Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Tacloban Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Tacloban

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,186 in Makati versus $847 in Tacloban.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,004 in Makati versus $1,198 in Tacloban.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,822 in Makati versus $1,549 in Tacloban.

Living in Makati is roughly 40% more expensive than Tacloban, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 12% lower, Tacloban 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 ₱420

$4.37 ₱269

56.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.54 ₱2,739

$17.61 ₱1,083

152.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 ₱300

$2.73 ₱168

78.75%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱176

$2.61 ₱160

9.96%

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

$1.16 ₱71.3

$0.77 ₱47.34

50.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱32.73

$0.41 ₱25.50

29.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱150

$1.53 ₱94.0

59.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₱214

$2.09 ₱129

66.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 ₱131

$2.20 ₱136

-3.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ₱92.6

$1.56 ₱96.1

-3.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ₱68.6

$1.00 ₱61.7

12.00%

Eggs

$2.25 ₱138

$2.25 ₱139

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.04 ₱494

$12.93 ₱795

-37.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.42 ₱272

$4.70 ₱289

-5.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 ₱480

$7.78 ₱478

0.39%

Apples (1kg)

$4.51 ₱278

$3.53 ₱217

27.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ₱117

$1.20 ₱74.1

59.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ₱167

$3.43 ₱211

-20.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 ₱135

$1.76 ₱108

24.43%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 ₱201

$2.55 ₱157

27.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 ₱180

$2.52 ₱155

16.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₱67.4

$0.93 ₱56.9

18.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱60.9

$0.83 ₱51.0

19.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 ₱175

$2.14 ₱132

33.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.27 ₱508

$6.45 ₱397

28.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 ₱72.9

$1.16 ₱71.4

1.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₱143

$2.27 ₱140

2.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.30

$0.18 ₱10.98

183.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.49 ₱214

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱47.39

$0.81 ₱50.1

-4.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.13 ₱7.86

$0.17 ₱10.67

-23.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 ₱224

$2.68 ₱165

35.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱70.6

$1.14 ₱70.4

0.88%

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

$33.6K ₱2.1M

$29.7K ₱1.8M

13.08%

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

$22.1K ₱1.4M

$26.9K ₱1.7M

-17.92%

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

$168 ₱10.4K

$97.8 ₱6,014

72.18%

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

$27.62 ₱1,699

$34.65 ₱2,131

-20.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.63 ₱2,253

$30.21 ₱1,858

21.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 ₱3,472

$34.60 ₱2,128

63.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.69 ₱719

$4.46 ₱274

162.11%

Cinema Ticket

$7.76 ₱477

$5.85 ₱360

32.65%

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

$320 ₱19.7K

$228 ₱14.0K

40.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,666 ₱471.4K

$3,891 ₱239.3K

96.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 ₱3,599

$45.51 ₱2,799

28.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.71 ₱2,196

$23.37 ₱1,437

52.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 ₱5,298

$76.3 ₱4,689

12.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 ₱7,706

$55.6 ₱3,416

125.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$660 ₱40.6K

$247 ₱15.2K

167.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ₱24.2K

$216 ₱13.3K

82.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,263 ₱139.2K

$803 ₱49.4K

181.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,009 ₱62.0K

$234 ₱14.4K

331.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,121 ₱376.4K

$2,401 ₱147.7K

154.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,737 ₱229.8K

$1,018 ₱62.6K

267.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$693 ₱42.6K

$361 ₱22.2K

91.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

-16.63%

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

Last update for Makati: June 8, 2026

Last update for Tacloban: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $660 in Makati and $247 in Tacloban. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 92% 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: $45.00 in Makati vs $18.00 in Tacloban for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $233 per month, with Tacloban 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

Makati vs Tacloban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tacloban wins on cost – living expenses run 40% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tacloban the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Makati pays 92% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $660 in Makati versus $247 in Tacloban. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,186 per month in Makati versus $847 in Tacloban – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $847 in Tacloban versus $1,186 in Makati, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tacloban but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Tacloban the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Tacloban delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $847 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tacloban hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Tacloban 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 Tacloban gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.