Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Valenzuela and Makati

For one person, living is cheaper in Valenzuela: $552 a month against $1,230 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

27

Cost of Living Index in Valenzuela
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Valenzuela Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Makati
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Makati Living Index

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Valenzuela

🇵🇭 Philippines

$552

/mo nomad

Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,230

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Valenzuela and in Makati

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Valenzuela and in Makati actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $552 in Valenzuela versus $1,230 in Makati.

Valenzuela $552
Makati $1,230

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,208 in Valenzuela versus $2,137 in Makati.

Valenzuela $1,208
Makati $2,137

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,864 in Valenzuela versus $3,044 in Makati.

Valenzuela $1,864
Makati $3,044

Living in Valenzuela costs roughly 55% less than in Makati, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Valenzuela 59% lower, Makati 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.88 ₱247

$6.40 ₱407

-39.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.61 ₱1,058

$38.45 ₱2,449

-56.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.74 ₱174

$4.78 ₱305

-42.68%

Cappuccino

$2.00 ₱128

$2.59 ₱165

-22.78%

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

$0.56 ₱35.46

$1.09 ₱69.7

-48.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₱19.44

$0.49 ₱31.29

-36.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.24 ₱79.0

$2.39 ₱152

-48.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₱98.2

$3.18 ₱202

-51.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ₱105

$1.80 ₱115

-8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 ₱69.2

$1.26 ₱80.6

-13.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ₱63.3

$1.03 ₱65.6

-3.88%

Eggs

$2.05 ₱131

$2.37 ₱151

-13.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.97 ₱316

$6.91 ₱440

-28.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.28 ₱209

$4.93 ₱314

-33.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.78 ₱432

$6.74 ₱429

0.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 ₱140

$4.12 ₱262

-46.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 ₱101

$1.90 ₱121

-16.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ₱147

$3.19 ₱203

-27.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 ₱67.1

$2.25 ₱143

-53.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 ₱110

$3.55 ₱226

-51.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 ₱109

$3.50 ₱223

-51.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₱40.99

$1.07 ₱67.9

-40.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₱30.60

$1.13 ₱71.7

-57.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 ₱167

$2.60 ₱165

0.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.59 ₱484

$7.85 ₱500

-3.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ₱59.7

$1.29 ₱82.3

-27.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₱124

$1.93 ₱123

0.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₱14.71

$0.88 ₱56.3

-73.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.23 ₱843

$56.3 ₱3,583

-76.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 ₱40.80

$0.65 ₱41.46

-1.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.37

$0.21 ₱13.33

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ₱121

$1.90 ₱121

-0.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₱75.9

$1.28 ₱81.4

-7.03%

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

$21.0K ₱1.3M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

0.97%

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

$19.3K ₱1.2M

$18.9K ₱1.2M

2.21%

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

$138 ₱8,776

$151 ₱9,639

-8.95%

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

$15.92 ₱1,014

$15.59 ₱993

2.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.98 ₱1,973

$31.38 ₱1,999

-1.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.07 ₱1,215

$53.3 ₱3,393

-64.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.04 ₱894

Cinema Ticket

$6.41 ₱408

$7.22 ₱460

-11.22%

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

$130 ₱8,270

$776 ₱49.4K

-83.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,357 ₱468.6K

$7,391 ₱470.7K

-0.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.67 ₱1,826

$59.9 ₱3,814

-52.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.33 ₱1,231

$36.96 ₱2,354

-47.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 ₱4,414

$81.0 ₱5,161

-14.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.9 ₱3,435

$101 ₱6,426

-46.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$829 ₱52.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱27.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$997 ₱63.5K

$2,151 ₱137.0K

-53.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 ₱49.1K

$1,308 ₱83.3K

-41.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,714 ₱363.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,568 ₱227.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$578 ₱36.8K

$587 ₱37.4K

-1.51%

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 Valenzuela: October 26, 2026

Last update for Makati: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Valenzuela

$185 33.4%

Makati

$198 16.1% 7.4% $14

Groceries & Markets

Valenzuela

$167 30.2%

Makati

$227 18.5% 36.2% $60

Clothing & Footwear

Valenzuela

$77 14%

Makati

$125 10.2% 62.8% $48

Eating Out

Valenzuela

$76 13.8%

Makati

$121 9.9% 59.6% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Valenzuela

$32 5.8%

Makati

$68 5.5% 112% $36

Getting Around

Valenzuela

$16 2.9%

Makati

$61 5% 288% $46

Accommodation & Living

Valenzuela

- * 0%

Makati

$429 34.8%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $17 in Valenzuela vs $38 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $167 vs $227 per month, with Valenzuela cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Valenzuela

🇵🇭 Makati

🕒 Local time

13:29 1:29 PM

Same time as Valenzuela

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

714,978

582,602

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Valenzuela Makati 16 km

From you

Valenzuela
Makati

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Valenzuela vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Valenzuela wins on cost – living expenses run 55% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Valenzuela the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $829 in Valenzuela and $1,845 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.

All in, you’ll spend $552 per month in Valenzuela versus $1,230 in Makati – Valenzuela is about 55% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Valenzuela runs roughly 76% less than in Makati. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

At $552 in Valenzuela versus $1,230 in Makati, a $800 budget is realistic in Valenzuela but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Valenzuela the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Valenzuela and Makati are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.