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: $1,226 in Makati versus $723 in Tagbilaran City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,003 in Makati versus $1,174 in Tagbilaran City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,780 in Makati versus $1,624 in Tagbilaran City.

Living in Makati is roughly 70% more expensive than in Tagbilaran City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, Tagbilaran City 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.61 ₱406

$4.47 ₱274

47.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.73 ₱2,746

$21.47 ₱1,318

108.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 ₱293

$3.45 ₱212

38.26%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ₱181

$2.61 ₱160

13.03%

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

$1.15 ₱70.9

$0.81 ₱49.65

41.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₱32.10

$0.46 ₱28.15

13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 ₱145

$1.17 ₱72.0

102.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ₱222

$2.10 ₱129

71.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ₱132

$1.76 ₱108

22.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ₱88.6

$1.08 ₱66.2

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ₱65.0

$0.89 ₱54.4

19.10%

Eggs

$2.35 ₱144

$1.98 ₱121

18.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.87 ₱483

$10.82 ₱665

-27.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.48 ₱275

$4.59 ₱282

-2.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.80 ₱479

$7.54 ₱463

3.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 ₱272

$3.47 ₱213

27.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 ₱121

$1.35 ₱82.8

45.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 ₱159

$3.34 ₱205

-22.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 ₱133

$1.81 ₱111

19.89%

Potato (1kg)

$3.41 ₱209

$2.24 ₱138

52.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 ₱172

$2.41 ₱148

16.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₱66.7

$0.98 ₱60.4

11.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ₱57.6

$0.68 ₱41.66

38.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₱181

$2.65 ₱163

11.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 ₱485

$6.38 ₱392

23.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱75.6

$1.00 ₱61.4

23.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₱138

$1.18 ₱72.5

90.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ₱34.08

$0.28 ₱17.27

96.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.63 ₱223

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱47.56

$0.87 ₱53.1

-11.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.11 ₱6.84

$0.23 ₱14.09

-52.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 ₱222

$2.62 ₱161

38.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱70.5

$1.13 ₱69.7

1.77%

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

$33.4K ₱2.1M

$28.0K ₱1.7M

19.18%

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

$21.9K ₱1.3M

-0.08%

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

$173 ₱10.6K

$75.5 ₱4,637

129.46%

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

$27.42 ₱1,683

$27.09 ₱1,663

1.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.34 ₱2,232

$29.46 ₱1,809

23.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 ₱3,377

$33.91 ₱2,082

62.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.72 ₱720

$4.39 ₱270

166.97%

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 ₱494

$4.11 ₱252

95.86%

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

$323 ₱19.8K

$232 ₱14.2K

39.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,720 ₱474.0K

$3,895 ₱239.2K

98.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 ₱3,664

$46.28 ₱2,842

28.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.00 ₱2,210

$19.90 ₱1,222

80.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 ₱5,251

$71.9 ₱4,416

18.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,497

$55.2 ₱3,388

121.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$660 ₱40.5K

$213 ₱13.1K

209.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱23.9K

$152 ₱9,312

157.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,259 ₱138.7K

$526 ₱32.3K

329.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,032 ₱63.4K

$381 ₱23.4K

170.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,059 ₱372.0K

$798 ₱49.0K

658.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,835 ₱235.5K

$487 ₱29.9K

686.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₱37.4K

$179 ₱11.0K

241.17%

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 28, 2026

Last update for Tagbilaran City: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $660 in Makati and $213 in Tagbilaran City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 241% 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: $45.00 in Makati vs $21.00 in Tagbilaran City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $209 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 70% 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 241% 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: $660 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 11% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,226 per month in Makati versus $723 in Tagbilaran City – a 70% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $723 in Tagbilaran City versus $1,226 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 $723 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 70% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.