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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $959 in Taguig City versus $939 in Vilcabamba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,567 in Taguig City versus $1,463 in Vilcabamba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,175 in Taguig City versus $1,987 in Vilcabamba.

Living in Taguig City is roughly 2% more expensive than Vilcabamba, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taguig City 28% lower, Vilcabamba 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.32 ₱266

$3.21 $3.21

34.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.26 ₱1,619

$35.64 $35.64

-26.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.52 ₱217

$7.63 $7.63

-53.87%

Cappuccino

$2.75 ₱170

$2.09 $2.09

31.58%

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

$0.87 ₱53.4

$0.97 $0.97

-10.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱27.98

$0.95 $0.95

-52.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.50 ₱92.4

$1.95 $1.95

-23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ₱165

$3.58 $3.58

-25.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ₱122

$0.92 $0.92

115.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ₱86.3

$2.04 $2.04

-31.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱63.7

$1.34 $1.34

-23.13%

Eggs

$2.14 ₱132

$2.29 $2.29

-6.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.00 ₱555

$7.33 $7.33

22.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.06 ₱312

$5.97 $5.97

-15.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.56 ₱528

$7.06 $7.06

21.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 ₱168

$2.54 $2.54

7.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₱114

$1.23 $1.23

50.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 ₱198

$1.71 $1.71

87.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 ₱74.7

$1.08 $1.08

12.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 ₱113

$0.98 $0.98

86.73%

Onion (1kg)

$3.06 ₱189

$0.98 $0.98

212.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 ₱106

$0.74 $0.74

132.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₱44.24

$0.98 $0.98

-26.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 ₱206

$6.30 $6.30

-47.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.80 ₱543

$10.02 $10.02

-12.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 ₱82.6

$1.60 $1.60

-16.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ₱140

$2.48 $2.48

-8.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.56

$0.36 $0.36

-38.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.68 $23.68

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 ₱56.3

$1.51 $1.51

-39.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.86

$0.92 $0.92

-73.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 ₱130

$10.17 $10.17

-79.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ₱69.2

$0.69 $0.69

62.32%

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

$26.8K ₱1.7M

$20.0K $20.0K

33.91%

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

$20.1K ₱1.2M

$27.6K $27.6K

-26.97%

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

$128 ₱7,901

$57.0 $57.0

124.83%

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

$32.61 ₱2,011

$13.53 $13.53

141.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.32 ₱1,623

$34.27 $34.27

-23.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.98 ₱2,650

$29.70 $29.70

44.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.44 $14.44

Cinema Ticket

$6.82 ₱420

$7.06 $7.06

-3.40%

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

$153 ₱9,456

$255 $255

-39.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ₱715.3K

$5,645 $5,645

105.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.44 ₱2,863

$79.7 $79.7

-41.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.99 ₱2,096

$19.88 $19.88

70.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 ₱4,193

$98.3 $98.3

-30.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.90 ₱2,830

$76.2 $76.2

-39.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 ₱35.7K

$336 $336

72.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$314 ₱19.4K

$328 $328

-4.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,908 ₱117.6K

$633 $633

201.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$800 ₱49.3K

$570 $570

40.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,087 ₱252.0K

$1,203 $1,203

239.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,352 ₱83.4K

$773 $773

74.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$470 ₱29.0K

$431 $431

8.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

10.6

-41.79%

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

Last update for Taguig City: June 1, 2026

Last update for Vilcabamba: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $579 in Taguig City and $336 in Vilcabamba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taguig City pays 9% 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: $26.00 in Taguig City vs $36.00 in Vilcabamba. Groceries flip the comparison at $224 vs $202, with Vilcabamba 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

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

Vilcabamba is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Taguig City pays 9% 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: $579 in Taguig City versus $336 in Vilcabamba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Taguig City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $959 per month in Taguig City versus $939 in Vilcabamba – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $939 in Vilcabamba versus $959 in Taguig City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Vilcabamba but tight or insufficient in Taguig City. The gap between the two cities makes Vilcabamba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Vilcabamba is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Taguig City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Taguig City and Vilcabamba 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 Vilcabamba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Taguig City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.