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: $1,226 in Makati versus $523 in Tarlac City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,005 in Makati versus $814 in Tarlac City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,783 in Makati versus $1,104 in Tarlac City.

Living in Makati is roughly 134% more expensive than in Tarlac City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 10% lower, Tarlac City 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 ₱406

$1.94 ₱122

233.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.29 ₱2,527

$7.78 ₱488

417.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₱295

$2.72 ₱171

72.79%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₱166

$1.79 ₱112

48.04%

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

$1.11 ₱69.7

$0.49 ₱30.77

126.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱28.42

$0.30 ₱18.95

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ₱148

$1.02 ₱64.2

130.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ₱201

$1.56 ₱97.7

105.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱120

$1.61 ₱101

18.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ₱80.6

$1.15 ₱71.9

11.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ₱65.6

$1.02 ₱63.9

2.94%

Eggs

$2.48 ₱155

$1.88 ₱118

31.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.98 ₱438

$4.94 ₱310

41.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 ₱304

$2.66 ₱167

82.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.77 ₱424

$6.11 ₱383

10.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 ₱258

$1.62 ₱101

154.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ₱125

$1.59 ₱99.8

25.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 ₱200

$1.95 ₱123

63.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱143

$1.04 ₱65.2

119.23%

Potato (1kg)

$3.52 ₱221

$1.74 ₱109

102.30%

Onion (1kg)

$3.59 ₱225

$1.21 ₱76.1

196.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₱69.3

$0.61 ₱38.25

80.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₱71.7

$0.50 ₱31.31

128.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 ₱161

$2.87 ₱180

-10.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 ₱501

$3.81 ₱239

109.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₱82.7

$0.96 ₱60.3

37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₱127

$1.53 ₱96.1

32.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₱61.5

$0.25 ₱15.73

292.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 ₱3,613

$8.21 ₱515

601.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 ₱42.14

$0.75 ₱47.32

-10.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.15

$0.25 ₱15.70

-16.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₱117

$1.31 ₱82.4

42.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱78.0

$1.08 ₱68.0

14.81%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$21.4K ₱1.3M

-1.45%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

1.98%

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

$152 ₱9,541

$88.2 ₱5,534

72.39%

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

$16.13 ₱1,012

$5.44 ₱341

196.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.63 ₱1,984

$23.40 ₱1,468

35.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 ₱3,416

$40.11 ₱2,516

35.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.45 ₱906

$16.16 ₱1,014

-10.58%

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 ₱436

$5.08 ₱319

36.81%

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

$803 ₱50.4K

$131 ₱8,205

513.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,454 ₱467.5K

$10.5K ₱661.4K

-29.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 ₱3,755

$28.77 ₱1,804

108.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.50 ₱2,352

$19.79 ₱1,242

89.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 ₱5,130

$63.1 ₱3,955

29.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ₱6,544

$47.80 ₱2,998

118.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 ₱47.2K

$87.7 ₱5,503

757.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱26.9K

$71.1 ₱4,460

503.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,279 ₱142.9K

$250 ₱15.6K

813.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 ₱66.1K

$167 ₱10.4K

532.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,865 ₱367.9K

$376 ₱23.6K

1461.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,745 ₱234.9K

$290 ₱18.2K

1192.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₱38.3K

$215 ₱13.5K

184.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

6.75

11.11%

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

Last update for Makati: September 14, 2026

Last update for Tarlac City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $752 in Makati and $87.7 in Tarlac City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 184% 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: $40.00 in Makati vs $8.00 in Tarlac City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $148 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 134% 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 184% 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: $752 in Makati versus $87.7 in Tarlac City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,226 per month in Makati versus $523 in Tarlac City – a 134% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tarlac City runs roughly 602% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $523 in Tarlac City versus $1,226 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 $523 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 134% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.