Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tagum City and Makati

For one person, living is cheaper in Tagum City: $429 a month against $1,230 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Makati
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Makati Living Index

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Tagum City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$429

/mo nomad

Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,230

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tagum City and in Makati

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $429 in Tagum City versus $1,230 in Makati.

Tagum City $429
Makati $1,230

Estimated couple costs with rent: $532 in Tagum City versus $2,137 in Makati.

Tagum City $532
Makati $2,137

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $635 in Tagum City versus $3,044 in Makati.

Tagum City $635
Makati $3,044

Living in Tagum City costs roughly 65% less than in Makati, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tagum City 69% lower, Makati 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.56 ₱354

$6.40 ₱408

-13.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.74 ₱812

$38.45 ₱2,450

-66.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 ₱319

$4.78 ₱305

4.60%

Cappuccino

$2.21 ₱141

$2.59 ₱165

-14.67%

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

$1.09 ₱69.7

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.30

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 ₱121

$2.39 ₱152

-20.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 ₱87.6

$3.18 ₱202

-56.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ₱105

$1.80 ₱115

-8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ₱80.6

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱65.7

Eggs

$1.85 ₱118

$2.37 ₱151

-21.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.91 ₱440

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 ₱314

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.63 ₱486

$6.74 ₱430

13.20%

Apples (1kg)

$6.22 ₱397

$4.12 ₱262

50.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ₱121

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 ₱203

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱143

Potato (1kg)

$3.55 ₱226

Onion (1kg)

$3.50 ₱223

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ₱67.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ₱71.7

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.60 ₱165

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 ₱500

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 ₱86.9

$1.29 ₱82.3

5.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₱123

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.95

$0.88 ₱56.3

-75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 ₱3,585

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 ₱41.48

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.34

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ₱121

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱83.4

$1.28 ₱81.4

2.34%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

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

$18.9K ₱1.2M

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

$54.2 ₱3,452

$151 ₱9,643

-64.21%

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

$7.88 ₱502

$15.59 ₱993

-49.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.21 ₱1,734

$31.38 ₱1,999

-13.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.49 ₱1,496

$53.3 ₱3,394

-55.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.04 ₱895

Cinema Ticket

$3.25 ₱207

$7.22 ₱460

-54.99%

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

$776 ₱49.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,391 ₱471.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 ₱3,816

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.96 ₱2,355

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 ₱5,163

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₱6,429

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$158 ₱10.1K

$829 ₱52.8K

-80.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$126 ₱7,998

$429 ₱27.3K

-70.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 ₱20.2K

$2,151 ₱137.0K

-85.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₱83.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,714 ₱364.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,568 ₱227.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$203 ₱12.9K

$587 ₱37.4K

-65.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

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

Last update for Tagum City: October 26, 2026

Last update for Makati: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tagum City

–

Makati

$429 34.8%

Groceries & Markets

Tagum City

–

Makati

$227 18.5%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tagum City

–

Makati

$198 16.1%

Clothing & Footwear

Tagum City

–

Makati

$125 10.2%

Eating Out

Tagum City

–

Makati

$121 9.9%

Sport & Entertainment

Tagum City

–

Makati

$68 5.5%

Getting Around

Tagum City

–

Makati

$61 5%

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $158 in Tagum City and $829 in Makati. 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: $13 in Tagum City vs $38 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $85 vs $227 per month, with Tagum City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Tagum City

🇵🇭 Makati

🕒 Local time

06:35 6:35 AM

Same time as Tagum City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

296,202

582,602

💱 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

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Tagum City Makati 950 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Tagum City
Makati

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

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

Tagum City wins on cost – living expenses run 65% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Tagum City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 65% lower in Tagum City. 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: $158 in Tagum City versus $829 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $429 per month in Tagum City versus $1,230 in Makati – Tagum City is about 65% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Supermarket bills run roughly 168% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $429 in Tagum City versus $1,230 in Makati, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Tagum City but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Tagum City 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, Tagum City and Makati are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Tagum City wins on affordability, Makati on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.