Cost of Living Comparison Between Zamboanga and Makati Cost of Living Comparison Between Zamboanga and Makati

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $760 in Zamboanga versus $1,186 in Makati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,101 in Zamboanga versus $2,004 in Makati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,442 in Zamboanga versus $2,822 in Makati.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Zamboanga 43% lower, Makati 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.52 ₱92.6

$6.83 ₱415

-77.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.59 ₱582

$44.54 ₱2,705

-78.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.73 ₱166

$4.88 ₱296

-44.06%

Cappuccino

$1.80 ₱109

$2.87 ₱174

-37.28%

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

$0.95 ₱57.5

$1.16 ₱70.4

-18.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱25.34

$0.53 ₱32.32

-20.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 ₱74.6

$2.44 ₱148

-49.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₱103

$3.48 ₱211

-51.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ₱121

$2.12 ₱129

-5.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ₱96.3

$1.51 ₱91.4

5.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ₱76.5

$1.12 ₱67.7

12.50%

Eggs

$1.62 ₱98.6

$2.25 ₱137

-28.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.22 ₱682

$8.04 ₱488

39.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱269

$4.42 ₱269

0.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.56 ₱216

$7.81 ₱474

-54.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 ₱209

$4.51 ₱274

-23.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 ₱81.9

$1.91 ₱116

-29.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 ₱254

$2.72 ₱165

53.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 ₱165

$2.19 ₱133

23.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ₱81.5

$3.26 ₱198

-58.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 ₱172

$2.93 ₱178

-3.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 ₱58.8

$1.10 ₱66.6

-11.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₱34.36

$0.99 ₱60.1

-42.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.09 ₱188

$2.85 ₱173

8.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.26 ₱259

$8.27 ₱502

-48.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 ₱88.7

$1.18 ₱71.9

23.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ₱138

$2.33 ₱141

-2.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.28

$0.51 ₱30.91

-56.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.49 ₱212

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 ₱52.0

$0.77 ₱46.80

11.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.29

$0.13 ₱7.76

69.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 ₱127

$3.64 ₱221

-42.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₱73.6

$1.15 ₱69.7

5.22%

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

$26.9K ₱1.6M

$33.6K ₱2.0M

-19.79%

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

$20.3K ₱1.2M

$22.1K ₱1.3M

-7.84%

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

$163 ₱9,881

$168 ₱10.2K

-3.35%

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

$47.25 ₱2,869

$27.62 ₱1,677

71.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.3 ₱3,237

$36.63 ₱2,224

45.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.14 ₱2,437

$56.5 ₱3,428

-28.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.52 ₱274

$11.69 ₱710

-61.33%

Cinema Ticket

$7.06 ₱429

$7.76 ₱471

-9.02%

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

$54.1 ₱3,287

$320 ₱19.4K

-83.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,237 ₱75.1K

$7,666 ₱465.5K

-83.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.24 ₱1,533

$58.5 ₱3,554

-56.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.34 ₱1,599

$35.71 ₱2,169

-26.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 ₱5,367

$86.2 ₱5,231

2.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.6 ₱3,741

$125 ₱7,609

-50.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$141 ₱8,567

$660 ₱40.1K

-78.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$70.9 ₱4,303

$394 ₱23.9K

-82.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$367 ₱22.3K

$2,263 ₱137.4K

-83.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$142 ₱8,640

$1,009 ₱61.2K

-85.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,274 ₱138.1K

$6,121 ₱371.7K

-62.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$958 ₱58.2K

$3,737 ₱226.9K

-74.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$198 ₱12.0K

$693 ₱42.1K

-71.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

79.91%

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

Last update for Zamboanga: June 7, 2026

Last update for Makati: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $141 in Zamboanga and $660 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 250% 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: $10.00 in Zamboanga vs $45.00 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $234 per month, with Zamboanga 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

Zamboanga vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zamboanga wins on cost – living expenses run 56% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zamboanga the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Makati earns 250% 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: $141 in Zamboanga versus $660 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $760 per month in Zamboanga versus $1,186 in Makati – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $760 in Zamboanga versus $1,186 in Makati, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zamboanga but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Zamboanga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Zamboanga delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $760 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Zamboanga hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Zamboanga 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 Zamboanga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.