Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan and Makati Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan and Makati

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $806 in San Juan versus $1,232 in Makati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,302 in San Juan versus $2,009 in Makati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,797 in San Juan versus $2,786 in Makati.

Living in San Juan costs roughly 35% less than in Makati, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Juan 40% lower, Makati 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.84 ₱175

$6.80 ₱419

-58.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.61 ₱531

$45.15 ₱2,784

-80.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.59 ₱222

$4.93 ₱304

-27.18%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₱183

$2.87 ₱177

3.48%

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

$0.83 ₱50.9

$1.19 ₱73.5

-30.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱27.49

$0.56 ₱34.76

-19.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 ₱90.8

$2.44 ₱151

-39.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₱130

$3.66 ₱225

-42.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ₱106

$2.14 ₱132

-19.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ₱100

$1.43 ₱88.4

13.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₱57.9

$1.08 ₱66.5

-12.96%

Eggs

$2.01 ₱124

$2.34 ₱144

-14.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱503

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.25 ₱324

$4.43 ₱273

18.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ₱666

$7.64 ₱471

41.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ₱142

$4.57 ₱282

-49.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 ₱94.1

$1.92 ₱118

-20.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 ₱196

$2.70 ₱166

17.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ₱70.8

$2.25 ₱139

-48.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 ₱108

$3.29 ₱203

-46.81%

Onion (1kg)

$3.44 ₱212

$2.86 ₱177

20.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ₱66.1

$1.08 ₱66.8

-0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₱55.4

$0.99 ₱61.3

-9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 ₱177

$2.94 ₱181

-2.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₱452

$8.28 ₱511

-11.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₱45.66

$1.20 ₱74.1

-38.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₱99.4

$2.34 ₱144

-31.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 ₱9.57

$0.51 ₱31.71

-68.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 ₱41.69

$0.81 ₱50.0

-16.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.86

$0.12 ₱7.44

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 ₱129

$3.58 ₱221

-41.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₱68.4

$1.10 ₱67.8

0.91%

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

$28.1K ₱1.7M

$34.3K ₱2.1M

-17.99%

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

$17.7K ₱1.1M

$21.5K ₱1.3M

-17.78%

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

$128 ₱7,916

$172 ₱10.6K

-25.37%

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

$32.96 ₱2,032

$26.94 ₱1,661

22.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.09 ₱1,609

$36.49 ₱2,250

-28.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.0 ₱4,437

$56.0 ₱3,452

28.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.37 ₱270

$11.79 ₱727

-62.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 ₱251

$7.90 ₱487

-48.48%

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

$145 ₱8,965

$321 ₱19.8K

-54.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,240 ₱261.5K

$7,538 ₱464.8K

-43.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.32 ₱2,794

$60.3 ₱3,717

-24.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.62 ₱2,134

$35.62 ₱2,197

-2.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 ₱4,260

$85.6 ₱5,277

-19.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₱7,209

$122 ₱7,516

-4.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 ₱16.6K

$666 ₱41.1K

-59.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$107 ₱6,621

$390 ₱24.0K

-72.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,273 ₱78.5K

$2,260 ₱139.4K

-43.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 ₱24.1K

$1,024 ₱63.1K

-61.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,438 ₱150.4K

$6,010 ₱370.6K

-59.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,112 ₱68.6K

$3,852 ₱237.5K

-71.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$242 ₱14.9K

$682 ₱42.0K

-64.55%

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 Juan: May 31, 2026

Last update for Makati: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $269 in San Juan and $666 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 182% 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: $9.00 in San Juan vs $45.00 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $234 per month, with San Juan 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 Juan vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan wins on cost – living expenses run 53% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making San Juan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Makati earns 182% less. 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: $269 in San Juan versus $666 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $806 per month in San Juan versus $1,232 in Makati – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $806 in San Juan versus $1,232 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in San Juan but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes San Juan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but San Juan delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $806 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes San Juan hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, San Juan 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 Juan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.