Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Galera and Makati

For one person, living is cheaper in Puerto Galera: $1,021 a month against $1,174 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Puerto Galera, Philippines
Makati, Philippines
Puerto Galera
🇵🇭 Philippines
$1,021
/mo nomad
Makati
🇵🇭 Philippines
$1,174
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,021 in Puerto Galera versus $1,174 in Makati.

  • Puerto Galera $1,021
  • Makati $1,174

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,448 in Puerto Galera versus $1,962 in Makati.

  • Puerto Galera $1,448
  • Makati $1,962

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,874 in Puerto Galera versus $2,750 in Makati.

  • Puerto Galera $1,874
  • Makati $2,750

Living in Puerto Galera costs roughly 13% less than in Makati, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Puerto Galera 24% lower, Makati 13% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Puerto Galera
Makati
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.78 ₱301
$4.72 ₱298
1.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.51 ₱1,165
$26.37 ₱1,660
-29.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$2.60 ₱164
$4.01 ₱253
-35.16%
Cappuccino
$2.70 ₱170
$2.46 ₱155
9.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 ₱56.8
$1.05 ₱66.2
-14.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29 ₱18.36
$0.59 ₱37.18
-50.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.85 ₱116
$1.16 ₱73.1
59.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33 ₱147
$2.41 ₱152
-3.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Puerto Galera
Makati
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 ₱108
$1.86 ₱117
-7.53%
White Bread (500g)
$1.14 ₱71.8
$1.12 ₱70.7
1.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.91 ₱57.0
$0.99 ₱62.0
-8.08%
Eggs
$1.88 ₱118
$2.20 ₱138
-14.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.65 ₱293
$7.51 ₱473
-38.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.72 ₱297
$4.63 ₱291
1.94%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.10 ₱636
$7.01 ₱442
44.08%
Apples (1kg)
$2.15 ₱135
$3.23 ₱203
-33.44%
Banana (1kg)
$1.98 ₱124
$1.90 ₱120
4.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.26 ₱142
$2.76 ₱174
-18.12%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.92 ₱57.9
$0.88 ₱55.6
4.55%
Potato (1kg)
$0.99 ₱62.1
$1.33 ₱83.7
-25.56%
Onion (1kg)
$1.95 ₱123
$1.38 ₱86.8
41.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.05 ₱66.1
$1.87 ₱118
-43.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57 ₱35.68
$0.58 ₱36.67
-1.72%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.07 ₱193
$3.03 ₱191
1.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.31 ₱460
$9.67 ₱609
-24.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.46 ₱28.70
$1.25 ₱78.9
-63.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23 ₱77.4
$2.01 ₱127
-38.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Puerto Galera
Makati
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.24 ₱14.94
$0.76 ₱48.04
-68.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.39 ₱717
$57.7 ₱3,632
-80.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.06 ₱66.8
$0.75 ₱47.34
41.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.22 ₱13.86
$0.20 ₱12.59
10.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.86 ₱117
$1.96 ₱123
-5.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 ₱81.9
$1.25 ₱79.0
4.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.3K ₱1.3M
$20.9K ₱1.3M
1.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.1K ₱1.2M
$18.9K ₱1.2M
0.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Puerto Galera
Makati
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$265 ₱16.7K
$111 ₱6,979
138.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.17 ₱955
$16.82 ₱1,059
-9.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.23 ₱1,526
$24.00 ₱1,511
0.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Puerto Galera
Makati
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.75 ₱2,062
$56.6 ₱3,564
-42.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$14.14 ₱890
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.77 ₱490
$6.31 ₱397
23.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Puerto Galera
Makati
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$289 ₱18.2K
$619 ₱39.0K
-53.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,181 ₱515.1K
$5,231 ₱329.4K
56.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Puerto Galera
Makati
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$39.70 ₱2,500
$55.4 ₱3,489
-28.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$17.09 ₱1,076
$31.32 ₱1,972
-45.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$81.6 ₱5,135
$70.0 ₱4,408
16.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.7 ₱4,956
$57.8 ₱3,642
36.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Puerto Galera
Makati
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$415 ₱26.1K
$820 ₱51.6K
-49.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$278 ₱17.5K
$495 ₱31.1K
-43.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$796 ₱50.1K
$2,487 ₱156.6K
-68.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$494 ₱31.1K
$1,294 ₱81.5K
-61.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,493 ₱282.9K
$5,608 ₱353.1K
-19.88%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,470 ₱155.5K
$3,558 ₱224.0K
-30.57%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Puerto Galera
Makati
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$524 ₱33.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7
7
-

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

Last update for Puerto Galera: November 3, 2026

Last update for Makati: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Puerto Galera
$304
Makati
$152 50.1% $153
Accommodation & Living
Puerto Galera
$278
Makati
$495 77.7% $216
Groceries & Markets
Puerto Galera
$181
Makati
$203 12.2% $22
Clothing & Footwear
Puerto Galera
$98
Makati
$97 1.1% $1.1
Eating Out
Puerto Galera
$97
Makati
$97 0.7% $0.6
Sport & Entertainment
Puerto Galera
$48
Makati
$69 43.3% $21
Getting Around
Puerto Galera
$15
Makati
$62 331% $48

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $415 in Puerto Galera and $820 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19 in Puerto Galera vs $26 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $181 vs $203 per month, with Puerto Galera cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Puerto Galera
🇵🇭 Makati
🕒 Local time
20:26 8:26 PM
20:26 8:26 PM
Same time as Puerto Galera
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
36,606
582,602
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 62.97 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Puerto Galera Makati 120 km
From you
  • Puerto Galera
  • 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
Puerto Galera vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Puerto Galera or Makati?
Puerto Galera wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Puerto Galera the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Puerto Galera and in Makati?
You’d need roughly $1,532 in Puerto Galera and $1,761 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 Puerto Galera compared to Makati?
Rent for a central apartment: $415 in Puerto Galera versus $820 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 Puerto Galera compared to Makati?
All in, you’ll spend $1,021 per month in Puerto Galera versus $1,174 in Makati – Puerto Galera is about 13% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How expensive is transport in Puerto Galera compared to Makati?
A monthly transit pass in Puerto Galera runs roughly 80% less than in Makati. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Puerto Galera or in Makati?
Either city works on $1,500 a month, though Puerto Galera gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Puerto Galera 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 Puerto Galera compared to Makati?
Safety-wise, Puerto Galera 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 Puerto Galera gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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