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: $1,204 in Makati versus $726 in Tagbilaran City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,023 in Makati versus $1,169 in Tagbilaran City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,841 in Makati versus $1,611 in Tagbilaran City.

Living in Makati is roughly 66% more expensive than Tagbilaran City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 10% lower, Tagbilaran City 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 ₱412

$4.46 ₱275

50.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.22 ₱2,728

$21.47 ₱1,324

105.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 ₱301

$3.43 ₱212

42.27%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ₱181

$2.56 ₱158

14.45%

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

$1.19 ₱73.7

$0.85 ₱52.3

40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.78

$0.45 ₱27.86

24.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ₱150

$1.19 ₱73.4

103.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 ₱223

$2.08 ₱128

74.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 ₱136

$1.76 ₱109

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ₱92.0

$1.13 ₱69.6

31.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱65.7

$0.93 ₱57.3

15.05%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$1.95 ₱120

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 ₱505

$10.50 ₱647

-22.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.42 ₱273

$4.58 ₱283

-3.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱475

$7.78 ₱480

-0.90%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 ₱269

$3.59 ₱222

21.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱123

$1.36 ₱84.0

47.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 ₱159

$3.37 ₱208

-23.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₱138

$1.84 ₱113

21.20%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱213

$2.26 ₱139

52.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱176

$2.45 ₱151

16.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.0

$0.99 ₱61.1

15.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₱62.7

$0.68 ₱41.91

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ₱175

$2.65 ₱164

7.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 ₱501

$6.54 ₱404

24.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱77.1

$0.97 ₱59.7

28.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱143

$1.18 ₱72.9

96.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ₱33.40

$0.28 ₱17.47

92.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.64 ₱225

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱48.35

$0.86 ₱53.3

-9.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.11 ₱6.49

$0.23 ₱14.18

-52.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 ₱225

$2.62 ₱162

39.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.9

$1.10 ₱67.7

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

$33.4K ₱2.1M

$27.6K ₱1.7M

20.98%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$21.9K ₱1.4M

-2.23%

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

$171 ₱10.5K

$77.1 ₱4,753

121.45%

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

$26.96 ₱1,663

$26.30 ₱1,622

2.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.97 ₱2,219

$29.56 ₱1,823

21.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.6 ₱3,430

$33.64 ₱2,075

65.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.87 ₱732

$4.37 ₱270

171.62%

Cinema Ticket

$8.19 ₱505

$4.08 ₱252

100.74%

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

$322 ₱19.9K

$228 ₱14.1K

40.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,811 ₱481.8K

$3,926 ₱242.2K

98.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 ₱3,628

$46.42 ₱2,863

26.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.76 ₱2,206

$20.01 ₱1,234

78.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 ₱5,174

$73.6 ₱4,539

13.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 ₱7,612

$55.3 ₱3,411

123.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$667 ₱41.2K

$213 ₱13.1K

213.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 ₱24.8K

$151 ₱9,303

167.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,307 ₱142.3K

$528 ₱32.5K

337.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,015 ₱62.6K

$386 ₱23.8K

162.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,283 ₱387.5K

$2,314 ₱142.7K

171.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,903 ₱240.8K

$491 ₱30.3K

695.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$712 ₱43.9K

$181 ₱11.1K

294.49%

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 25, 2026

Last update for Tagbilaran City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $667 in Makati and $213 in Tagbilaran City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 294% 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 $21.00 in Tagbilaran City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $211 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 66% 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.

Makati pays 294% 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: $667 in Makati versus $213 in Tagbilaran City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,204 per month in Makati versus $726 in Tagbilaran City – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $726 in Tagbilaran City versus $1,204 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 $726 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 66% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.