🇵🇭 Makati,
Philippines
#584
Nomad Score
6.2
Coords
14.5567949, 121.0211226
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ESSENTIALS
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| 🏙️ City | Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines |
| 👥 Population | 630,000 (Daytime population reaches 4 million) |
| 💻 Internet Speed | Fiber offers 100-500 Mbps; 5G mobile speeds average 150 Mbps |
| 💸 Currency & Banking | Philippine Peso (PHP). 1 USD ≈ 56 PHP, 1 EUR ≈ 61 PHP |
| 🚰 Tap Water | Not drinkable; use purified water dispensers or bottled water (approx. 50 PHP per 5 gallons) |
| 🔌 Power | 220V, 60Hz, 🔌 Type A/B sockets (US flat-pin style) |
| 📶 SIM Card | Globe or Smart; available at Greenbelt 1 or Glorietta. Approx. 500 PHP for 20GB monthly data |
| 💳 Banking for Expats | BDO, BPI, GCash (essential digital wallet), Maya, and HSBC |
| 🛌 Accommodation | Condo rentals through Property24, Rentpad, or Airbnb |
| 💳 Cashless Friendly | Yes, GCash and Credit Cards (Visa/MC) are used in nearly all malls and restaurants |
| 🏠 Short Term Rentals | The Gramercy Residences, Knightsbridge Residences, or Airbnb in Legazpi Village |
| 🛏️ Budget Accommodation | Z Hostel (Poblacion) - approx. 900-1,200 PHP per night for a dorm bed |
| 🏙️ Best Area to Stay for Tourists | Greenbelt and Glorietta area for luxury and convenience |
| 🏙️ Best Area to Stay for Digital Nomads | Legazpi Village (quiet, cafe-heavy) or Salcedo Village (upscale, park-centric) |
WORKING AND NETWORKING
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| 🏢 Best Coworking Space | Common Ground (8 Rockwell) - Daily pass approx. 600 PHP; Monthly 12,000 PHP |
| ☕ Best Cafe for Work | Wildflour Café + Bakery (L.P. Leviste St) or Panco Cafe (Don Carlos Palanca) |
| 💼 Networking Events | TechShake events at various Makati hubs; AmCham Philippines mixers |
| 🥂 Social Events for Expats | Internations Manila meetups; Makati Garden Club social activities |
TRANSPORTATION
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| 🚕 Best Taxi/Ride App | Grab (Standard car) or JoyRide (Motorbike taxi) |
| 🚲 Bike/Scooter Rental | Moovr PH (app-based bike/scooter sharing) located at BGC and Makati links |
| 🏖️ Best Beach Nearby | Anvaya Cove or Laiya, Batangas (approx. 2.5 - 3 hours drive) |
| ✈️ Top Regional Airline | Cebu Pacific (operating out of NAIA Terminal 3) |
| ✈️ Top International Airline | Philippine Airlines (PAL) |
| 🛣️ Highway Access | Skyway (elevated highway) and EDSA (main arterial road) |
| 🚉 Main Train/Transit Hub | Ayala Center Station (MRT-3 Line) |
| 🚍 Public Transport Passes | Beep Card (stored value card for MRT and BGC Bus) |
| ✈️ Regional Travel | Victory Liner (Pasay Terminals) for Northern Luzon; P2P Buses from Greenbelt 5 |
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| 🏥 Best Hospital | Makati Medical Center (Amorsolo St.) - World-class facility |
| 🧘 Yoga & Wellness Centers | Yoga+ (Legazpi Village); Urban Ashram Manila (Active Fun Bldg) |
| 🏋️ Gyms & Fitness Centers | Anytime Fitness (multiple locations); Gold's Gym (Glorietta 3) |
| 🧺 Laundry Services | Suds Laundry (Salcedo Village) - approx. 200 PHP for 7kg wash/dry/fold |
FOOD AND DRINK
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| 📱 Best Food Delivery App | GrabFood and FoodPanda |
| 🍽️ Best Local Dish to Try | Sizzling Pork Sisig at Kanin Club or Manam (Greenbelt 2) |
| 🍱 Vegan/Vegetarian Options | Cosmic (Poblacion) or Green Bar (Legazpi Village) |
| 🍫 Best Dessert Spots | Mary Grace Cafe (Ensaymada) or Conti’s (Mango Bravo cake) |
| 🛒 Affordable Shopping Spots | Cash & Carry Mall or Landmark Supermarket |
| 🛒 E-commerce/Online Store | Lazada and Shopee |
| 🛒 Grocery Delivery | MetroMart or Pick.A.Roo |
| 🍸 Bar/Nightlife Area | Poblacion (The 'Backwell' area) for rooftop bars and speakeasies |
| 🍻 Local Brewery | Joe’s Brew (Poblacion) - Craft beers from 250 PHP |
| 🍷 Wine Bars | Dr. Wine (Poblacion) or Txanton (Chino Roces) |
| 🍲 Street Food Stalls | Jollijeep (mobile food kiosks found on Makati street corners, e.g., Rada St.) |
| 🍕 Popular International Cuisine | Mendokoro Ramba (Japanese); Din Tai Fung (Chinese) |
