Cost of Living Comparison Between Nueva Ecija and Makati Cost of Living Comparison Between Nueva Ecija and Makati

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $657 in Nueva Ecija versus $1,186 in Makati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,061 in Nueva Ecija versus $2,004 in Makati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,465 in Nueva Ecija versus $2,822 in Makati.

Living in Nueva Ecija costs roughly 45% less than in Makati, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nueva Ecija 51% lower, Makati 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.46 ₱271

$6.83 ₱415

-34.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.59 ₱2,161

$44.54 ₱2,705

-20.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.26 ₱198

$4.88 ₱296

-33.20%

Cappuccino

$1.35 ₱82.0

$2.87 ₱174

-52.96%

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

$0.76 ₱46.43

$1.16 ₱70.4

-34.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₱21.96

$0.53 ₱32.32

-32.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.91 ₱55.5

$2.44 ₱148

-62.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱136

$3.48 ₱211

-35.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.97 ₱180

$2.12 ₱129

40.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ₱60.8

$1.51 ₱91.4

-33.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ₱60.6

$1.12 ₱67.7

-10.71%

Eggs

$1.70 ₱103

$2.25 ₱137

-24.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 ₱498

$8.04 ₱488

1.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.82 ₱232

$4.42 ₱269

-13.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.33 ₱384

$7.81 ₱474

-18.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.06 ₱247

$4.51 ₱274

-9.98%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 ₱50.6

$1.91 ₱116

-56.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₱113

$2.72 ₱165

-31.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ₱112

$2.19 ₱133

-15.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 ₱105

$3.26 ₱198

-46.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 ₱133

$2.93 ₱178

-25.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 ₱139

$1.10 ₱66.6

108.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₱28.58

$0.99 ₱60.1

-52.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 ₱150

$2.85 ₱173

-13.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.40 ₱267

$8.27 ₱502

-46.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ₱85.0

$1.18 ₱71.9

18.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 ₱149

$2.33 ₱141

5.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ₱18.02

$0.51 ₱30.91

-41.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.24 ₱379

$3.49 ₱212

78.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱47.77

$0.77 ₱46.80

2.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.28

$0.13 ₱7.76

69.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₱71.8

$3.64 ₱221

-67.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 ₱58.3

$1.15 ₱69.7

-16.52%

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

$18.1K ₱1.1M

$33.6K ₱2.0M

-46.25%

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

$23.1K ₱1.4M

$22.1K ₱1.3M

4.54%

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

$87.5 ₱5,313

$168 ₱10.2K

-48.03%

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

$32.89 ₱1,997

$27.62 ₱1,677

19.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ₱1,228

$36.63 ₱2,224

-44.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.01 ₱2,065

$56.5 ₱3,428

-39.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.40 ₱267

$11.69 ₱710

-62.36%

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 ₱310

$7.76 ₱471

-34.28%

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

$153 ₱9,318

$320 ₱19.4K

-52.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,263 ₱258.8K

$7,666 ₱465.5K

-44.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.69 ₱2,774

$58.5 ₱3,554

-21.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.10 ₱2,070

$35.71 ₱2,169

-4.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.4 ₱4,214

$86.2 ₱5,231

-19.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₱6,899

$125 ₱7,609

-9.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$131 ₱7,927

$660 ₱40.1K

-80.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$75.9 ₱4,606

$394 ₱23.9K

-80.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$191 ₱11.6K

$2,263 ₱137.4K

-91.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 ₱8,507

$1,009 ₱61.2K

-86.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,471 ₱150.0K

$6,121 ₱371.7K

-59.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,011 ₱61.4K

$3,737 ₱226.9K

-72.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$196 ₱11.9K

$693 ₱42.1K

-71.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

6.67

-7.50%

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

Last update for Nueva Ecija: June 7, 2026

Last update for Makati: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $131 in Nueva Ecija and $660 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 253% 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: $36.00 in Nueva Ecija vs $45.00 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $200 vs $234 per month, with Nueva Ecija cheaper across the board.

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 80% 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, Makati earns 253% less. 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: $131 in Nueva Ecija versus $660 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $657 per month in Nueva Ecija versus $1,186 in Makati – a 80% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Nueva Ecija runs roughly 79% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $657 in Nueva Ecija versus $1,186 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 $657 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 80% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.