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: $1,204 in Makati versus $992 in Taguig City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,023 in Makati versus $1,567 in Taguig City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,841 in Makati versus $2,143 in Taguig City.

Living in Makati is roughly 21% more expensive than Taguig City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 10% lower, Taguig City 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 ₱412

$4.39 ₱271

52.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.22 ₱2,728

$26.28 ₱1,621

68.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 ₱301

$3.53 ₱218

38.24%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ₱181

$2.62 ₱162

11.83%

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

$1.19 ₱73.7

$0.80 ₱49.63

48.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.78

$0.48 ₱29.68

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ₱150

$1.44 ₱88.8

68.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 ₱223

$2.71 ₱167

33.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 ₱136

$1.92 ₱118

14.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ₱92.0

$1.39 ₱85.8

7.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱65.7

$1.08 ₱66.7

-0.93%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.06 ₱127

13.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 ₱505

$9.20 ₱568

-10.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.42 ₱273

$5.22 ₱322

-15.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱475

$8.47 ₱522

-8.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 ₱269

$2.75 ₱169

58.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱123

$1.87 ₱116

6.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 ₱159

$3.08 ₱190

-16.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₱138

$1.16 ₱71.3

92.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱213

$1.82 ₱113

89.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱176

$3.18 ₱196

-10.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.0

$1.81 ₱112

-37.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₱62.7

$0.73 ₱44.85

39.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ₱175

$3.38 ₱208

-15.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 ₱501

$9.13 ₱563

-11.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱77.1

$1.40 ₱86.5

-10.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱143

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ₱33.40

$0.22 ₱13.48

145.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.64 ₱225

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱48.35

$0.93 ₱57.4

-16.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.11 ₱6.49

$0.24 ₱14.85

-54.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 ₱225

$2.19 ₱135

66.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.9

$1.12 ₱69.2

-1.79%

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

$33.4K ₱2.1M

$26.1K ₱1.6M

28.04%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

3.31%

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

$171 ₱10.5K

$126 ₱7,802

34.91%

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

$26.96 ₱1,663

$33.15 ₱2,045

-18.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.97 ₱2,219

$26.52 ₱1,636

35.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.6 ₱3,430

$42.75 ₱2,637

30.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.87 ₱732

Cinema Ticket

$8.19 ₱505

$6.94 ₱428

18.01%

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

$322 ₱19.9K

$152 ₱9,346

112.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,811 ₱481.8K

$11.6K ₱715.6K

-32.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 ₱3,628

$47.11 ₱2,906

24.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.76 ₱2,206

$34.37 ₱2,120

4.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 ₱5,174

$67.7 ₱4,178

23.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 ₱7,612

$46.47 ₱2,866

165.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$667 ₱41.2K

$580 ₱35.8K

15.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 ₱24.8K

$314 ₱19.3K

28.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,307 ₱142.3K

$1,956 ₱120.6K

17.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,015 ₱62.6K

$801 ₱49.4K

26.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,283 ₱387.5K

$4,180 ₱257.8K

50.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,903 ₱240.8K

$1,407 ₱86.8K

177.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$712 ₱43.9K

$452 ₱27.9K

57.54%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Taguig City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $667 in Makati and $580 in Taguig City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 58% 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 $26.00 in Taguig City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 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 21% 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.

Makati pays 58% 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 $580 in Taguig City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% 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 $992 in Taguig City – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $992 in Taguig City versus $1,204 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 $992 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 21% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.