CULTURE AND ATTRACTIONS
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| 🎟️ Must-See Landmarks | Ayala Triangle Gardens; Yuchengco Museum |
| 🏛️ Museums & Art Venues | Ayala Museum (approx. 650 PHP entry) |
| 🏰 Historical Sites | Nielsen Tower (former airport tower, now Blackbird restaurant) |
| 🕍 Religious Sites | St. Andrew the Apostle Parish (National Artist architecture) |
| 🎉 Annual Events | Art Fair Philippines (February); Festival of Lights (December) |
| 🎨 Cultural Districts | Poblacion Heritage District |
| 🎭 Theater Venues | Samsung Performing Arts Theater (Circuit Makati) |
| 🛍️ Local Markets | Salcedo Saturday Market; Legazpi Sunday Market |
| 🎼 Music Scene | SaGuijo Cafe + Bar (Guijo St.) for indie bands |
| 🎨 Street Art | Collective murals at Circuit Makati and corridors of Legazpi Village |
| 🧑🍳 Cooking Classes | The Maya Kitchen (Liberty Building, Pasay Road) |
| 👩🎨 Art Galleries | Silverlens Galleries (Chino Roces Ave) |
| 🕰️ Historic Buildings | Manila Polo Club; Manila Golf and Country Club |
| 🏴 Local Heritage | Ancestral houses in the old Makati Poblacion area |
NATURE AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| 🌅 Nearby Nature Escapes | La Mesa Eco Park (Quezon City); Masungi Georeserve (Rizal - 1.5 hrs) |
| 🏞️ National Parks Nearby | Mount Makiling Forest Reserve (Laguna) |
| 🚲 Cycling/Walking Paths | Ayala Triangle Gardens; Jaime Velasquez Park |
| 🌄 Scenic Viewpoints | The Peak at Grand Hyatt (BGC view); Firefly Roofdeck (Makati skyline) |
| 🦉 Birdwatching Locations | Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area |
| 🔥 Bonfire-Friendly Spots | None in city center; requires travel to campsites in Tanay, Rizal |
OTHER SERVICES AND AMENITIES
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| 📦 Parcel Delivery Service | Lalamove (instant delivery), J&T Express, or LBC |
| 🛠️ Tech Repair Services | Greenhills Shopping Center (nearby San Juan) for major repairs; SST Laptop (Glorietta 2) |
| 🏓 Table Tennis Spots | Spin n' Shot (various sports clubs) |
| 🧑🏫 Language Classes | Alliance Française de Manille (Nicanor Garcia St) |
| 📚 Libraries & Study Spots | Filipinas Heritage Library (inside Ayala Museum) |
| 🏘️ Community Centers | Makati Sports Club (membership based) |
| 🕹️ Gaming Lounges | High Grounds Cafe (localized in QC, but accessible) |
| 🎰 Casino & Gaming Halls | City of Dreams or Solaire (approx. 20-30 mins away in Entertainment City) |
BUSINESS
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| 🏢 Studio Purchase Price (City Center) | Approx. 230,000 PHP per m² (e.g., 30 m² = 6,900,000 PHP / $123,000) |
| 🏢 Studio Purchase Price (Outside City) | Approx. 160,000 PHP per m² (e.g., 30 m² = 4,800,000 PHP / $85,000) |
| 🏠 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center) | Approx. 250,000 PHP per m² (e.g., 50 m² = 12,500,000 PHP / $223,000) |
| 🏠 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City) | Approx. 175,000 PHP per m² (e.g., 50 m² = 8,750,000 PHP / $156,000) |
| 🏡 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center) | Approx. 280,000 PHP per m² (e.g., 80 m² = 22,400,000 PHP / $400,000) |
| 🏡 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City) | Approx. 190,000 PHP per m² (e.g., 80 m² = 15,200,000 PHP / $271,000) |
| 💼 Corporate Tax | 25% (Standard); 20% for small domestic corporations |
| 💵 Dividend Withholding Tax | 10% for residents; 25% for non-resident aliens |
| 🏦 Tax System | Resident citizens taxed on worldwide income; Aliens taxed on Philippine-sourced income only |
| 📈 Highest Income Tax Bracket | 35% for income over 8 million PHP |
| 🧾 VAT | 12% |
| 🌐 Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) Rules | Yes, introduced under the TRAIN law |
| 🏠 Property Tax | Real Property Tax (RPT) approx. 1% to 2% of assessed value |
| 🏠 Property Transaction Tax | Capital Gains Tax (6%), Documentary Stamp Tax (1.5%), Transfer Tax (0.5% to 0.75%) |
| 💻 Attractive Tax System for Digital Nomads | Special Resident Retiree’s Visa (SRRV) offers some tax exemptions; no specific 0% nomad visa yet |
🧭 CONTINUE EXPLORING MAKATI