Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose del Monte and Makati Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose del Monte and Makati

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $775 in San Jose del Monte versus $1,232 in Makati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,217 in San Jose del Monte versus $2,009 in Makati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,659 in San Jose del Monte versus $2,786 in Makati.

Living in San Jose del Monte costs roughly 37% less than in Makati, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Jose del Monte 42% lower, Makati 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ₱275

$6.80 ₱419

-34.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.36 ₱1,625

$45.15 ₱2,784

-41.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.62 ₱223

$4.93 ₱304

-26.57%

Cappuccino

$2.66 ₱164

$2.87 ₱177

-7.32%

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

$0.87 ₱53.5

$1.19 ₱73.5

-26.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.20

$0.56 ₱34.76

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.49 ₱92.0

$2.44 ₱151

-38.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 ₱163

$3.66 ₱225

-27.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱121

$2.14 ₱132

-8.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ₱82.5

$1.43 ₱88.4

-6.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ₱58.5

$1.08 ₱66.5

-12.04%

Eggs

$2.07 ₱128

$2.34 ₱144

-11.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 ₱573

$8.16 ₱503

13.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.23 ₱322

$4.43 ₱273

18.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 ₱533

$7.64 ₱471

13.09%

Apples (1kg)

$0.72 ₱44.61

$4.57 ₱282

-84.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 ₱107

$1.92 ₱118

-9.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.51 ₱31.45

$2.70 ₱166

-81.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ₱89.6

$2.25 ₱139

-35.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 ₱134

$3.29 ₱203

-33.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 ₱85.6

$2.86 ₱177

-51.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.6

$1.08 ₱66.8

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ₱40.34

$0.99 ₱61.3

-34.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ₱203

$2.94 ₱181

12.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.74 ₱539

$8.28 ₱511

5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 ₱85.6

$1.20 ₱74.1

15.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₱137

$2.34 ₱144

-5.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.84

$0.51 ₱31.71

-49.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱48.56

$0.81 ₱50.0

-2.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.50

$0.12 ₱7.44

83.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₱132

$3.58 ₱221

-40.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₱72.2

$1.10 ₱67.8

6.36%

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

$26.2K ₱1.6M

$34.3K ₱2.1M

-23.44%

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

$18.0K ₱1.1M

$21.5K ₱1.3M

-16.41%

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

$129 ₱7,956

$172 ₱10.6K

-25.00%

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

$21.51 ₱1,327

$26.94 ₱1,661

-20.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.89 ₱1,658

$36.49 ₱2,250

-26.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.14 ₱2,105

$56.0 ₱3,452

-39.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.40 ₱271

$11.79 ₱727

-62.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.77 ₱417

$7.90 ₱487

-14.30%

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

$153 ₱9,411

$321 ₱19.8K

-52.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,255 ₱262.4K

$7,538 ₱464.8K

-43.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.67 ₱2,878

$60.3 ₱3,717

-22.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.89 ₱2,090

$35.62 ₱2,197

-4.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.5 ₱4,288

$85.6 ₱5,277

-18.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.41 ₱2,862

$122 ₱7,516

-61.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 ₱16.4K

$666 ₱41.1K

-59.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 ₱10.8K

$390 ₱24.0K

-55.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 ₱35.6K

$2,260 ₱139.4K

-74.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 ₱24.6K

$1,024 ₱63.1K

-61.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,384 ₱147.0K

$6,010 ₱370.6K

-60.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,056 ₱65.1K

$3,852 ₱237.5K

-72.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

6.67

-7.50%

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

Last update for San Jose del Monte: May 31, 2026

Last update for Makati: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $266 in San Jose del Monte and $666 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $26.00 in San Jose del Monte vs $45.00 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $234 per month, with San Jose del Monte 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

San Jose del Monte vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Jose del Monte wins on cost – living expenses run 59% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making San Jose del Monte the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,162 in San Jose del Monte and $1,849 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $266 in San Jose del Monte versus $666 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $775 per month in San Jose del Monte versus $1,232 in Makati – a 59% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $775 in San Jose del Monte versus $1,232 in Makati, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Jose del Monte but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes San Jose del Monte the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but San Jose del Monte delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $775 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes San Jose del Monte hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, San Jose del Monte 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 San Jose del Monte gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.