Cost of Living Comparison Between Taguig City and Makati Cost of Living Comparison Between Taguig City and Makati

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $964 in Taguig City versus $1,226 in Makati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,567 in Taguig City versus $2,003 in Makati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,169 in Taguig City versus $2,780 in Makati.

Living in Taguig City costs roughly 21% less than in Makati, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taguig City 28% lower, Makati 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ₱280

$6.61 ₱406

-31.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.04 ₱1,660

$44.73 ₱2,746

-39.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.65 ₱224

$4.77 ₱293

-23.48%

Cappuccino

$2.63 ₱162

$2.95 ₱181

-10.85%

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

$0.81 ₱49.72

$1.15 ₱70.9

-29.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱27.63

$0.52 ₱32.10

-13.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 ₱90.6

$2.37 ₱145

-37.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 ₱160

$3.61 ₱222

-27.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₱116

$2.15 ₱132

-12.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ₱85.2

$1.44 ₱88.6

-3.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 ₱67.0

$1.06 ₱65.0

2.83%

Eggs

$2.11 ₱129

$2.35 ₱144

-10.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 ₱571

$7.87 ₱483

18.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 ₱314

$4.48 ₱275

14.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.79 ₱540

$7.80 ₱479

12.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 ₱168

$4.43 ₱272

-38.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₱111

$1.97 ₱121

-8.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.16 ₱194

$2.59 ₱159

22.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 ₱74.1

$2.17 ₱133

-44.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$3.41 ₱209

-43.70%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 ₱195

$2.81 ₱172

13.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.81 ₱111

$1.09 ₱66.7

66.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ₱46.81

$0.94 ₱57.6

-19.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ₱206

$2.95 ₱181

13.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.70 ₱534

$7.90 ₱485

10.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ₱85.9

$1.23 ₱75.6

13.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱137

$2.25 ₱138

-0.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.44

$0.55 ₱34.08

-60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.63 ₱223

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 ₱52.7

$0.77 ₱47.56

11.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.42

$0.11 ₱6.84

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.15 ₱132

$3.62 ₱222

-40.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ₱69.1

$1.15 ₱70.5

-2.61%

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

$26.2K ₱1.6M

$33.4K ₱2.1M

-21.47%

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

$20.7K ₱1.3M

$21.9K ₱1.3M

-5.20%

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

$129 ₱7,932

$173 ₱10.6K

-25.45%

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

$32.23 ₱1,979

$27.42 ₱1,683

17.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.63 ₱1,635

$36.34 ₱2,232

-26.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.69 ₱2,683

$55.0 ₱3,377

-20.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.72 ₱720

Cinema Ticket

$6.55 ₱402

$8.05 ₱494

-18.63%

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

$153 ₱9,399

$323 ₱19.8K

-52.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ₱706.6K

$7,720 ₱474.0K

49.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.26 ₱2,902

$59.7 ₱3,664

-20.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.53 ₱2,059

$36.00 ₱2,210

-6.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.0 ₱4,235

$85.5 ₱5,251

-19.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.11 ₱2,892

$122 ₱7,497

-61.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 ₱35.7K

$660 ₱40.5K

-11.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 ₱19.7K

$390 ₱23.9K

-17.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,969 ₱120.9K

$2,259 ₱138.7K

-12.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$813 ₱49.9K

$1,032 ₱63.4K

-21.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,093 ₱251.3K

$6,059 ₱372.0K

-32.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,377 ₱84.5K

$3,835 ₱235.5K

-64.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$483 ₱29.7K

$610 ₱37.4K

-20.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

6.67

-7.50%

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

Last update for Taguig City: July 26, 2026

Last update for Makati: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $582 in Taguig City and $660 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 26% 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: $27.00 in Taguig City vs $45.00 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $232 per month, with Taguig 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

Taguig City vs Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taguig City wins on cost – living expenses run 27% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Taguig City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Makati. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $582 in Taguig City versus $660 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $964 per month in Taguig City versus $1,226 in Makati – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $964 in Taguig City versus $1,226 in Makati, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Taguig City but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Taguig City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Taguig City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $964 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Taguig City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Taguig City and Makati 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 Taguig City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.