Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Palawan and Makati

For one person, living is cheaper in Palawan: $784 a month against $1,230 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

38

Cost of Living Index in Palawan
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Palawan Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Makati
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Makati Living Index

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Palawan

🇵🇭 Philippines

$784

/mo nomad

Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,230

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $784 in Palawan versus $1,230 in Makati.

Palawan $784
Makati $1,230

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,223 in Palawan versus $2,137 in Makati.

Palawan $1,223
Makati $2,137

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,661 in Palawan versus $3,044 in Makati.

Palawan $1,661
Makati $3,044

Living in Palawan costs roughly 36% less than in Makati, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Palawan 42% lower, Makati 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.48 ₱222

$6.40 ₱409

-45.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.38 ₱1,238

$38.45 ₱2,457

-49.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.31 ₱211

$4.78 ₱306

-30.75%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱161

$2.59 ₱166

-2.70%

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

$0.78 ₱49.78

$1.09 ₱69.9

-28.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₱25.21

$0.49 ₱31.39

-20.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 ₱83.5

$2.39 ₱153

-45.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₱137

$3.18 ₱203

-32.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱121

$1.80 ₱115

5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ₱77.7

$1.26 ₱80.8

-3.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ₱63.8

$1.03 ₱65.9

-2.91%

Eggs

$2.00 ₱128

$2.37 ₱151

-15.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 ₱505

$6.91 ₱441

14.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 ₱278

$4.93 ₱315

-11.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.62 ₱487

$6.74 ₱431

13.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 ₱183

$4.12 ₱263

-30.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 ₱101

$1.90 ₱122

-16.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 ₱167

$3.19 ₱204

-17.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ₱99.2

$2.25 ₱144

-31.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 ₱143

$3.55 ₱227

-36.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ₱162

$3.50 ₱223

-27.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ₱70.7

$1.07 ₱68.1

3.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₱48.14

$1.13 ₱71.9

-33.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 ₱185

$2.60 ₱166

11.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.95 ₱444

$7.85 ₱502

-11.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ₱74.4

$1.29 ₱82.6

-9.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₱127

$1.93 ₱124

2.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱16.47

$0.88 ₱56.4

-70.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.46 ₱732

$56.3 ₱3,595

-79.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱52.0

$0.65 ₱41.59

24.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱14.04

$0.21 ₱13.38

4.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 ₱133

$1.90 ₱122

9.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₱72.4

$1.28 ₱81.6

-11.72%

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

$26.1K ₱1.7M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

25.58%

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

$20.7K ₱1.3M

$18.9K ₱1.2M

9.92%

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

$112 ₱7,135

$151 ₱9,669

-26.21%

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

$33.36 ₱2,132

$15.59 ₱996

113.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.52 ₱1,758

$31.38 ₱2,005

-12.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.20 ₱2,185

$53.3 ₱3,403

-35.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.55 ₱291

$14.04 ₱897

-67.59%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ₱381

$7.22 ₱461

-17.45%

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

$153 ₱9,793

$776 ₱49.6K

-80.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,354 ₱278.2K

$7,391 ₱472.2K

-41.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.66 ₱2,981

$59.9 ₱3,826

-22.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.57 ₱1,698

$36.96 ₱2,361

-28.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.4 ₱4,754

$81.0 ₱5,177

-8.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.1 ₱3,458

$101 ₱6,446

-46.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$263 ₱16.8K

$829 ₱53.0K

-68.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 ₱11.1K

$429 ₱27.4K

-59.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$576 ₱36.8K

$2,151 ₱137.4K

-73.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.9K

$1,308 ₱83.6K

-70.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,321 ₱148.3K

$5,714 ₱365.1K

-59.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,122 ₱71.7K

$3,568 ₱228.0K

-68.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$587 ₱37.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

7.5

-11.07%

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

Last update for Palawan: 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

Palawan

$202 25.8%

Makati

$227 18.5% 12.3% $25

Accommodation & Living

Palawan

$174 22.2%

Makati

$429 34.8% 146% $254

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Palawan

$173 22%

Makati

$198 16.1% 14.9% $26

Clothing & Footwear

Palawan

$91 11.6%

Makati

$125 10.2% 38.2% $35

Eating Out

Palawan

$84 10.7%

Makati

$121 9.9% 45.2% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Palawan

$46 5.9%

Makati

$68 5.5% 46.8% $22

Getting Around

Palawan

$14 1.8%

Makati

$61 5% 327% $47

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $263 in Palawan and $829 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19 in Palawan vs $38 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $202 vs $227 per month, with Palawan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Palawan

🇵🇭 Makati

🕒 Local time

04:23 4:23 AM

Same time as Palawan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

939,594

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

On the map

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Between locations

Palawan Makati 580 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Palawan
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

Palawan vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Palawan wins on cost – living expenses run 36% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Palawan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $1,176 in Palawan 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: $263 in Palawan versus $829 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $784 per month in Palawan versus $1,230 in Makati – Palawan is about 36% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Palawan runs roughly 80% less than in Makati. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

At $784 in Palawan versus $1,230 in Makati, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Palawan but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Palawan 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, Palawan and Makati are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Palawan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.