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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $631 in Tarlac City versus $1,188 in Makati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $948 in Tarlac City versus $2,011 in Makati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,266 in Tarlac City versus $2,833 in Makati.

Living in Tarlac City costs roughly 47% less than in Makati, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tarlac City 53% lower, Makati 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.64 ₱162

$6.53 ₱402

-59.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.13 ₱932

$45.00 ₱2,770

-66.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.65 ₱224

$4.79 ₱295

-23.80%

Cappuccino

$1.63 ₱100

$2.95 ₱181

-44.75%

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

$0.88 ₱54.0

$1.20 ₱73.8

-26.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 ₱15.87

$0.58 ₱35.43

-55.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.96 ₱59.1

$2.34 ₱144

-58.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 ₱108

$3.56 ₱219

-50.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ₱101

$2.14 ₱132

-23.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ₱90.4

$1.43 ₱88.1

2.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ₱60.9

$1.11 ₱68.6

-10.81%

Eggs

$2.05 ₱126

$2.33 ₱144

-12.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.11 ₱561

$7.99 ₱492

14.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.23 ₱199

$4.52 ₱279

-28.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.14 ₱378

$7.71 ₱475

-20.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ₱179

$4.54 ₱279

-36.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₱99.0

$1.98 ₱122

-18.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 ₱129

$2.72 ₱168

-22.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ₱93.9

$2.28 ₱141

-33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 ₱84.2

$3.45 ₱212

-60.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ₱69.3

$2.80 ₱173

-59.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₱56.7

$1.14 ₱70.0

-19.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₱54.3

$0.99 ₱60.7

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 ₱176

$2.99 ₱184

-4.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.88 ₱239

$8.01 ₱493

-51.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₱47.16

$1.25 ₱76.9

-38.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₱93.6

$2.24 ₱138

-32.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.85

$0.51 ₱31.57

-49.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.14 ₱501

$3.58 ₱220

127.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱48.57

$0.76 ₱47.05

3.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.80

$0.13 ₱8.20

84.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 ₱130

$3.45 ₱212

-38.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₱72.1

$1.15 ₱71.0

1.74%

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

$28.8K ₱1.8M

$34.1K ₱2.1M

-15.50%

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

$19.5K ₱1.2M

$22.0K ₱1.4M

-11.37%

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

$99.5 ₱6,128

$170 ₱10.4K

-41.33%

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

$15.93 ₱981

$27.66 ₱1,703

-42.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.64 ₱1,640

$35.79 ₱2,203

-25.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.72 ₱2,753

$54.8 ₱3,371

-18.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.70 ₱1,090

$12.03 ₱741

47.13%

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 ₱387

$8.20 ₱505

-23.41%

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

$170 ₱10.4K

$324 ₱20.0K

-47.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ₱884.1K

$7,680 ₱472.8K

86.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.07 ₱2,775

$58.9 ₱3,628

-23.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ₱1,614

$35.88 ₱2,209

-26.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.8 ₱3,188

$84.1 ₱5,174

-38.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.47 ₱2,307

$124 ₱7,609

-69.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$128 ₱7,881

$657 ₱40.4K

-80.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$100 ₱6,170

$390 ₱24.0K

-74.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 ₱16.1K

$2,273 ₱139.9K

-88.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 ₱10.7K

$1,008 ₱62.0K

-82.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$375 ₱23.1K

$6,013 ₱370.2K

-93.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$305 ₱18.8K

$3,732 ₱229.8K

-91.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$213 ₱13.1K

$605 ₱37.3K

-64.87%

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 Tarlac City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Makati: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $128 in Tarlac City and $657 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 185% 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: $15.00 in Tarlac City vs $45.00 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $181 vs $235 per month, with Tarlac 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

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

Tarlac City wins on cost – living expenses run 88% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tarlac City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 185% 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: $128 in Tarlac City versus $657 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $631 per month in Tarlac City versus $1,188 in Makati – a 88% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tarlac City runs roughly 127% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $631 in Tarlac City versus $1,188 in Makati, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tarlac City but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Tarlac City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Tarlac 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 Tarlac City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.