Cost of Living Comparison Between Surigao and Makati Cost of Living Comparison Between Surigao and Makati

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $786 in Surigao versus $1,232 in Makati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,201 in Surigao versus $2,009 in Makati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,617 in Surigao versus $2,786 in Makati.

Living in Surigao costs roughly 36% less than in Makati, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Surigao 41% lower, Makati 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 ₱218

$6.80 ₱419

-48.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.55 ₱1,082

$45.15 ₱2,784

-61.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.28 ₱202

$4.93 ₱304

-33.47%

Cappuccino

$2.37 ₱146

$2.87 ₱177

-17.42%

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

$0.79 ₱48.55

$1.19 ₱73.5

-33.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₱22.68

$0.56 ₱34.76

-33.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 ₱83.4

$2.44 ₱151

-44.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₱128

$3.66 ₱225

-43.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱118

$2.14 ₱132

-10.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ₱75.1

$1.43 ₱88.4

-14.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₱60.5

$1.08 ₱66.5

-9.26%

Eggs

$2.10 ₱129

$2.34 ₱144

-10.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.90 ₱487

$8.16 ₱503

-3.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.22 ₱260

$4.43 ₱273

-4.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱471

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 ₱183

$4.57 ₱282

-35.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 ₱94.5

$1.92 ₱118

-20.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 ₱165

$2.70 ₱166

-1.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ₱96.5

$2.25 ₱139

-30.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 ₱137

$3.29 ₱203

-32.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 ₱160

$2.86 ₱177

-9.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₱68.0

$1.08 ₱66.8

1.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ₱46.84

$0.99 ₱61.3

-23.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 ₱173

$2.94 ₱181

-4.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.94 ₱428

$8.28 ₱511

-16.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.2

$1.20 ₱74.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₱122

$2.34 ₱144

-15.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.38

$0.51 ₱31.71

-45.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱51.1

$0.81 ₱50.0

2.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.88

$0.12 ₱7.44

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.07 ₱128

$3.58 ₱221

-42.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₱68.2

$1.10 ₱67.8

0.91%

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

$26.5K ₱1.6M

$34.3K ₱2.1M

-22.73%

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

$20.3K ₱1.3M

$21.5K ₱1.3M

-5.62%

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

$113 ₱6,957

$172 ₱10.6K

-34.41%

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

$24.51 ₱1,511

$26.94 ₱1,661

-9.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.06 ₱2,408

$36.49 ₱2,250

7.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.10 ₱2,103

$56.0 ₱3,452

-39.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.42 ₱272

$11.79 ₱727

-62.51%

Cinema Ticket

$5.93 ₱366

$7.90 ₱487

-24.94%

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

$150 ₱9,239

$321 ₱19.8K

-53.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,399 ₱271.2K

$7,538 ₱464.8K

-41.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.90 ₱2,830

$60.3 ₱3,717

-23.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.45 ₱1,631

$35.62 ₱2,197

-25.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.8 ₱4,553

$85.6 ₱5,277

-13.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.2 ₱3,218

$122 ₱7,516

-57.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 ₱16.6K

$666 ₱41.1K

-59.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 ₱10.9K

$390 ₱24.0K

-54.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$599 ₱36.9K

$2,260 ₱139.4K

-73.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ₱24.7K

$1,024 ₱63.1K

-60.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,636 ₱162.6K

$6,010 ₱370.6K

-56.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,050 ₱64.8K

$3,852 ₱237.5K

-72.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

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

Last update for Surigao: May 31, 2026

Last update for Makati: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Dining out: $18.00 in Surigao vs $45.00 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $234 per month, with Surigao 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

Surigao vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surigao wins on cost – living expenses run 57% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Surigao the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,179 in Surigao 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: $269 in Surigao versus $666 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $786 per month in Surigao versus $1,232 in Makati – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $786 in Surigao versus $1,232 in Makati, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Surigao but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Surigao the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Surigao delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $786 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Surigao hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Surigao 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 Surigao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.