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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $650 in San Pablo versus $1,228 in Makati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $936 in San Pablo versus $2,025 in Makati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,221 in San Pablo versus $2,822 in Makati.

Living in San Pablo costs roughly 47% less than in Makati, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Pablo 53% lower, Makati 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.10 ₱256

$6.57 ₱411

-37.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.91 ₱1,058

$39.99 ₱2,501

-57.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.83 ₱177

$4.59 ₱287

-38.34%

Cappuccino

$1.85 ₱116

$2.76 ₱173

-32.97%

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

$0.38 ₱24.03

$1.07 ₱67.2

-64.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₱11.63

$0.45 ₱28.17

-57.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ₱64.0

$2.42 ₱151

-57.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ₱98.3

$3.25 ₱203

-51.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ₱102

$1.83 ₱115

-10.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 ₱71.1

$1.29 ₱80.6

-11.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ₱62.5

$1.03 ₱64.3

-2.91%

Eggs

$2.01 ₱126

$2.38 ₱149

-15.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.24 ₱328

$7.31 ₱457

-28.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.47 ₱217

$4.84 ₱303

-28.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.63 ₱477

$7.19 ₱449

6.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 ₱143

$3.98 ₱249

-42.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ₱91.7

$2.03 ₱127

-27.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ₱101

$3.26 ₱204

-50.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 ₱68.1

$2.31 ₱144

-52.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 ₱102

$3.47 ₱217

-53.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 ₱108

$3.47 ₱217

-50.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ₱39.25

$1.12 ₱70.0

-43.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.62

$1.11 ₱69.4

-55.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ₱177

$2.70 ₱169

4.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.23 ₱390

$7.86 ₱491

-20.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ₱60.9

$1.40 ₱87.4

-30.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₱127

$2.08 ₱130

-2.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₱14.32

$0.90 ₱56.1

-74.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.3 ₱3,582

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.7

$0.61 ₱38.10

32.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.64

$0.21 ₱13.10

19.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ₱118

$1.88 ₱117

0.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 ₱58.6

$1.25 ₱78.3

-24.80%

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

$21.3K ₱1.3M

-0.03%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$19.7K ₱1.2M

-1.41%

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

$140 ₱8,765

$154 ₱9,612

-8.82%

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

$17.92 ₱1,121

$15.78 ₱987

13.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.56 ₱1,473

$32.11 ₱2,008

-26.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.6 ₱3,413

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.41 ₱901

Cinema Ticket

$5.11 ₱320

$7.39 ₱462

-30.85%

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

$136 ₱8,492

$790 ₱49.4K

-82.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₱667.3K

$7,405 ₱463.1K

44.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.94 ₱1,810

$59.8 ₱3,742

-51.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.99 ₱1,250

$37.65 ₱2,354

-46.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.7 ₱4,543

$82.2 ₱5,138

-11.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.9 ₱3,556

$103 ₱6,469

-45.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$143 ₱8,930

$748 ₱46.8K

-80.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$126 ₱7,908

$430 ₱26.9K

-70.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$211 ₱13.2K

$2,276 ₱142.4K

-90.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 ₱12.2K

$1,080 ₱67.5K

-81.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,003 ₱375.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,832 ₱239.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$292 ₱18.3K

$610 ₱38.1K

-52.04%

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 San Pablo: August 31, 2026

Last update for Makati: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $143 in San Pablo and $748 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 108% 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 San Pablo vs $40.00 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $166 vs $231 per month, with San Pablo 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 Pablo vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Pablo wins on cost – living expenses run 89% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making San Pablo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 108% 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: $143 in San Pablo versus $748 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $650 per month in San Pablo versus $1,228 in Makati – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $650 in San Pablo versus $1,228 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in San Pablo but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes San Pablo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but San Pablo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $650 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes San Pablo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, San Pablo 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 Pablo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.