Cost of Living Comparison Between Quezon City and Makati Cost of Living Comparison Between Quezon City and Makati

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $896 in Quezon City versus $1,188 in Makati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,374 in Quezon City versus $2,011 in Makati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,851 in Quezon City versus $2,833 in Makati.

Living in Quezon City costs roughly 25% less than in Makati, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Quezon City 33% lower, Makati 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.84 ₱298

$6.53 ₱402

-25.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.35 ₱1,315

$45.00 ₱2,770

-52.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.19 ₱196

$4.79 ₱295

-33.40%

Cappuccino

$2.86 ₱176

$2.95 ₱181

-3.05%

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

$0.95 ₱58.3

$1.20 ₱73.8

-20.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₱21.37

$0.58 ₱35.43

-39.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 ₱78.1

$2.34 ₱144

-45.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 ₱159

$3.56 ₱219

-27.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₱133

$2.14 ₱132

1.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ₱75.0

$1.43 ₱88.1

-14.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱65.7

$1.11 ₱68.6

-3.60%

Eggs

$1.99 ₱123

$2.33 ₱144

-14.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.14 ₱439

$7.99 ₱492

-10.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.13 ₱254

$4.52 ₱279

-8.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.00 ₱431

$7.71 ₱475

-9.21%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 ₱272

$4.54 ₱279

-2.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₱97.7

$1.98 ₱122

-19.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 ₱182

$2.72 ₱168

8.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ₱100

$2.28 ₱141

-28.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 ₱171

$3.45 ₱212

-19.71%

Onion (1kg)

$4.20 ₱259

$2.80 ₱173

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 ₱97.8

$1.14 ₱70.0

39.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ₱64.7

$0.99 ₱60.7

6.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 ₱197

$2.99 ₱184

7.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.80 ₱480

$8.01 ₱493

-2.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₱94.9

$1.25 ₱76.9

23.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₱122

$2.24 ₱138

-11.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₱28.31

$0.51 ₱31.57

-9.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱220

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.06

$0.76 ₱47.05

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.35

$0.13 ₱8.20

92.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 ₱129

$3.45 ₱212

-39.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₱69.9

$1.15 ₱71.0

-0.87%

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

$25.2K ₱1.6M

$34.1K ₱2.1M

-26.00%

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

$20.7K ₱1.3M

$22.0K ₱1.4M

-6.05%

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

$167 ₱10.3K

$170 ₱10.4K

-1.68%

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

$33.45 ₱2,059

$27.66 ₱1,703

20.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.64 ₱1,825

$35.79 ₱2,203

-17.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.65 ₱1,518

$54.8 ₱3,371

-54.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.14 ₱378

$12.03 ₱741

-48.96%

Cinema Ticket

$7.00 ₱431

$8.20 ₱505

-14.63%

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

$82.6 ₱5,088

$324 ₱20.0K

-74.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,782 ₱171.3K

$7,680 ₱472.8K

-63.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.68 ₱1,950

$58.9 ₱3,628

-46.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.16 ₱1,795

$35.88 ₱2,209

-18.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.2 ₱6,104

$84.1 ₱5,174

17.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.9 ₱5,780

$124 ₱7,609

-24.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 ₱16.7K

$657 ₱40.4K

-58.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$197 ₱12.1K

$390 ₱24.0K

-49.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ₱44.1K

$2,273 ₱139.9K

-68.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 ₱25.9K

$1,008 ₱62.0K

-58.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,356 ₱145.0K

$6,013 ₱370.2K

-60.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,447 ₱89.1K

$3,732 ₱229.8K

-61.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$447 ₱27.5K

$605 ₱37.3K

-26.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.13

6.67

21.89%

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

Last update for Quezon City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Makati: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $271 in Quezon City and $657 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 35% 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: $21.00 in Quezon City vs $45.00 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $224 vs $235 per month, with Quezon City cheaper across the board.

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

Quezon City vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quezon City wins on cost – living expenses run 33% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Quezon City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 35% 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: $271 in Quezon City versus $657 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $896 per month in Quezon City versus $1,188 in Makati – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $896 in Quezon City versus $1,188 in Makati, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Quezon City but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Quezon City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Quezon City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $896 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Quezon City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Quezon City 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 Quezon City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.