Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Tuguegarao

For one person, living is cheaper in Tuguegarao: $570 a month against $1,230 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Makati
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Makati Living Index
27

Cost of Living Index in Tuguegarao
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Tuguegarao Living Index

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Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,230

/mo nomad

Tuguegarao

🇵🇭 Philippines

$570

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Makati and in Tuguegarao

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Makati and in Tuguegarao actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,230 in Makati versus $570 in Tuguegarao.

Makati $1,230
Tuguegarao $570

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Makati versus $909 in Tuguegarao.

Makati $2,137
Tuguegarao $909

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,044 in Makati versus $1,249 in Tuguegarao.

Makati $3,044
Tuguegarao $1,249

Living in Makati is roughly 116% more expensive than in Tuguegarao, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 10% lower, Tuguegarao 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.40 ₱409

$1.58 ₱101

305.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.45 ₱2,457

$16.12 ₱1,030

138.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 ₱306

$2.68 ₱171

78.36%

Cappuccino

$2.59 ₱166

$1.74 ₱111

48.85%

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

$1.09 ₱69.9

$0.42 ₱26.97

159.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.39

$0.28 ₱17.65

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ₱153

$1.02 ₱65.1

134.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ₱203

$1.53 ₱97.5

107.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ₱115

$1.64 ₱105

9.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ₱80.8

$1.15 ₱73.4

9.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱65.9

$0.68 ₱43.28

51.47%

Eggs

$2.37 ₱151

$1.98 ₱126

19.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.91 ₱441

$4.92 ₱314

40.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 ₱315

$3.26 ₱209

51.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.74 ₱431

$7.94 ₱508

-15.11%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 ₱263

$2.20 ₱141

87.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ₱122

$1.51 ₱96.4

25.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 ₱204

$2.25 ₱144

41.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱144

$1.02 ₱65.0

120.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.55 ₱227

$1.72 ₱110

106.40%

Onion (1kg)

$3.50 ₱223

$1.74 ₱111

101.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ₱68.1

$0.61 ₱39.24

75.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ₱71.9

$0.49 ₱31.17

130.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.60 ₱166

$1.84 ₱117

41.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 ₱502

$8.44 ₱539

-6.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₱82.6

$0.96 ₱61.5

34.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₱124

$2.01 ₱129

-3.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ₱56.4

$0.24 ₱15.16

266.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 ₱3,595

$13.38 ₱855

320.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 ₱41.59

$0.75 ₱47.83

-13.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.38

$0.24 ₱15.40

-12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ₱122

$1.84 ₱117

3.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ₱81.6

$1.08 ₱68.8

18.52%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$21.3K ₱1.4M

-2.50%

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

$18.9K ₱1.2M

$18.8K ₱1.2M

0.61%

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

$151 ₱9,669

$31.51 ₱2,013

380.29%

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

$15.59 ₱996

$16.94 ₱1,082

-7.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.38 ₱2,005

$22.96 ₱1,467

36.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 ₱3,403

$31.59 ₱2,018

68.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.04 ₱897

$5.24 ₱335

167.94%

Cinema Ticket

$7.22 ₱461

$4.95 ₱316

45.86%

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

$776 ₱49.6K

$132 ₱8,409

489.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,391 ₱472.2K

$10.7K ₱682.3K

-30.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 ₱3,826

$28.57 ₱1,826

109.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.96 ₱2,361

$19.15 ₱1,223

93.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 ₱5,177

$39.08 ₱2,497

107.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₱6,446

$23.29 ₱1,488

333.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$829 ₱53.0K

$246 ₱15.7K

237.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱27.4K

$169 ₱10.8K

153.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,151 ₱137.4K

$482 ₱30.8K

346.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₱83.6K

$349 ₱22.3K

275.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,714 ₱365.1K

$2,480 ₱158.5K

130.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,568 ₱228.0K

$1,104 ₱70.5K

223.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$587 ₱37.5K

$201 ₱12.9K

191.47%

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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Tuguegarao: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Makati

$429 34.8%

Tuguegarao

$169 29.6% 60.6% $260

Groceries & Markets

Makati

$227 18.5%

Tuguegarao

$170 29.8% 25.1% $57

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Makati

$198 16.1%

Tuguegarao

$71 12.5% 64% $127

Clothing & Footwear

Makati

$125 10.2%

Tuguegarao

$50 8.7% 60.5% $76

Eating Out

Makati

$121 9.9%

Tuguegarao

$52 9.2% 56.8% $69

Sport & Entertainment

Makati

$68 5.5%

Tuguegarao

$41 7.3% 38.7% $26

Getting Around

Makati

$61 5%

Tuguegarao

$16 2.9% 73.5% $45

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $829 in Makati and $246 in Tuguegarao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays about 2.9 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $38 in Makati vs $16 in Tuguegarao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $170 per month, with Tuguegarao cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Makati

🇵🇭 Tuguegarao

🕒 Local time

08:14 8:14 AM

Same time as Makati

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

582,602

166,334

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Makati Tuguegarao 350 km

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 54% 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.

Average pay in Makati is about 2.9 times higher, 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: $829 in Makati versus $246 in Tuguegarao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,230 per month in Makati versus $570 in Tuguegarao – Tuguegarao is about 54% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Tuguegarao runs roughly 76% less than in Makati. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

At $570 in Tuguegarao versus $1,230 in Makati, a $1,200 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 cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Makati and Tuguegarao are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Tuguegarao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.