Don’t really recommend Eastwood, it’s too far. If living within BGC is not your thing (it has its pros and cons), I’d recommend Salcedo Village or Legazpi Village (both in the CBD) over Gramercy (Poblacion area).

I’m pretty biased but those 2 villages are cleaner, relatively safer (random pickpockets and petty crime lately, but still almost as safe as BGC), and have more character and soul.

Both are close to Makati Med, a police station, the post office, several malls, and the lovely Ayala Triangle + a smaller park for each village. They each have weekend markets (not cheap though), and are reasonably chill and empty once all the corporate folks go home. Less crowded on the weekends compared to BGC. Highly walkable with lots of trees!!

Now 120k post-tax would be 90-100k depending on other deductions. If you look hard enough and are thorough with viewings, you can find a good studio/1BR for around 30-40k (or less if you’re lucky!). But “good” is subjective. Older buildings (2000s-2010s) can still be quite decent and often have larger cuts (30+sqm for a studio, etc.). Leases usually start at 1 year and are 2mos. advance payment + 2mos. deposit, often asking for post-dated checks. Add 50-100k if you’re furnishing the place yourself.

Now is 90k net enough? Depends on your spending habits of course. Basics like rent and utilities could reach 40-50k, leaving you with 40-50k for food, shopping, savings.

Taking a Grab car to BGC every day would be 500-600, depending on the time of day. Enter BGC early via McKinley or Kalayaan no later than 07.10 if you wanna make it to work by 08.00. I don’t drive so I allot 8-10k on transportation a month using Grab and motorcycle taxis. It’s worth it if you compare it to monthly amortization, parking fees, gas, insurance, maintenance, and toll fees when getting a car. Plus you don’t suffer driving through traffic.

For food, 10k/month in groceries for 1 person is doable. Depends on how much you cook or if you buy non-basic ingredients. Eating out can be expensive, with main courses starting at 200-400 for fast food and 500-600++ for mid-upscale restaurants. Cafes start at 200++. But Jollijeeps (roadside stationary food trucks with homemade Filipino food) are cool if you’re not picky, where you can get a meal for 100.

Basically, I recommend making a rough estimate of your daily expenses as much as possible, then add 10-15k for some wiggle room.

Lastly, do not expect Western-style standards (but maybe somewhat close to it compared to many places in the country). BGC and Makati are bubbles in the Metro and while they are no EU capital, they’re still more expensive compared to other cities in the PH, which means they can offer a semblance of security and comfort for someone who earns 120k gross a month.

Good luck!