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: $1,232 in Makati versus $842 in Taytay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,009 in Makati versus $1,327 in Taytay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,786 in Makati versus $1,812 in Taytay.

Living in Makati is roughly 46% more expensive than Taytay, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, Taytay 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ₱419

$5.22 ₱322

30.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 ₱2,784

$21.10 ₱1,301

113.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ₱304

$3.64 ₱225

35.44%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱177

$2.64 ₱163

8.71%

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

$1.19 ₱73.5

$0.91 ₱56.4

30.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.76

$0.50 ₱30.76

12.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱151

$1.54 ₱94.9

58.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₱225

$2.62 ₱162

39.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.94 ₱120

10.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.4

$1.35 ₱83.2

5.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.5

$1.04 ₱64.0

3.85%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.18 ₱134

7.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱503

$9.55 ₱589

-14.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱273

$5.28 ₱326

-16.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱471

$8.68 ₱535

-11.98%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₱282

$3.47 ₱214

31.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.75 ₱108

9.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$3.50 ₱216

-22.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱139

$2.39 ₱147

-5.86%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$2.77 ₱171

18.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$3.18 ₱196

-10.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.8

$1.98 ₱122

-45.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.3

$0.64 ₱39.66

54.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱181

$3.45 ₱213

-14.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ₱511

$9.02 ₱556

-8.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.1

$1.45 ₱89.6

-17.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$2.13 ₱131

9.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.71

$0.28 ₱17.28

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.0

$0.85 ₱52.4

-4.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.44

$0.22 ₱13.49

-45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.09 ₱129

71.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.8

$1.12 ₱68.9

-1.79%

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

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$26.5K ₱1.6M

29.57%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$22.7K ₱1.4M

-5.27%

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

$172 ₱10.6K

$138 ₱8,488

24.96%

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

$26.94 ₱1,661

$21.61 ₱1,332

24.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.49 ₱2,250

$27.34 ₱1,686

33.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₱3,452

$33.90 ₱2,090

65.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 ₱727

$4.47 ₱276

163.76%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₱487

$6.76 ₱417

16.86%

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

$321 ₱19.8K

$149 ₱9,171

115.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 ₱464.8K

$4,339 ₱267.5K

73.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,717

$46.71 ₱2,880

29.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₱2,197

$34.85 ₱2,149

2.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 ₱5,277

$84.0 ₱5,181

1.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,516

$46.55 ₱2,870

161.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₱41.1K

$262 ₱16.2K

154.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$179 ₱11.0K

117.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 ₱139.4K

$593 ₱36.6K

281.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 ₱63.1K

$388 ₱23.9K

164.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,010 ₱370.6K

$2,301 ₱141.9K

161.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₱237.5K

$1,116 ₱68.8K

245.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.0K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Taytay: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Makati and $262 in Taytay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Makati vs $21.00 in Taytay. Groceries flip the comparison at $234 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 46% 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 $1,849 in Makati and $1,264 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: $666 in Makati versus $262 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 $1,232 per month in Makati versus $842 in Taytay – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $842 in Taytay versus $1,232 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 $842 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 46% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.