🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $526 in Tarlac City versus $1,316 in Villavicencio.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $817 in Tarlac City versus $2,062 in Villavicencio.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,107 in Tarlac City versus $2,808 in Villavicencio.
🌍Living in Tarlac City costs roughly 60% less than in Villavicencio, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Tarlac City62% lower, Villavicencio4% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tarlac City
Villavicencio
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.06₱129
$7.97COP 25.1K
-74.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$7.88₱493
$40.73COP 128.3K
-80.65%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$2.89₱181
$9.95COP 31.3K
-70.95%
Cappuccino
$1.86₱117
$2.53COP 7,961
-26.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47₱29.30
$1.34COP 4,206
-64.93%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30₱18.78
$0.87COP 2,755
-65.52%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.02₱63.5
$1.88COP 5,924
-45.74%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63₱102
$3.71COP 11.7K
-56.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tarlac City
Villavicencio
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.63₱102
$1.58COP 4,973
3.16%
White Bread(500g)
$1.12₱69.9
$2.39COP 7,539
-53.14%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.01₱63.3
$1.62COP 5,110
-37.65%
Eggs
$1.90₱119
$3.79COP 11.9K
-49.87%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$5.28₱330
$7.30COP 23.0K
-27.67%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.75₱172
$7.37COP 23.2K
-62.69%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$6.27₱392
$10.70COP 33.7K
-41.40%
Apples(1kg)
$1.67₱104
$3.33COP 10.5K
-49.85%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61₱101
$1.73COP 5,442
-6.94%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.03₱127
$1.94COP 6,122
4.64%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.08₱67.7
$1.82COP 5,723
-40.66%
Potato(1kg)
$1.68₱105
$1.43COP 4,512
17.48%
Onion(1kg)
$1.23₱77.1
$1.37COP 4,299
-10.22%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.65₱40.79
$1.36COP 4,291
-52.21%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53₱32.86
$1.09COP 3,443
-51.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.02₱189
$4.41COP 13.9K
-31.52%
Wine(Bottle)
$3.66₱229
$12.92COP 40.7K
-71.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.97₱60.4
$1.44COP 4,532
-32.64%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48₱92.6
$3.08COP 9,689
-51.95%
🚌 Getting Around
Tarlac City
Villavicencio
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.23₱14.38
$1.15COP 3,624
-80.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$8.24₱515
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.77₱47.89
$2.10COP 6,627
-63.33%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.23₱14.30
$2.49COP 7,843
-90.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.33₱83.0
$9.35COP 29.4K
-85.78%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.14₱71.2
$1.35COP 4,245
-15.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K₱1.4M
$22.0KCOP 69.4M
-0.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.3K₱1.2M
$35.5KCOP 111.6M
-45.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tarlac City
Villavicencio
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$91.3₱5,708
$123COP 388.1K
-25.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.72₱358
$15.90COP 50.1K
-64.03%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.81₱1,489
$30.72COP 96.8K
-22.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tarlac City
Villavicencio
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$40.09₱2,507
$31.78COP 100.1K
26.15%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.30₱1,019
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.32₱332
$7.69COP 24.2K
-30.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tarlac City
Villavicencio
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$135₱8,463
$473COP 1.5M
-71.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.8K₱677.5K
$6,593COP 20.8M
64.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tarlac City
Villavicencio
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$28.89₱1,807
$79.8COP 251.3K
-63.80%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.87₱1,243
$49.28COP 155.2K
-59.68%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$64.2₱4,012
$143COP 449.1K
-55.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$47.90₱2,995
$112COP 353.2K
-57.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tarlac City
Villavicencio
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$87.6₱5,475
$710COP 2.2M
-87.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$73.3₱4,586
$479COP 1.5M
-84.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$256₱16.0K
$1,156COP 3.6M
-77.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$169₱10.6K
$907COP 2.9M
-81.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$373₱23.3K
$2,053COP 6.5M
-81.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$296₱18.5K
$1,766COP 5.6M
-83.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tarlac City
Villavicencio
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$218₱13.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.75
12.81
-47.31%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Tarlac City: August 30, 2026
Last update for Villavicencio: September 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $87.6 in Tarlac City and $710 in Villavicencio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $8.00 in Tarlac City vs $41.00 in Villavicencio for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $151 vs $261 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 Villavicencio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Tarlac City or Villavicencio?
Tarlac City wins on cost – living expenses run 150% lower than in Villavicencio. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tarlac City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Tarlac City and in Villavicencio?
You'd need roughly $790 in Tarlac City and $1,974 in Villavicencio to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Tarlac City compared to Villavicencio?
Rent for a central apartment: $87.6 in Tarlac City versus $710 in Villavicencio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Tarlac City or in Villavicencio?
Supermarket bills run roughly 73% higher in Villavicencio. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Tarlac City compared to Villavicencio?
All in, you'll spend $526 per month in Tarlac City versus $1,316 in Villavicencio – a 150% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Tarlac City or in Villavicencio?
At $526 in Tarlac City versus $1,316 in Villavicencio, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tarlac City but tight or insufficient in Villavicencio. The gap between the two cities makes Tarlac City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Tarlac City or Villavicencio?
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.
How safe is Tarlac City compared to Villavicencio?
Safety-wise, Tarlac City and Villavicencio are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Tarlac City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 150% less than in Villavicencio. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Tarlac City vs other spots: cost of living compared