Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Rosa and Makati Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Rosa and Makati

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $746 in Santa Rosa versus $1,204 in Makati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,142 in Santa Rosa versus $2,023 in Makati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,539 in Santa Rosa versus $2,841 in Makati.

Living in Santa Rosa costs roughly 38% less than in Makati, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santa Rosa 44% lower, Makati 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.78 ₱170

$6.69 ₱409

-58.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.58 ₱1,320

$44.22 ₱2,706

-51.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.16 ₱193

$4.88 ₱299

-35.25%

Cappuccino

$1.27 ₱77.6

$2.93 ₱179

-56.66%

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

$0.37 ₱22.91

$1.19 ₱73.1

-68.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 ₱15.82

$0.56 ₱34.49

-53.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.25 ₱76.6

$2.42 ₱148

-48.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 ₱86.1

$3.62 ₱221

-61.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱131

$2.20 ₱135

-2.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ₱76.2

$1.49 ₱91.2

-16.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱67.6

$1.07 ₱65.2

3.74%

Eggs

$1.73 ₱106

$2.34 ₱143

-26.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 ₱421

$8.19 ₱501

-16.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 ₱256

$4.42 ₱270

-5.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.39 ₱452

$7.71 ₱471

-4.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 ₱264

$4.36 ₱267

-0.92%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 ₱53.7

$2.00 ₱122

-56.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 ₱177

$2.57 ₱157

12.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ₱99.5

$2.23 ₱136

-26.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 ₱168

$3.45 ₱211

-20.58%

Onion (1kg)

$4.00 ₱244

$2.86 ₱175

39.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 ₱99.7

$1.14 ₱69.5

42.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ₱64.5

$1.02 ₱62.2

2.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.27 ₱200

$2.84 ₱174

15.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.09 ₱556

$8.12 ₱497

11.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 ₱93.8

$1.25 ₱76.5

22.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₱124

$2.32 ₱142

-12.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.26

$0.54 ₱33.13

-48.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.64 ₱223

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱47.21

$0.78 ₱47.96

-1.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.41

$0.11 ₱6.44

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 ₱128

$3.65 ₱223

-42.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.1

$1.10 ₱67.4

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

$25.9K ₱1.6M

$33.4K ₱2.0M

-22.33%

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

$20.7K ₱1.3M

$21.5K ₱1.3M

-3.59%

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

$52.2 ₱3,193

$171 ₱10.4K

-69.42%

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

$32.54 ₱1,991

$26.96 ₱1,649

20.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.70 ₱1,756

$35.97 ₱2,201

-20.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.03 ₱2,082

$55.6 ₱3,402

-38.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.54 ₱278

$11.87 ₱726

-61.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.98 ₱427

$8.19 ₱501

-14.77%

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

$81.9 ₱5,008

$322 ₱19.7K

-74.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,737 ₱167.5K

$7,811 ₱477.9K

-64.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.23 ₱1,972

$58.8 ₱3,598

-45.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.54 ₱1,807

$35.76 ₱2,188

-17.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 ₱5,890

$83.9 ₱5,132

14.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.6 ₱5,851

$123 ₱7,550

-22.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$248 ₱15.2K

$667 ₱40.8K

-62.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 ₱10.8K

$403 ₱24.6K

-56.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$398 ₱24.3K

$2,307 ₱141.1K

-82.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 ₱17.1K

$1,015 ₱62.1K

-72.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,577 ₱157.7K

$6,283 ₱384.4K

-58.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,903 ₱238.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$153 ₱9,331

$712 ₱43.6K

-78.59%

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 Rosa: April 27, 2026

Last update for Makati: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $248 in Santa Rosa and $667 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 367% 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: $22.00 in Santa Rosa vs $44.00 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $236 per month, with Santa Rosa 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 Rosa vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Rosa wins on cost – living expenses run 62% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Santa Rosa the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Makati earns 367% 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: $248 in Santa Rosa versus $667 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $746 per month in Santa Rosa versus $1,204 in Makati – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $746 in Santa Rosa versus $1,204 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Santa Rosa but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Santa Rosa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Santa Rosa delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $746 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Santa Rosa hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Santa Rosa 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 Rosa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.