱56.4

-70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.51 ₱347

$56.8 ₱3,575

-90.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 ₱44.14

$0.67 ₱41.91

4.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.14 ₱9.01

$0.21 ₱13.16

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 ₱63.9

$1.93 ₱121

-47.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 ₱58.1

$1.25 ₱78.8

-26.40%

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

$16.1K ₱1.0M

$21.3K ₱1.3M

-24.47%

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

$19.2K ₱1.2M

$19.6K ₱1.2M

-2.06%

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

$78.7 ₱4,954

$153 ₱9,620

-48.50%

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

$17.23 ₱1,085

$16.06 ₱1,011

7.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.30 ₱1,152

$32.37 ₱2,038

-43.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.48 ₱2,297

$54.9 ₱3,456

-33.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.38 ₱276

$14.14 ₱890

-69.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.48 ₱282

$7.22 ₱454

-37.95%

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

$134 ₱8,440

$794 ₱50.0K

-83.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ₱669.6K

$7,321 ₱460.9K

45.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.15 ₱1,835

$61.2 ₱3,850

-52.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.55 ₱1,231

$36.86 ₱2,321

-46.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 ₱4,442

$81.5 ₱5,129

-13.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.7 ₱3,445

$103 ₱6,510

-47.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$114 ₱7,197

$815 ₱51.3K

-85.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.6 ₱4,321

$417 ₱26.3K

-83.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$173 ₱10.9K

$2,274 ₱143.2K

-92.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₱22.5K

$1,069 ₱67.3K

-66.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,452 ₱154.4K

$5,869 ₱369.5K

-58.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$883 ₱55.6K

$3,738 ₱235.4K

-76.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$189 ₱11.9K

$601 ₱37.9K

-68.57%

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 Nueva Ecija: 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

Nueva Ecija

$147 27.7%

Makati

$231 18.8% 57.9% $85

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nueva Ecija

$114 21.6%

Makati

$201 16.4% 76.2% $87

Clothing & Footwear

Nueva Ecija

$78 14.8%

Makati

$127 10.4% 62.6% $49

Accommodation & Living

Nueva Ecija

$69 13%

Makati

$417 34% 508% $349

Eating Out

Nueva Ecija

$68 12.8%

Makati

$120 9.7% 76.1% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Nueva Ecija

$45 8.6%

Makati

$69 5.6% 52.6% $24

Getting Around

Nueva Ecija

$8 1.5%

Makati

$62 5.1% 676% $54

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $114 in Nueva Ecija and $815 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 218% 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: $17.00 in Nueva Ecija vs $40.00 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $147 vs $231 per month, with Nueva Ecija cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Nueva Ecija

🇵🇭 Makati

🕒 Local time

03:33 3:33 AM

Same time as Nueva Ecija

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

64,610

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

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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

Nueva Ecija vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nueva Ecija wins on cost – living expenses run 132% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nueva Ecija the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 218% 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: $114 in Nueva Ecija versus $815 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $529 per month in Nueva Ecija versus $1,228 in Makati – a 132% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Nueva Ecija runs roughly 930% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $529 in Nueva Ecija versus $1,228 in Makati, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nueva Ecija but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Nueva Ecija the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Nueva Ecija delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $529 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nueva Ecija hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Nueva Ecija 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 Nueva Ecija gentler on the wallet – expenses run 132% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.