Cost of Living Comparison Between Pasig and Makati Cost of Living Comparison Between Pasig and Makati

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $860 in Pasig versus $1,226 in Makati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,403 in Pasig versus $2,003 in Makati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,947 in Pasig versus $2,780 in Makati.

Living in Pasig costs roughly 30% less than in Makati, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pasig 35% lower, Makati 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.52 ₱277

$6.61 ₱406

-31.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.63 ₱1,635

$44.73 ₱2,746

-40.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.30 ₱203

$4.77 ₱293

-30.82%

Cappuccino

$2.75 ₱169

$2.95 ₱181

-6.78%

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

$0.69 ₱42.67

$1.15 ₱70.9

-40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₱23.19

$0.52 ₱32.10

-26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 ₱90.1

$2.37 ₱145

-37.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 ₱166

$3.61 ₱222

-25.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱117

$2.15 ₱132

-11.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ₱82.3

$1.44 ₱88.6

-6.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 ₱67.0

$1.06 ₱65.0

2.83%

Eggs

$2.21 ₱136

$2.35 ₱144

-5.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.09 ₱558

$7.87 ₱483

15.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.37 ₱268

$4.48 ₱275

-2.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.62 ₱529

$7.80 ₱479

10.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 ₱211

$4.43 ₱272

-22.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₱112

$1.97 ₱121

-7.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.55 ₱218

$2.59 ₱159

37.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 ₱106

$2.17 ₱133

-20.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 ₱170

$3.41 ₱209

-19.06%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 ₱189

$2.81 ₱172

9.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 ₱126

$1.09 ₱66.7

88.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₱43.58

$0.94 ₱57.6

-24.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ₱197

$2.95 ₱181

9.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.52 ₱584

$7.90 ₱485

20.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 ₱89.1

$1.23 ₱75.6

17.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$2.25 ₱138

-6.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.37

$0.55 ₱34.08

-49.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.23 ₱383

$3.63 ₱223

71.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 ₱55.4

$0.77 ₱47.56

16.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.74

$0.11 ₱6.84

118.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 ₱128

$3.62 ₱222

-42.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₱71.0

$1.15 ₱70.5

0.87%

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

$26.1K ₱1.6M

$33.4K ₱2.1M

-21.79%

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

$20.5K ₱1.3M

$21.9K ₱1.3M

-6.35%

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

$134 ₱8,225

$173 ₱10.6K

-22.70%

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

$34.45 ₱2,115

$27.42 ₱1,683

25.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.33 ₱1,678

$36.34 ₱2,232

-24.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.58 ₱2,062

$55.0 ₱3,377

-38.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.34 ₱266

$11.72 ₱720

-62.97%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ₱398

$8.05 ₱494

-19.38%

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

$151 ₱9,301

$323 ₱19.8K

-53.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,815 ₱295.6K

$7,720 ₱474.0K

-37.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.78 ₱2,995

$59.7 ₱3,664

-18.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.44 ₱2,176

$36.00 ₱2,210

-1.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 ₱4,628

$85.5 ₱5,251

-11.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.09 ₱2,892

$122 ₱7,497

-61.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$349 ₱21.4K

$660 ₱40.5K

-47.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 ₱12.3K

$390 ₱23.9K

-48.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 ₱35.5K

$2,259 ₱138.7K

-74.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 ₱30.9K

$1,032 ₱63.4K

-51.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,307 ₱203.1K

$6,059 ₱372.0K

-45.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,594 ₱159.3K

$3,835 ₱235.5K

-32.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$446 ₱27.4K

$610 ₱37.4K

-26.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

6.67

-32.53%

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

Last update for Pasig: July 25, 2026

Last update for Makati: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $349 in Pasig and $660 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 37% 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: $27.00 in Pasig vs $45.00 in Makati. Groceries flip the comparison at $233 vs $232, with Makati cheaper for home cooking.

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

Pasig vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pasig wins on cost – living expenses run 43% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Pasig the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 37% 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: $349 in Pasig versus $660 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $860 per month in Pasig versus $1,226 in Makati – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Pasig runs roughly 72% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $860 in Pasig versus $1,226 in Makati, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Pasig but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Pasig the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Pasig delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $860 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Pasig hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Pasig 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 Pasig gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.