Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Taytay Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Taytay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,188 in Makati versus $853 in Taytay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Makati versus $1,326 in Taytay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Makati versus $1,800 in Taytay.

Living in Makati is roughly 39% more expensive than in Taytay, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 11% lower, Taytay 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 ₱402

$5.30 ₱326

23.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.00 ₱2,770

$21.58 ₱1,328

108.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 ₱295

$3.44 ₱212

39.24%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ₱181

$2.61 ₱161

13.03%

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

$1.20 ₱73.8

$0.90 ₱55.6

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱35.43

$0.54 ₱33.52

7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.48 ₱90.8

58.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 ₱219

$2.69 ₱165

32.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.89 ₱117

13.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.1

$1.40 ₱86.5

2.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.6

$1.07 ₱66.0

3.74%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$2.06 ₱127

13.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 ₱492

$9.54 ₱587

-16.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱279

$5.31 ₱327

-14.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱475

$8.44 ₱519

-8.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 ₱279

$3.54 ₱218

28.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ₱122

$1.80 ₱111

10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ₱168

$3.51 ₱216

-22.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱141

$2.44 ₱150

-6.56%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱212

$2.80 ₱173

23.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 ₱173

$3.02 ₱186

-7.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.0

$1.97 ₱121

-42.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱60.7

$0.69 ₱42.36

43.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱184

$3.44 ₱212

-13.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 ₱493

$9.03 ₱556

-11.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱76.9

$1.50 ₱92.5

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$2.19 ₱135

2.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.57

$0.28 ₱17.26

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱220

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.05

$0.86 ₱53.1

-11.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.13 ₱8.20

$0.24 ₱14.79

-45.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ₱212

$2.14 ₱132

61.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱71.0

$1.13 ₱69.4

1.77%

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

$34.1K ₱2.1M

$26.2K ₱1.6M

29.77%

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

$22.0K ₱1.4M

$22.3K ₱1.4M

-1.33%

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

$170 ₱10.4K

$136 ₱8,401

24.35%

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

$27.66 ₱1,703

$22.26 ₱1,370

24.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.79 ₱2,203

$26.95 ₱1,659

32.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 ₱3,371

$33.36 ₱2,054

64.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.03 ₱741

$4.30 ₱265

179.77%

Cinema Ticket

$8.20 ₱505

$6.56 ₱404

25.00%

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

$324 ₱20.0K

$151 ₱9,306

114.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,680 ₱472.8K

$4,295 ₱264.4K

78.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ₱3,628

$47.17 ₱2,904

24.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 ₱2,209

$35.09 ₱2,160

2.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 ₱5,174

$82.4 ₱5,072

2.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 ₱7,609

$47.46 ₱2,922

160.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 ₱40.4K

$265 ₱16.3K

147.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$176 ₱10.8K

122.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,273 ₱139.9K

$582 ₱35.8K

290.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 ₱62.0K

$390 ₱24.0K

158.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,013 ₱370.2K

$2,353 ₱144.9K

155.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,732 ₱229.8K

$1,103 ₱67.9K

238.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ₱37.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

7.52

-11.30%

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

Last update for Makati: July 12, 2026

Last update for Taytay: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Makati and $265 in Taytay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Makati vs $22.00 in Taytay. Groceries flip the comparison at $235 vs $241, with Makati cheaper for home cooking.

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 Taytay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taytay wins on cost – living expenses run 39% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Taytay the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,783 in Makati and $1,279 in Taytay to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $657 in Makati versus $265 in Taytay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Makati pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,188 per month in Makati versus $853 in Taytay – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $853 in Taytay versus $1,188 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Taytay but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Taytay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Taytay delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $853 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Taytay hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Taytay 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 Taytay 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.