Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Cruz, Laguna and Makati Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Cruz, Laguna and Makati

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $738 in Santa Cruz, Laguna versus $1,232 in Makati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,156 in Santa Cruz, Laguna versus $2,009 in Makati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,574 in Santa Cruz, Laguna versus $2,786 in Makati.

Living in Santa Cruz, Laguna costs roughly 40% less than in Makati, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santa Cruz, Laguna 45% lower, Makati 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.80 ₱111

$6.80 ₱419

-73.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.66 ₱534

$45.15 ₱2,784

-80.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.05 ₱188

$4.93 ₱304

-38.13%

Cappuccino

$2.19 ₱135

$2.87 ₱177

-23.69%

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

$0.43 ₱26.47

$1.19 ₱73.5

-63.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 ₱15.85

$0.56 ₱34.76

-53.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 ₱78.4

$2.44 ₱151

-47.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 ₱66.7

$3.66 ₱225

-70.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 ₱111

$2.14 ₱132

-15.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ₱74.5

$1.43 ₱88.4

-15.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱66.0

$1.08 ₱66.5

-0.93%

Eggs

$1.74 ₱107

$2.34 ₱144

-25.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.38 ₱332

$8.16 ₱503

-34.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 ₱266

$4.43 ₱273

-2.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 ₱442

$7.64 ₱471

-6.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 ₱97.1

$4.57 ₱282

-65.65%

Banana (1kg)

$0.51 ₱31.34

$1.92 ₱118

-73.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 ₱96.2

$2.70 ₱166

-42.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 ₱104

$2.25 ₱139

-24.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$3.29 ₱203

-13.07%

Onion (1kg)

$4.16 ₱256

$2.86 ₱177

45.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 ₱96.3

$1.08 ₱66.8

44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ₱64.2

$0.99 ₱61.3

5.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ₱196

$2.94 ₱181

8.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.92 ₱550

$8.28 ₱511

7.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₱95.3

$1.20 ₱74.1

28.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₱122

$2.34 ₱144

-15.38%

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)

$0.77 ₱47.63

$0.81 ₱50.0

-4.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.53

$0.12 ₱7.44

83.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 ₱135

$3.58 ₱221

-38.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.1

$1.10 ₱67.8

-0.91%

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

$25.4K ₱1.6M

$34.3K ₱2.1M

-25.85%

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

$20.4K ₱1.3M

$21.5K ₱1.3M

-5.22%

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

$94.5 ₱5,826

$172 ₱10.6K

-45.07%

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

$33.54 ₱2,068

$26.94 ₱1,661

24.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.99 ₱1,849

$36.49 ₱2,250

-17.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.24 ₱2,111

$56.0 ₱3,452

-38.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.49 ₱277

$11.79 ₱727

-61.92%

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 ₱426

$7.90 ₱487

-12.53%

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

$81.2 ₱5,005

$321 ₱19.8K

-74.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,818 ₱173.7K

$7,538 ₱464.8K

-62.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.30 ₱1,992

$60.3 ₱3,717

-46.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.26 ₱1,804

$35.62 ₱2,197

-17.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 ₱5,998

$85.6 ₱5,277

13.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.8 ₱5,719

$122 ₱7,516

-23.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 ₱16.7K

$666 ₱41.1K

-59.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₱11.0K

$390 ₱24.0K

-54.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 ₱35.7K

$2,260 ₱139.4K

-74.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$399 ₱24.6K

$1,024 ₱63.1K

-61.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,557 ₱157.7K

$6,010 ₱370.6K

-57.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,067 ₱65.8K

$3,852 ₱237.5K

-72.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.13

6.67

21.89%

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

Last update for Santa Cruz, Laguna: June 2, 2026

Last update for Makati: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $271 in Santa Cruz, Laguna and $666 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $9.00 in Santa Cruz, Laguna vs $45.00 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $234 per month, with Santa Cruz, Laguna 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

Santa Cruz, Laguna vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Cruz, Laguna wins on cost – living expenses run 67% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Santa Cruz, Laguna the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,107 in Santa Cruz, Laguna 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: $271 in Santa Cruz, Laguna versus $666 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $738 per month in Santa Cruz, Laguna versus $1,232 in Makati – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $738 in Santa Cruz, Laguna versus $1,232 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Santa Cruz, Laguna but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Santa Cruz, Laguna the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Santa Cruz, Laguna delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $738 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Santa Cruz, Laguna hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Santa Cruz, Laguna 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 Santa Cruz, Laguna gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.