Cost of Living Comparison Between Roxas and Makati Cost of Living Comparison Between Roxas and Makati

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $727 in Roxas versus $1,198 in Makati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,124 in Roxas versus $2,052 in Makati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,521 in Roxas versus $2,907 in Makati.

Living in Roxas costs roughly 39% less than in Makati, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Roxas 47% lower, Makati 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.81 ₱235

$6.42 ₱396

-40.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.51 ₱1,018

$40.95 ₱2,524

-59.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.42 ₱149

$4.63 ₱286

-47.73%

Cappuccino

$2.19 ₱135

$2.65 ₱163

-17.36%

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

$0.49 ₱30.38

$1.09 ₱67.4

-55.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₱21.71

$0.52 ₱32.31

-32.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ₱66.8

$2.45 ₱151

-55.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₱106

$3.18 ₱196

-45.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ₱113

$1.88 ₱116

-2.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 ₱74.3

$1.31 ₱81.0

-8.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ₱58.4

$1.08 ₱66.6

-12.04%

Eggs

$2.00 ₱123

$2.26 ₱139

-11.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.50 ₱339

$7.42 ₱457

-25.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 ₱233

$5.09 ₱314

-25.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.26 ₱509

$7.16 ₱442

15.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ₱143

$4.11 ₱253

-43.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 ₱94.6

$1.94 ₱120

-21.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ₱147

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 ₱75.6

$1.98 ₱122

-37.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 ₱129

$2.99 ₱184

-29.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 ₱125

$3.48 ₱215

-41.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ₱44.10

$1.11 ₱68.2

-35.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₱38.41

$1.13 ₱69.9

-45.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ₱175

$2.60 ₱160

9.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.10 ₱561

$7.92 ₱488

14.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₱54.4

$1.36 ₱83.8

-35.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱107

$2.02 ₱124

-14.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.56

$0.94 ₱58.1

-70.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.32 ₱636

$58.5 ₱3,605

-82.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱46.34

$0.67 ₱41.17

11.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ₱16.26

$0.22 ₱13.49

18.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.13 ₱131

$1.91 ₱118

11.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₱74.1

$1.26 ₱77.7

-4.76%

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

$21.9K ₱1.4M

$22.1K ₱1.4M

-0.67%

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

$17.8K ₱1.1M

$19.7K ₱1.2M

-9.74%

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

$106 ₱6,528

$153 ₱9,453

-30.94%

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

$15.35 ₱946

$16.87 ₱1,040

-9.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.67 ₱1,336

$30.74 ₱1,895

-29.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.18 ₱1,737

$56.6 ₱3,491

-50.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.80 ₱296

$14.41 ₱888

-66.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.83 ₱298

$7.34 ₱452

-34.20%

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

$133 ₱8,181

$822 ₱50.7K

-83.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,021 ₱432.8K

$7,484 ₱461.4K

-6.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.46 ₱1,754

$60.4 ₱3,723

-52.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.38 ₱1,133

$37.93 ₱2,338

-51.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.2 ₱4,330

$84.5 ₱5,209

-16.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.6 ₱3,673

$106 ₱6,519

-43.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 ₱16.7K

$738 ₱45.5K

-63.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 ₱12.0K

$388 ₱23.9K

-50.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 ₱29.8K

$2,324 ₱143.2K

-79.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$406 ₱25.1K

$1,081 ₱66.6K

-62.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,527 ₱155.8K

$6,146 ₱378.9K

-58.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,032 ₱63.6K

$3,737 ₱230.4K

-72.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ₱36.3K

$611 ₱37.7K

-3.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

7.5

-10.00%

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

Last update for Roxas: August 16, 2026

Last update for Makati: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $270 in Roxas and $738 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 4% 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: $17.00 in Roxas vs $41.00 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $227 per month, with Roxas 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

Roxas vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Roxas wins on cost – living expenses run 65% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Roxas the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 4% 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: $270 in Roxas versus $738 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $727 per month in Roxas versus $1,198 in Makati – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Roxas runs roughly 467% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $727 in Roxas versus $1,198 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Roxas but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Roxas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Roxas delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $727 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Roxas hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Roxas 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 Roxas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.