Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Tagaytay Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Tagaytay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,226 in Makati versus $657 in Tagaytay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,005 in Makati versus $1,135 in Tagaytay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,783 in Makati versus $1,614 in Tagaytay.

Living in Makati is roughly 87% more expensive than in Tagaytay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 10% lower, Tagaytay 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 ₱407

$2.93 ₱184

120.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.29 ₱2,531

$12.80 ₱804

214.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₱295

$2.44 ₱154

92.62%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₱166

$1.61 ₱101

64.60%

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

$1.11 ₱69.8

$0.53 ₱33.17

109.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱28.47

$0.41 ₱25.93

9.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ₱148

$1.42 ₱89.3

65.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ₱201

$2.34 ₱147

36.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱120

$1.84 ₱115

3.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ₱80.7

$1.12 ₱70.2

14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ₱65.8

$0.86 ₱54.2

22.09%

Eggs

$2.48 ₱156

$1.88 ₱118

31.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.98 ₱439

$5.22 ₱328

33.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 ₱305

$4.10 ₱257

18.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.77 ₱425

$7.17 ₱450

-5.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 ₱259

$2.27 ₱143

81.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱126

$1.55 ₱97.3

29.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 ₱201

$2.40 ₱151

32.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱143

$1.17 ₱73.3

94.87%

Potato (1kg)

$3.52 ₱221

$2.02 ₱127

74.26%

Onion (1kg)

$3.59 ₱225

$1.98 ₱125

81.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₱69.4

$0.79 ₱49.37

39.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₱71.8

$0.53 ₱33.06

115.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 ₱161

$2.84 ₱178

-9.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 ₱502

$8.14 ₱512

-1.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₱82.9

$0.97 ₱60.8

36.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₱127

$1.92 ₱120

5.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₱61.6

$0.27 ₱16.98

262.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 ₱3,619

$11.34 ₱712

408.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₱42.21

$0.81 ₱50.7

-17.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.17

$0.27 ₱16.81

-22.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₱118

$2.09 ₱131

-10.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱78.1

$1.08 ₱67.6

14.81%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$21.6K ₱1.4M

-2.34%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$17.7K ₱1.1M

10.97%

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

$152 ₱9,557

$120 ₱7,525

27.00%

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

$16.13 ₱1,014

$13.97 ₱878

15.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.63 ₱1,987

$28.24 ₱1,774

12.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 ₱3,422

$34.37 ₱2,159

58.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.45 ₱908

$4.79 ₱301

201.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 ₱437

$5.14 ₱323

35.21%

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

$803 ₱50.4K

$130 ₱8,176

516.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,454 ₱468.3K

$7,909 ₱496.9K

-5.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 ₱3,761

$31.72 ₱1,993

88.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.50 ₱2,356

$19.64 ₱1,234

90.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 ₱5,139

$71.5 ₱4,494

14.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ₱6,555

$56.5 ₱3,551

84.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 ₱47.3K

$182 ₱11.4K

312.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱27.0K

$109 ₱6,847

293.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,279 ₱143.2K

$588 ₱36.9K

287.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 ₱66.2K

$529 ₱33.2K

99.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,865 ₱368.5K

$2,571 ₱161.5K

128.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,745 ₱235.3K

$1,040 ₱65.4K

259.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₱38.3K

$619 ₱38.9K

-1.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

6.75

11.11%

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

Last update for Makati: September 14, 2026

Last update for Tagaytay: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $752 in Makati and $182 in Tagaytay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tagaytay pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Makati vs $13.00 in Tagaytay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $179 per month, with Tagaytay 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 Tagaytay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tagaytay wins on cost – living expenses run 87% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tagaytay the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Tagaytay. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $752 in Makati versus $182 in Tagaytay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,226 per month in Makati versus $657 in Tagaytay – a 87% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tagaytay runs roughly 408% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $657 in Tagaytay versus $1,226 in Makati, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tagaytay but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Tagaytay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Tagaytay delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $657 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tagaytay hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Tagaytay 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 Tagaytay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 87% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.