Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Talisay City

For one person, living is cheaper in Talisay City: $721 a month against $1,174 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Makati, Philippines
Talisay City, Philippines
Makati
🇵🇭 Philippines
$1,174
/mo nomad
Talisay City
🇵🇭 Philippines
$721
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Makati and in Talisay City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Makati and in Talisay City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,174 in Makati versus $721 in Talisay City.

  • Makati $1,174
  • Talisay City $721

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,962 in Makati versus $1,102 in Talisay City.

  • Makati $1,962
  • Talisay City $1,102

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,750 in Makati versus $1,483 in Talisay City.

  • Makati $2,750
  • Talisay City $1,483

Living in Makati is roughly 63% more expensive than in Talisay City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 13% lower, Talisay City 47% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Makati
Talisay City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.72 ₱300
$4.01 ₱254
17.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$26.37 ₱1,673
$16.71 ₱1,060
57.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.01 ₱255
$2.73 ₱173
46.89%
Cappuccino
$2.46 ₱156
$2.15 ₱136
14.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05 ₱66.7
$0.69 ₱43.60
52.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 ₱37.47
$0.33 ₱21.05
78.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.16 ₱73.6
$1.19 ₱75.6
-2.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41 ₱153
$2.13 ₱135
13.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Makati
Talisay City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.86 ₱118
$1.59 ₱101
16.98%
White Bread (500g)
$1.12 ₱71.2
$1.14 ₱72.3
-1.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.99 ₱62.5
$0.89 ₱56.2
11.24%
Eggs
$2.20 ₱139
$1.85 ₱117
18.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.51 ₱477
$5.41 ₱343
38.82%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.63 ₱294
$4.16 ₱264
11.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.01 ₱445
$6.89 ₱437
1.74%
Apples (1kg)
$3.23 ₱205
$2.34 ₱148
38.03%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 ₱121
$1.59 ₱101
19.50%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.76 ₱175
$2.38 ₱151
15.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.88 ₱56.0
$1.11 ₱70.3
-20.72%
Potato (1kg)
$1.33 ₱84.3
$2.14 ₱136
-37.85%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ₱87.4
$2.22 ₱141
-37.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.87 ₱119
$1.09 ₱69.3
71.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58 ₱36.95
$0.54 ₱34.06
7.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.03 ₱192
$2.95 ₱187
2.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.67 ₱614
$7.29 ₱462
32.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 ₱79.5
$0.92 ₱58.4
35.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01 ₱128
$1.84 ₱117
9.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Makati
Talisay City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.76 ₱48.41
$0.24 ₱15.31
216.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$57.7 ₱3,660
$12.27 ₱778
370.17%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.75 ₱47.70
$0.74 ₱47.06
1.35%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.20 ₱12.68
$0.22 ₱13.97
-9.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.96 ₱124
$1.83 ₱116
7.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.25 ₱79.6
$1.20 ₱76.4
4.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.9K ₱1.3M
$20.9K ₱1.3M
0.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.9K ₱1.2M
$18.6K ₱1.2M
1.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Makati
Talisay City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$111 ₱7,032
$123 ₱7,796
-9.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.82 ₱1,067
$15.69 ₱996
7.20%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.00 ₱1,523
$24.25 ₱1,538
-1.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Makati
Talisay City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.6 ₱3,591
$31.26 ₱1,983
81.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.14 ₱897
$5.06 ₱321
179.45%
Cinema Ticket
$6.31 ₱400
$5.21 ₱331
21.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Makati
Talisay City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$619 ₱39.3K
$133 ₱8,408
367.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,231 ₱331.9K
$7,914 ₱502.1K
-33.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Makati
Talisay City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.4 ₱3,515
$31.93 ₱2,025
73.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.32 ₱1,987
$19.48 ₱1,236
60.78%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$70.0 ₱4,441
$70.9 ₱4,498
-1.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.8 ₱3,670
$54.9 ₱3,486
5.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Makati
Talisay City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$820 ₱52.0K
$246 ₱15.6K
233.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$495 ₱31.4K
$165 ₱10.5K
200.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,487 ₱157.8K
$490 ₱31.1K
407.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,294 ₱82.1K
$349 ₱22.1K
270.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,608 ₱355.8K
$2,669 ₱169.4K
110.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,558 ₱225.7K
$1,115 ₱70.7K
219.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Makati
Talisay City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$524 ₱33.2K
$332 ₱21.0K
57.91%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7
6.92
1.16%

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

Last update for Makati: November 2, 2026

Last update for Talisay City: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Makati
$495
Talisay City
$165 66.7% $330
Groceries & Markets
Makati
$203
Talisay City
$177 13% $26
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Makati
$152
Talisay City
$163 7.4% $11
Eating Out
Makati
$97
Talisay City
$80 16.8% $16
Clothing & Footwear
Makati
$97
Talisay City
$80 17.4% $17
Sport & Entertainment
Makati
$69
Talisay City
$42 39.8% $28
Getting Around
Makati
$62
Talisay City
$15 75.9% $47

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $820 in Makati and $246 in Talisay 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: $26 in Makati vs $17 in Talisay City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $177 per month, with Talisay City cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Makati
🇵🇭 Talisay City
🕒 Local time
06:42 6:42 AM
06:42 6:42 AM
Same time as Makati
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
582,602
133,148
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 63.44 PHP (100 PHP = 1.58 USD). 1 EUR = 70.95 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Makati Talisay City 570 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Makati
  • Talisay City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Talisay City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Makati or Talisay City?
Talisay City wins on cost – living expenses run 39% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Talisay City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Makati or in Talisay City?
Average pay runs 58% higher in Makati, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Makati compared to Talisay City?
Rent for a central apartment: $820 in Makati versus $246 in Talisay City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Makati compared to Talisay City?
All in, you’ll spend $1,174 per month in Makati versus $721 in Talisay City – Talisay City is about 39% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How expensive is transport in Makati compared to Talisay City?
A monthly transit pass in Talisay City runs roughly 79% less than in Makati. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Can you live on $800/month in Makati or in Talisay City?
At $721 in Talisay City versus $1,174 in Makati, a $800 budget is realistic in Talisay City but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Talisay City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Makati or Talisay City?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Talisay City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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