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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,226 in Makati versus $760 in Tagum City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,003 in Makati versus $1,175 in Tagum City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,780 in Makati versus $1,590 in Tagum City.

Living in Makati is roughly 61% more expensive than in Tagum City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, Tagum City 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.61 ₱405

$3.57 ₱219

85.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.73 ₱2,738

$14.28 ₱874

213.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 ₱292

$3.90 ₱239

22.31%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ₱181

$1.66 ₱101

77.71%

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

$1.15 ₱70.7

$0.84 ₱51.2

36.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₱32.00

$0.39 ₱23.91

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 ₱145

$1.30 ₱79.4

82.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ₱221

$1.36 ₱83.3

165.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ₱131

$1.82 ₱111

18.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ₱88.3

$1.21 ₱74.2

19.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ₱64.8

$0.93 ₱56.8

13.98%

Eggs

$2.35 ₱144

$2.10 ₱129

11.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.87 ₱482

$7.83 ₱479

0.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.48 ₱274

$4.30 ₱263

4.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.80 ₱477

$7.60 ₱465

2.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 ₱271

$2.99 ₱183

48.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 ₱121

$1.59 ₱97.2

23.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 ₱159

$2.61 ₱160

-0.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 ₱133

$1.53 ₱93.9

41.83%

Potato (1kg)

$3.41 ₱209

$2.20 ₱135

55.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 ₱172

$2.51 ₱154

11.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₱66.5

$1.08 ₱65.9

0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ₱57.4

$0.72 ₱44.38

30.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₱180

$2.88 ₱176

2.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 ₱483

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱75.3

$1.17 ₱71.5

5.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₱137

$2.02 ₱124

11.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ₱33.97

$0.26 ₱15.80

111.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.63 ₱222

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱47.41

$0.79 ₱48.12

-2.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.11 ₱6.82

$0.24 ₱14.78

-54.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 ₱221

$2.14 ₱131

69.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱70.3

$1.09 ₱66.8

5.50%

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

$33.4K ₱2.0M

$27.1K ₱1.7M

23.27%

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

$21.9K ₱1.3M

$20.3K ₱1.2M

7.63%

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

$173 ₱10.6K

$114 ₱6,962

52.37%

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

$27.42 ₱1,678

$33.16 ₱2,030

-17.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.34 ₱2,225

$27.53 ₱1,685

32.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 ₱3,367

$33.30 ₱2,038

65.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.72 ₱717

$4.37 ₱268

168.19%

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 ₱493

$5.87 ₱359

37.14%

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

$323 ₱19.8K

$151 ₱9,238

114.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,720 ₱472.6K

$4,351 ₱266.3K

77.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 ₱3,653

$44.91 ₱2,749

32.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.00 ₱2,203

$27.07 ₱1,657

32.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 ₱5,235

$75.2 ₱4,605

13.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,474

$54.0 ₱3,305

126.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$660 ₱40.4K

$264 ₱16.2K

149.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱23.9K

$174 ₱10.6K

124.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,259 ₱138.3K

$592 ₱36.2K

281.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,032 ₱63.2K

$387 ₱23.7K

166.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,059 ₱370.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,835 ₱234.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₱37.3K

$211 ₱12.9K

188.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

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

Last update for Makati: July 28, 2026

Last update for Tagum City: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $660 in Makati and $264 in Tagum City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 188% 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 $14.00 in Tagum City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $187 per month, with Tagum 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 Tagum City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tagum City wins on cost – living expenses run 61% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tagum City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 188% 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 $264 in Tagum City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% 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 $760 in Tagum City – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $760 in Tagum City versus $1,226 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tagum City but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Tagum City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Tagum City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $760 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tagum City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Tagum 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 Tagum City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.