Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Tagbilaran City Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Tagbilaran City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,237 in Makati versus $627 in Tagbilaran City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,035 in Makati versus $1,020 in Tagbilaran City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Makati versus $1,414 in Tagbilaran City.

Living in Makati is roughly 97% more expensive than in Tagbilaran City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 10% lower, Tagbilaran City 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.43 ₱403

$3.04 ₱191

111.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.02 ₱2,509

$17.76 ₱1,113

125.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 ₱287

$2.80 ₱175

63.57%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₱163

$2.56 ₱161

1.56%

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

$1.13 ₱70.6

$0.97 ₱60.9

16.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₱30.10

$0.46 ₱28.64

4.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ₱151

$0.82 ₱51.6

193.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₱204

$2.17 ₱136

49.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₱121

$1.55 ₱97.1

25.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 ₱76.9

$1.05 ₱66.1

17.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱66.9

$0.93 ₱58.2

15.05%

Eggs

$2.47 ₱155

$1.80 ₱113

37.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.28 ₱457

$9.68 ₱607

-24.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 ₱304

$4.38 ₱274

10.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.91 ₱433

$7.73 ₱485

-10.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 ₱250

$2.94 ₱184

35.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱125

$1.30 ₱81.2

53.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 ₱202

$2.32 ₱146

38.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 ₱148

$1.55 ₱97.4

52.90%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱216

$2.35 ₱147

46.81%

Onion (1kg)

$3.42 ₱215

$1.99 ₱125

71.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ₱69.6

$0.66 ₱41.23

68.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱72.7

$0.49 ₱30.82

136.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 ₱161

$2.51 ₱158

2.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 ₱506

$6.17 ₱387

30.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₱84.4

$0.96 ₱60.1

40.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₱129

$1.03 ₱64.3

99.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₱61.6

$0.46 ₱28.72

113.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.9 ₱3,628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 ₱38.53

$0.81 ₱50.6

-24.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.43

$0.23 ₱14.46

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ₱116

$4.55 ₱285

-59.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₱74.0

$1.05 ₱65.6

12.38%

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

$21.7K ₱1.4M

$21.3K ₱1.3M

1.70%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

0.49%

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

$154 ₱9,681

$79.9 ₱5,011

93.21%

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

$16.28 ₱1,021

$14.79 ₱927

10.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.31 ₱1,963

$25.72 ₱1,613

21.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.0 ₱3,383

$11.08 ₱694

387.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.31 ₱897

$3.21 ₱201

345.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.10 ₱445

$3.57 ₱224

98.88%

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

$783 ₱49.1K

$275 ₱17.2K

185.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,374 ₱462.3K

$8,093 ₱507.3K

-8.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,780

$36.82 ₱2,308

63.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.61 ₱2,358

$18.21 ₱1,142

106.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 ₱5,151

$65.3 ₱4,095

25.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ₱6,550

$57.8 ₱3,621

80.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$755 ₱47.3K

$193 ₱12.1K

291.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱26.9K

$136 ₱8,497

216.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,337 ₱146.5K

$475 ₱29.8K

391.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 ₱67.2K

$342 ₱21.4K

213.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,941 ₱372.4K

$793 ₱49.7K

648.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,816 ₱239.2K

$473 ₱29.6K

706.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$606 ₱38.0K

$179 ₱11.2K

239.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

7.2

4.17%

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

Last update for Makati: September 6, 2026

Last update for Tagbilaran City: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $755 in Makati and $193 in Tagbilaran City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 239% 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: $40.00 in Makati vs $18.00 in Tagbilaran City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $189 per month, with Tagbilaran City 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 Tagbilaran City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tagbilaran City wins on cost – living expenses run 97% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tagbilaran City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 239% 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: $755 in Makati versus $193 in Tagbilaran City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,237 per month in Makati versus $627 in Tagbilaran City – a 97% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $627 in Tagbilaran City versus $1,237 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tagbilaran City but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Tagbilaran City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Tagbilaran City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $627 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tagbilaran City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Tagbilaran City 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 Tagbilaran City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 97% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.