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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $710 in San Pedro versus $1,226 in Makati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,068 in San Pedro versus $2,005 in Makati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,425 in San Pedro versus $2,783 in Makati.

Living in San Pedro costs roughly 42% less than in Makati, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Pedro 48% lower, Makati 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.02 ₱252

$6.47 ₱407

-37.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.37 ₱1,029

$40.29 ₱2,531

-59.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.87 ₱180

$4.70 ₱295

-38.94%

Cappuccino

$1.79 ₱113

$2.65 ₱166

-32.45%

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

$0.56 ₱35.31

$1.11 ₱69.8

-49.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₱21.08

$0.45 ₱28.47

-24.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ₱61.4

$2.35 ₱148

-58.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ₱98.2

$3.20 ₱201

-51.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ₱105

$1.91 ₱120

-12.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 ₱72.1

$1.28 ₱80.7

-10.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₱59.3

$1.05 ₱65.8

-10.48%

Eggs

$2.01 ₱126

$2.48 ₱156

-18.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.99 ₱314

$6.98 ₱439

-28.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ₱215

$4.85 ₱305

-29.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.80 ₱427

$6.77 ₱425

0.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ₱145

$4.12 ₱259

-43.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₱101

$2.00 ₱126

-19.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ₱149

$3.19 ₱201

-25.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.0

$2.28 ₱143

-55.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 ₱109

$3.52 ₱221

-50.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 ₱108

$3.59 ₱225

-52.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ₱39.15

$1.10 ₱69.4

-43.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.85

$1.14 ₱71.8

-57.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 ₱186

$2.57 ₱161

15.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.82 ₱554

$7.99 ₱502

10.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.9

$1.32 ₱82.9

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ₱131

$2.03 ₱127

2.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.94

$0.98 ₱61.6

-77.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.91 ₱749

$57.6 ₱3,619

-79.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱51.4

$0.67 ₱42.21

22.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.15

$0.21 ₱13.17

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 ₱123

$1.87 ₱118

4.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₱75.2

$1.24 ₱78.1

-3.23%

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

$21.6K ₱1.4M

$21.1K ₱1.3M

2.26%

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

$18.8K ₱1.2M

$19.7K ₱1.2M

-4.16%

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

$124 ₱7,801

$152 ₱9,557

-18.37%

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

$15.32 ₱963

$16.13 ₱1,014

-5.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.32 ₱1,465

$31.63 ₱1,987

-26.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.65 ₱1,800

$54.5 ₱3,422

-47.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.22 ₱328

$14.45 ₱908

-63.88%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 ₱318

$6.95 ₱437

-27.34%

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

$133 ₱8,347

$803 ₱50.4K

-83.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,826 ₱554.5K

$7,454 ₱468.3K

18.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.74 ₱1,806

$59.9 ₱3,761

-52.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.14 ₱1,203

$37.50 ₱2,356

-48.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 ₱4,571

$81.8 ₱5,139

-11.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.1 ₱3,526

$104 ₱6,555

-46.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$260 ₱16.3K

$752 ₱47.3K

-65.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 ₱11.4K

$429 ₱27.0K

-57.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ₱27.9K

$2,279 ₱143.2K

-80.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 ₱19.7K

$1,054 ₱66.2K

-70.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,714 ₱170.5K

$5,865 ₱368.5K

-53.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,144 ₱71.9K

$3,745 ₱235.3K

-69.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$306 ₱19.2K

$610 ₱38.3K

-49.81%

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 Pedro: September 13, 2026

Last update for Makati: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $260 in San Pedro and $752 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 99% 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: $16.00 in San Pedro vs $40.00 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 vs $231 per month, with San Pedro 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 Pedro vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Pedro wins on cost – living expenses run 73% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making San Pedro the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 99% 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: $260 in San Pedro versus $752 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $710 per month in San Pedro versus $1,226 in Makati – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in San Pedro runs roughly 384% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $710 in San Pedro versus $1,226 in Makati, a $1,500 budget is realistic in San Pedro but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes San Pedro the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but San Pedro delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $710 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes San Pedro hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, San Pedro 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 Pedro gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.