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: $1,221 in Makati versus $834 in Tacloban.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,007 in Makati versus $1,187 in Tacloban.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,792 in Makati versus $1,541 in Tacloban.

Living in Makati is roughly 46% more expensive than in Tacloban, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 9% lower, Tacloban 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.78 ₱419

$4.41 ₱273

53.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.52 ₱2,690

$17.41 ₱1,076

149.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 ₱299

$2.59 ₱160

86.87%

Cappuccino

$2.82 ₱174

$2.65 ₱164

6.42%

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

$1.21 ₱74.5

$0.77 ₱47.70

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱32.53

$0.42 ₱25.66

26.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ₱145

$1.59 ₱98.4

47.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₱224

$2.18 ₱135

66.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$2.25 ₱139

-4.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ₱93.3

$1.50 ₱92.5

0.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.9

$0.95 ₱58.5

16.84%

Eggs

$2.36 ₱146

$2.31 ₱143

2.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.80 ₱482

$12.77 ₱789

-38.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 ₱282

$4.66 ₱288

-2.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱472

$7.65 ₱473

-0.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.51 ₱279

$3.56 ₱220

26.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ₱118

$1.22 ₱75.3

56.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 ₱161

$3.43 ₱212

-23.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₱138

$1.79 ₱111

25.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 ₱204

$2.62 ₱162

25.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.97 ₱183

$2.57 ₱159

15.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₱67.3

$1.00 ₱62.1

9.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₱59.3

$0.85 ₱52.4

12.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 ₱176

$2.11 ₱130

35.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.16 ₱504

$6.39 ₱395

27.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱76.2

$1.21 ₱74.8

1.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₱137

$2.28 ₱141

-2.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ₱32.00

$0.21 ₱12.87

147.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱222

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱47.42

$0.83 ₱51.3

-7.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.11 ₱6.86

$0.14 ₱8.94

-21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 ₱217

$2.74 ₱169

28.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱70.8

$1.15 ₱71.3

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

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$29.6K ₱1.8M

15.60%

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

$21.9K ₱1.4M

$27.4K ₱1.7M

-19.97%

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

$167 ₱10.3K

$96.1 ₱5,941

73.45%

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

$27.16 ₱1,679

$34.12 ₱2,109

-20.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.97 ₱2,224

$30.34 ₱1,875

18.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.6 ₱3,434

$33.93 ₱2,098

63.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.78 ₱728

$4.45 ₱275

164.72%

Cinema Ticket

$7.83 ₱484

$5.87 ₱363

33.39%

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

$325 ₱20.1K

$229 ₱14.1K

42.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,695 ₱475.7K

$3,915 ₱242.0K

96.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 ₱3,694

$46.09 ₱2,849

29.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.65 ₱2,204

$23.35 ₱1,444

52.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 ₱5,353

$74.3 ₱4,594

16.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 ₱7,577

$56.5 ₱3,492

116.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$644 ₱39.8K

$251 ₱15.5K

156.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 ₱24.2K

$211 ₱13.1K

85.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,243 ₱138.7K

$813 ₱50.3K

175.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 ₱62.9K

$237 ₱14.7K

328.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,002 ₱371.0K

$2,431 ₱150.3K

146.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,756 ₱232.2K

$989 ₱61.1K

280.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$608 ₱37.6K

$354 ₱21.9K

71.63%

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: July 19, 2026

Last update for Tacloban: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $644 in Makati and $251 in Tacloban. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 72% 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: $44.00 in Makati vs $17.00 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 46% 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.

Average pay runs 72% higher in Makati, 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: $644 in Makati versus $251 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 $1,221 per month in Makati versus $834 in Tacloban – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $834 in Tacloban versus $1,221 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 $834 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 46% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.