Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panglao and Makati

For one person, living is cheaper in Panglao: $817 a month against $1,228 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Panglao
🇵🇭 Philippines
$817
/mo nomad
Makati
🇵🇭 Philippines
$1,228
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $817 in Panglao versus $1,228 in Makati.

  • Panglao $817
  • Makati $1,228

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,137 in Panglao versus $2,028 in Makati.

  • Panglao $1,137
  • Makati $2,028

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,456 in Panglao versus $2,828 in Makati.

  • Panglao $1,456
  • Makati $2,828

Living in Panglao costs roughly 33% less than in Makati, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Panglao 39% lower, Makati 9% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Panglao
Makati
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.08 ₱194
$6.22 ₱392
-50.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.75 ₱1,495
$39.57 ₱2,491
-39.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.94 ₱248
$4.88 ₱307
-19.26%
Cappuccino
$2.27 ₱143
$2.55 ₱161
-10.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 ₱101
$1.06 ₱67.0
50.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 ₱33.19
$0.50 ₱31.54
6.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.55 ₱97.6
$2.38 ₱150
-34.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.90 ₱119
$3.21 ₱202
-40.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Panglao
Makati
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.59 ₱100
$1.90 ₱120
-16.32%
White Bread (500g)
$1.13 ₱70.9
$1.29 ₱81.5
-12.40%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.94 ₱59.2
$1.06 ₱67.0
-11.32%
Eggs
$1.79 ₱113
$2.47 ₱155
-27.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.58 ₱540
$7.29 ₱459
17.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.61 ₱290
$4.86 ₱306
-5.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.62 ₱480
$7.03 ₱442
8.39%
Apples (1kg)
$1.92 ₱121
$4.04 ₱254
-52.48%
Banana (1kg)
$1.39 ₱87.5
$1.94 ₱122
-28.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.87 ₱118
$3.22 ₱203
-41.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.53 ₱96.1
$2.29 ₱144
-33.19%
Potato (1kg)
$2.41 ₱152
$3.48 ₱219
-30.75%
Onion (1kg)
$1.96 ₱123
$3.59 ₱226
-45.40%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 ₱71.8
$1.06 ₱66.8
7.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.47 ₱29.49
$1.11 ₱69.7
-57.66%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.91 ₱183
$2.69 ₱169
8.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.70 ₱359
$8.11 ₱511
-29.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.79 ₱49.65
$1.32 ₱82.9
-40.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.56 ₱97.9
$1.98 ₱124
-21.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Panglao
Makati
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.23 ₱14.60
$0.90 ₱56.4
-74.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.32 ₱713
$56.8 ₱3,575
-80.06%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.73 ₱46.14
$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)
$0.90 ₱57.0
$1.25 ₱78.8
-28.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ₱1.3M
$21.3K ₱1.3M
-0.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.2K ₱1.2M
$19.6K ₱1.2M
-1.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Panglao
Makati
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$58.9 ₱3,711
$153 ₱9,620
-61.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.75 ₱425
$16.06 ₱1,011
-57.97%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.52 ₱1,544
$32.37 ₱2,038
-24.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Panglao
Makati
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$20.96 ₱1,320
$54.9 ₱3,456
-61.81%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.71 ₱297
$14.14 ₱890
-66.69%
Cinema Ticket
$3.92 ₱247
$7.22 ₱454
-45.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Panglao
Makati
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$135 ₱8,504
$794 ₱50.0K
-83.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,988 ₱502.9K
$7,321 ₱460.9K
9.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Panglao
Makati
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$32.48 ₱2,045
$61.2 ₱3,850
-46.88%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.59 ₱1,233
$36.86 ₱2,321
-46.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$66.4 ₱4,183
$81.5 ₱5,129
-18.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$47.63 ₱2,999
$103 ₱6,510
-53.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Panglao
Makati
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$280 ₱17.7K
$815 ₱51.3K
-65.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$343 ₱21.6K
$417 ₱26.3K
-17.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$567 ₱35.7K
$2,274 ₱143.2K
-75.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$390 ₱24.6K
$1,069 ₱67.3K
-63.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$947 ₱59.6K
$5,869 ₱369.5K
-83.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,014 ₱63.8K
$3,738 ₱235.4K
-72.89%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Panglao
Makati
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$601 ₱37.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.2
7.5
-4.00%

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

Last update for Panglao: October 11, 2026

Last update for Makati: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Panglao
$343
Makati
$417 21.7% $74
Groceries & Markets
Panglao
$183
Makati
$231 26.7% $49
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Panglao
$90
Makati
$201 123% $111
Eating Out
Panglao
$84
Makati
$120 42.7% $36
Clothing & Footwear
Panglao
$75
Makati
$127 70.3% $53
Sport & Entertainment
Panglao
$29
Makati
$69 141% $41
Getting Around
Panglao
$14
Makati
$62 339% $48

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $280 in Panglao and $815 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Panglao vs $40.00 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $231 per month, with Panglao cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Panglao
🇵🇭 Makati
🕒 Local time
09:37 9:37 AM
09:37 9:37 AM
Same time as Panglao
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
39,839
582,602
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Panglao Makati 630 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Panglao
  • 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
Panglao vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Panglao or Makati?
Panglao wins on cost – living expenses run 50% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Panglao the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Panglao and in Makati?
You'd need roughly $1,226 in Panglao and $1,842 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Panglao compared to Makati?
Rent for a central apartment: $280 in Panglao versus $815 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Panglao compared to Makati?
All in, you'll spend $817 per month in Panglao versus $1,228 in Makati – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Panglao compared to Makati?
A monthly transit pass in Panglao runs roughly 402% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Panglao or in Makati?
At $817 in Panglao versus $1,228 in Makati, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Panglao but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Panglao the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Panglao or Makati?
Both work as nomad bases, but Panglao delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $817 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Panglao hard to pass up.
How safe is Panglao compared to Makati?
Safety-wise, Panglao 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Panglao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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