Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Paranaque City and Makati

For one person, living is cheaper in Paranaque City: $779 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.

Paranaque City, Philippines
Makati, Philippines
Paranaque City
🇵🇭 Philippines
$779
/mo nomad
Makati
🇵🇭 Philippines
$1,230
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $779 in Paranaque City versus $1,230 in Makati.

  • Paranaque City $779
  • Makati $1,230

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,171 in Paranaque City versus $2,137 in Makati.

  • Paranaque City $1,171
  • Makati $2,137

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,562 in Paranaque City versus $3,044 in Makati.

  • Paranaque City $1,562
  • Makati $3,044

Living in Paranaque City costs roughly 37% less than in Makati, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Paranaque City 43% lower, Makati 10% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Paranaque City
Makati
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.28 ₱272
$6.40 ₱407
-33.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$16.28 ₱1,037
$38.45 ₱2,449
-57.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$2.80 ₱178
$4.78 ₱305
-41.42%
Cappuccino
$2.02 ₱129
$2.59 ₱165
-22.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68 ₱43.15
$1.09 ₱69.7
-37.61%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ₱19.69
$0.49 ₱31.29
-36.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.06 ₱67.4
$2.39 ₱152
-55.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ₱177
$3.18 ₱202
-12.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Paranaque City
Makati
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.67 ₱106
$1.80 ₱115
-7.22%
White Bread (500g)
$1.10 ₱70.4
$1.26 ₱80.6
-12.70%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.96 ₱61.1
$1.03 ₱65.6
-6.80%
Eggs
$2.07 ₱132
$2.37 ₱151
-12.66%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.10 ₱325
$6.91 ₱440
-26.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.01 ₱255
$4.93 ₱314
-18.66%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.64 ₱486
$6.74 ₱429
13.35%
Apples (1kg)
$3.98 ₱253
$4.12 ₱262
-3.40%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 ₱99.7
$1.90 ₱121
-17.37%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.42 ₱218
$3.19 ₱203
7.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.11 ₱70.5
$2.25 ₱143
-50.67%
Potato (1kg)
$1.66 ₱106
$3.55 ₱226
-53.24%
Onion (1kg)
$1.79 ₱114
$3.50 ₱223
-48.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.90 ₱57.1
$1.07 ₱67.9
-15.89%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ₱31.00
$1.13 ₱71.7
-56.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.82 ₱179
$2.60 ₱165
8.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.38 ₱470
$7.85 ₱500
-5.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.96 ₱60.9
$1.29 ₱82.3
-25.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 ₱131
$1.93 ₱123
6.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Paranaque City
Makati
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.22 ₱13.75
$0.88 ₱56.3
-75.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$10.92 ₱696
$56.3 ₱3,583
-80.59%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.77 ₱48.83
$0.65 ₱41.46
18.46%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.23 ₱14.67
$0.21 ₱13.33
9.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.90 ₱121
$1.90 ₱121
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.22 ₱77.4
$1.28 ₱81.4
-4.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.6K ₱1.3M
$20.8K ₱1.3M
-0.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.8K ₱1.2M
$18.9K ₱1.2M
-0.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Paranaque City
Makati
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$138 ₱8,802
$151 ₱9,639
-8.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.32 ₱912
$15.59 ₱993
-8.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.17 ₱1,539
$31.38 ₱1,999
-22.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Paranaque City
Makati
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.84 ₱2,283
$53.3 ₱3,393
-32.72%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.36 ₱341
$14.04 ₱894
-61.82%
Cinema Ticket
$6.70 ₱427
$7.22 ₱460
-7.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Paranaque City
Makati
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$71.7 ₱4,564
$776 ₱49.4K
-90.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,272 ₱399.4K
$7,391 ₱470.7K
-15.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Paranaque City
Makati
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.85 ₱2,283
$59.9 ₱3,814
-40.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$18.79 ₱1,197
$36.96 ₱2,354
-49.16%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$69.5 ₱4,424
$81.0 ₱5,161
-14.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.1 ₱4,780
$101 ₱6,426
-25.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Paranaque City
Makati
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$215 ₱13.7K
$829 ₱52.8K
-74.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$180 ₱11.5K
$429 ₱27.3K
-57.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$546 ₱34.8K
$2,151 ₱137.0K
-74.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$350 ₱22.3K
$1,308 ₱83.3K
-73.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,105 ₱70.4K
$5,714 ₱363.9K
-80.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$414 ₱26.4K
$3,568 ₱227.3K
-88.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Paranaque City
Makati
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$487 ₱31.0K
$587 ₱37.4K
-17.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7
7.5
-6.67%

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

Last update for Paranaque City: October 26, 2026

Last update for Makati: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Paranaque City
$188
Makati
$227 20.8% $39
Accommodation & Living
Paranaque City
$180
Makati
$429 138% $248
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Paranaque City
$177
Makati
$198 12.2% $22
Clothing & Footwear
Paranaque City
$90
Makati
$125 40% $36
Eating Out
Paranaque City
$82
Makati
$121 48.5% $40
Sport & Entertainment
Paranaque City
$49
Makati
$68 37.5% $18
Getting Around
Paranaque City
$14
Makati
$61 349% $48

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $215 in Paranaque City and $829 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 21% 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: $16 in Paranaque City vs $38 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $227 per month, with Paranaque City cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Paranaque City
🇵🇭 Makati
🕒 Local time
15:19 3:19 PM
15:19 3:19 PM
Same time as Paranaque City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
703,245
582,602
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 63.69 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.12 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Paranaque City Makati 11 km
From you
  • Paranaque City
  • 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
Paranaque City vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Paranaque City or Makati?
Paranaque City wins on cost – living expenses run 37% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Paranaque City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Paranaque City or in Makati?
On paper, salaries run 17% lower in Paranaque City. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Paranaque City compared to Makati?
Rent for a central apartment: $215 in Paranaque City versus $829 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 Paranaque City compared to Makati?
All in, you’ll spend $779 per month in Paranaque City versus $1,230 in Makati – Paranaque City is about 37% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How expensive is transport in Paranaque City compared to Makati?
A monthly transit pass in Paranaque City runs roughly 81% less than in Makati. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Can you live on $1,200/month in Paranaque City or in Makati?
At $779 in Paranaque City versus $1,230 in Makati, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Paranaque City but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Paranaque City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Paranaque City or Makati?
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.
How safe is Paranaque City compared to Makati?
Safety-wise, Paranaque City and Makati are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Paranaque City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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