Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Tuguegarao Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Tuguegarao

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Makati versus $631 in Tuguegarao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,009 in Makati versus $1,012 in Tuguegarao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,786 in Makati versus $1,393 in Tuguegarao.

Living in Makati is roughly 95% more expensive than Tuguegarao, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, Tuguegarao 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ₱419

$1.74 ₱107

290.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 ₱2,784

$13.16 ₱811

243.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ₱304

$2.60 ₱160

89.62%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱177

$2.34 ₱144

22.65%

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

$1.19 ₱73.5

$0.51 ₱31.65

133.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.76

$0.33 ₱20.47

69.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱151

$1.38 ₱85.2

76.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₱225

$1.93 ₱119

89.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.82 ₱112

17.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.4

$1.25 ₱77.1

14.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.5

$0.81 ₱50.1

33.33%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.27 ₱140

3.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱503

$6.43 ₱397

26.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱273

$3.77 ₱232

17.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱471

$8.62 ₱531

-11.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₱282

$2.74 ₱169

66.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.79 ₱110

7.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$2.39 ₱147

12.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱139

$1.17 ₱72.0

92.31%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$1.81 ₱112

81.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$2.29 ₱141

24.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.8

$0.72 ₱44.68

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.3

$0.71 ₱43.70

39.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱181

$2.18 ₱134

34.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ₱511

$8.81 ₱543

-6.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.1

$1.07 ₱66.2

12.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$2.25 ₱138

4.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.71

$0.26 ₱15.93

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.0

$0.93 ₱57.3

-12.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.44

$0.24 ₱14.89

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.35 ₱145

52.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.8

$1.14 ₱70.6

-3.51%

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

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$31.8K ₱2.0M

7.64%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$20.4K ₱1.3M

5.62%

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

$172 ₱10.6K

$35.99 ₱2,219

377.97%

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

$26.94 ₱1,661

$17.56 ₱1,083

53.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.49 ₱2,250

$26.12 ₱1,611

39.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₱3,452

$33.28 ₱2,052

68.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 ₱727

$4.46 ₱275

164.35%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₱487

$5.89 ₱363

34.13%

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

$321 ₱19.8K

$150 ₱9,263

113.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 ₱464.8K

$4,809 ₱296.5K

56.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,717

$49.65 ₱3,062

21.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₱2,197

$27.18 ₱1,676

31.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 ₱5,277

$45.03 ₱2,777

90.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,516

$27.05 ₱1,668

350.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₱41.1K

$261 ₱16.1K

155.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$179 ₱11.0K

118.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 ₱139.4K

$578 ₱35.7K

290.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 ₱63.1K

$399 ₱24.6K

156.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,010 ₱370.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₱237.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.0K

$212 ₱13.1K

221.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

4.5

48.22%

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

Last update for Makati: May 30, 2026

Last update for Tuguegarao: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Makati and $261 in Tuguegarao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 222% 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 $13.00 in Tuguegarao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $196 per month, with Tuguegarao 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 Tuguegarao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tuguegarao wins on cost – living expenses run 95% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tuguegarao the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Makati pays 222% more on average, 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: $666 in Makati versus $261 in Tuguegarao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Makati versus $631 in Tuguegarao – a 95% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $631 in Tuguegarao versus $1,232 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tuguegarao but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Tuguegarao the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Makati and Tuguegarao 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 Tuguegarao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 95% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.