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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,188 in Makati versus $631 in Tarlac City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Makati versus $948 in Tarlac City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Makati versus $1,266 in Tarlac City.

Living in Makati is roughly 88% more expensive than in Tarlac City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 11% lower, Tarlac City 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 ₱403

$2.64 ₱163

147.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.00 ₱2,775

$15.13 ₱933

197.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 ₱295

$3.65 ₱225

31.23%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ₱182

$1.63 ₱101

80.98%

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

$1.20 ₱73.9

$0.88 ₱54.1

36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱35.49

$0.26 ₱15.90

123.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ₱144

$0.96 ₱59.2

143.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 ₱220

$1.76 ₱108

102.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.63 ₱101

31.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.3

$1.47 ₱90.6

-2.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.7

$0.99 ₱61.0

12.12%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$2.05 ₱126

13.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 ₱493

$9.11 ₱562

-12.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱279

$3.23 ₱199

39.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱475

$6.14 ₱379

25.57%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 ₱280

$2.90 ₱179

56.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ₱122

$1.61 ₱99.1

22.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ₱168

$2.10 ₱129

29.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱141

$1.52 ₱94.0

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱212

$1.37 ₱84.4

151.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 ₱173

$1.13 ₱69.4

147.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.1

$0.92 ₱56.8

23.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱60.8

$0.88 ₱54.4

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱185

$2.87 ₱177

4.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 ₱494

$3.88 ₱240

106.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱77.0

$0.77 ₱47.24

62.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$1.52 ₱93.8

47.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.62

$0.26 ₱15.88

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

$8.14 ₱502

-56.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.13

$0.79 ₱48.65

-3.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.13 ₱8.21

$0.24 ₱14.83

-45.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ₱212

$2.11 ₱130

63.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱71.1

$1.17 ₱72.3

-1.71%

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

$34.1K ₱2.1M

$28.8K ₱1.8M

18.34%

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

$22.0K ₱1.4M

$19.5K ₱1.2M

12.83%

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

$170 ₱10.5K

$99.5 ₱6,139

70.45%

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

$27.66 ₱1,706

$15.93 ₱982

73.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.79 ₱2,207

$26.64 ₱1,643

34.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 ₱3,376

$44.72 ₱2,758

22.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.03 ₱742

$17.70 ₱1,092

-32.03%

Cinema Ticket

$8.20 ₱506

$6.28 ₱387

30.57%

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

$324 ₱20.0K

$170 ₱10.5K

91.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,680 ₱473.6K

$14.4K ₱885.6K

-46.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ₱3,634

$45.07 ₱2,780

30.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 ₱2,213

$26.21 ₱1,617

36.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 ₱5,183

$51.8 ₱3,194

62.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 ₱7,622

$37.47 ₱2,311

229.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 ₱40.5K

$128 ₱7,895

413.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.1K

$100 ₱6,180

289.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,273 ₱140.2K

$262 ₱16.1K

768.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 ₱62.2K

$174 ₱10.7K

479.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,013 ₱370.8K

$375 ₱23.1K

1503.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,732 ₱230.2K

$305 ₱18.8K

1125.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ₱37.3K

$213 ₱13.1K

184.67%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Tarlac City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Makati and $128 in Tarlac City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 185% 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 $15.00 in Tarlac City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $181 per month, with Tarlac 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 Tarlac City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tarlac City wins on cost – living expenses run 88% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tarlac City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 185% 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: $657 in Makati versus $128 in Tarlac City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,188 per month in Makati versus $631 in Tarlac City – a 88% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tarlac City runs roughly 127% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $631 in Tarlac City versus $1,188 in Makati, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tarlac City but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Tarlac City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Tarlac City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $631 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tarlac City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Tarlac 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 Tarlac City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.