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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,226 in Makati versus $964 in Taguig City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,003 in Makati versus $1,567 in Taguig City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,780 in Makati versus $2,169 in Taguig City.

Living in Makati is roughly 27% more expensive than in Taguig City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, Taguig City 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.61 ₱405

$4.56 ₱279

44.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.73 ₱2,738

$27.04 ₱1,655

65.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 ₱292

$3.65 ₱224

30.68%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ₱181

$2.63 ₱161

12.17%

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

$1.15 ₱70.7

$0.81 ₱49.57

41.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₱32.00

$0.45 ₱27.54

15.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 ₱145

$1.48 ₱90.4

60.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ₱221

$2.61 ₱160

38.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ₱131

$1.89 ₱116

13.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ₱88.3

$1.39 ₱84.9

3.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ₱64.8

$1.09 ₱66.8

-2.75%

Eggs

$2.35 ₱144

$2.11 ₱129

11.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.87 ₱482

$9.30 ₱569

-15.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.48 ₱274

$5.11 ₱313

-12.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.80 ₱477

$8.79 ₱538

-11.26%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 ₱271

$2.73 ₱167

62.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 ₱121

$1.81 ₱111

8.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 ₱159

$3.16 ₱193

-18.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 ₱133

$1.21 ₱73.9

79.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.41 ₱209

$1.92 ₱117

77.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 ₱172

$3.18 ₱194

-11.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₱66.5

$1.81 ₱111

-39.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ₱57.4

$0.76 ₱46.67

23.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₱180

$3.36 ₱206

-12.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 ₱483

$8.70 ₱532

-9.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱75.3

$1.40 ₱85.7

-12.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₱137

$2.24 ₱137

0.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ₱33.97

$0.22 ₱13.40

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.63 ₱222

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱47.41

$0.86 ₱52.5

-10.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.11 ₱6.82

$0.22 ₱13.38

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 ₱221

$2.15 ₱132

68.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱70.3

$1.12 ₱68.9

2.68%

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

$33.4K ₱2.0M

$26.2K ₱1.6M

27.34%

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

$21.9K ₱1.3M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

5.49%

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

$173 ₱10.6K

$129 ₱7,908

34.14%

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

$27.42 ₱1,678

$32.23 ₱1,973

-14.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.34 ₱2,225

$26.63 ₱1,630

36.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 ₱3,367

$43.69 ₱2,675

25.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.72 ₱717

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 ₱493

$6.55 ₱401

22.90%

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

$323 ₱19.8K

$153 ₱9,370

111.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,720 ₱472.6K

$11.5K ₱704.4K

-32.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 ₱3,653

$47.26 ₱2,893

26.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.00 ₱2,203

$33.53 ₱2,053

7.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 ₱5,235

$69.0 ₱4,222

24.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,474

$47.11 ₱2,884

159.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$660 ₱40.4K

$582 ₱35.6K

13.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱23.9K

$321 ₱19.7K

21.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,259 ₱138.3K

$1,969 ₱120.5K

14.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,032 ₱63.2K

$813 ₱49.8K

26.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,059 ₱370.9K

$4,093 ₱250.5K

48.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,835 ₱234.7K

$1,377 ₱84.3K

178.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₱37.3K

$483 ₱29.6K

26.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

6.17

8.10%

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

Last update for Makati: July 28, 2026

Last update for Taguig City: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $660 in Makati and $582 in Taguig City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 26% 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 $27.00 in Taguig City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $226 per month, with Taguig 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 Taguig City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taguig City wins on cost – living expenses run 27% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Taguig City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 26% 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 $582 in Taguig City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% 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 $964 in Taguig City – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $964 in Taguig City versus $1,226 in Makati, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Taguig City but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Taguig City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Taguig City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $964 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Taguig City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Taguig 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 Taguig City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.