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: $1,199 in Makati versus $829 in Tacloban.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,015 in Makati versus $1,185 in Tacloban.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,831 in Makati versus $1,540 in Tacloban.

Living in Makati is roughly 45% more expensive than Tacloban, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 11% lower, Tacloban 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.46 ₱389

$4.47 ₱269

44.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.79 ₱2,636

$17.84 ₱1,074

145.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.02 ₱302

$2.68 ₱161

87.31%

Cappuccino

$2.98 ₱179

$2.61 ₱157

14.18%

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

$1.16 ₱69.9

$0.71 ₱43.01

63.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱33.98

$0.39 ₱23.31

43.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 ₱148

$1.53 ₱92.2

60.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ₱207

$2.16 ₱130

59.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₱134

$2.25 ₱136

-1.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ₱90.8

$1.53 ₱92.0

-1.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ₱64.0

$1.00 ₱59.9

6.00%

Eggs

$2.23 ₱134

$2.30 ₱138

-3.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.00 ₱481

$12.99 ₱782

-38.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.54 ₱273

$4.74 ₱285

-4.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.74 ₱466

$7.77 ₱468

-0.39%

Apples (1kg)

$4.49 ₱270

$3.64 ₱219

23.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ₱114

$1.26 ₱76.0

50.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 ₱157

$3.30 ₱198

-20.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 ₱131

$1.82 ₱110

19.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 ₱203

$2.64 ₱159

27.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱172

$2.52 ₱152

13.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱65.1

$0.92 ₱55.3

17.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ₱56.9

$0.80 ₱47.87

17.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 ₱173

$2.18 ₱131

32.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.17 ₱492

$6.70 ₱403

21.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱75.1

$1.16 ₱69.7

7.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱141

$2.35 ₱141

-0.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ₱33.00

$0.17 ₱10.29

223.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱216

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱49.51

$0.89 ₱53.6

-7.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.11 ₱6.82

$0.16 ₱9.35

-31.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ₱217

$2.60 ₱157

38.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₱66.6

$1.09 ₱65.6

1.83%

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

$33.3K ₱2.0M

$30.5K ₱1.8M

8.97%

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

$21.4K ₱1.3M

$27.8K ₱1.7M

-22.79%

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

$167 ₱10.1K

$96.2 ₱5,786

73.96%

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

$27.19 ₱1,636

$34.23 ₱2,060

-20.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.64 ₱2,145

$30.40 ₱1,829

17.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.3 ₱3,327

$34.30 ₱2,064

61.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.94 ₱718

$4.48 ₱270

166.52%

Cinema Ticket

$7.76 ₱467

$6.11 ₱368

27.00%

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

$317 ₱19.1K

$230 ₱13.9K

37.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,749 ₱466.3K

$3,887 ₱233.9K

99.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ₱3,618

$45.72 ₱2,751

31.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.79 ₱2,094

$23.34 ₱1,405

49.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ₱5,100

$76.6 ₱4,610

10.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 ₱7,438

$55.6 ₱3,348

122.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$668 ₱40.2K

$248 ₱14.9K

169.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 ₱24.3K

$211 ₱12.7K

91.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,323 ₱139.8K

$792 ₱47.7K

193.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 ₱61.3K

$238 ₱14.3K

327.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,311 ₱379.8K

$2,338 ₱140.7K

169.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,938 ₱237.0K

$2,125 ₱127.9K

85.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$698 ₱42.0K

$363 ₱21.9K

92.20%

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Tacloban: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $668 in Makati and $248 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: $44 in Makati vs $18 in Tacloban. Groceries flip the comparison at $234 vs $235, with Makati cheaper for home cooking.

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 45% 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: $668 in Makati versus $248 in Tacloban. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Makati pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,199 per month in Makati versus $829 in Tacloban – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $829 in Tacloban versus $1,199 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 $829 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 45% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.