Cost of Living Comparison Between Albay and Baguio Cost of Living Comparison Between Albay and Baguio

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $772 in Albay versus $788 in Baguio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,205 in Albay versus $1,154 in Baguio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,638 in Albay versus $1,520 in Baguio.

Living in Albay costs roughly 2% less than in Baguio, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Albay 42% lower, Baguio 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.49 ₱215

$3.57 ₱220

-2.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.06 ₱1,113

$13.38 ₱825

34.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.33 ₱205

$2.64 ₱162

26.14%

Cappuccino

$2.46 ₱152

$2.36 ₱145

4.24%

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

$0.77 ₱47.44

$0.65 ₱40.14

18.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₱24.14

$0.38 ₱23.18

2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 ₱83.3

$1.39 ₱85.5

-2.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ₱129

$1.89 ₱117

10.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱119

$1.88 ₱116

2.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ₱74.5

$1.19 ₱73.4

1.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 ₱59.1

$1.12 ₱68.8

-14.29%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱127

$2.22 ₱137

-7.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 ₱493

$9.21 ₱568

-13.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.15 ₱256

$3.74 ₱231

10.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 ₱462

$8.33 ₱514

-9.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 ₱176

$2.74 ₱169

4.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 ₱97.7

$1.80 ₱111

-12.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 ₱166

$2.39 ₱147

12.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 ₱96.6

$1.20 ₱74.3

30.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 ₱135

$1.81 ₱112

21.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ₱156

$2.29 ₱141

10.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ₱65.7

$0.73 ₱45.12

46.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₱44.23

$0.72 ₱44.25

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.78 ₱172

$3.26 ₱201

-14.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.52 ₱526

$9.08 ₱560

-6.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱73.9

$1.06 ₱65.5

13.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ₱121

$2.31 ₱143

-15.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.28

$0.26 ₱15.91

7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.85 ₱669

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.1

$0.92 ₱57.0

-11.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.85

$0.24 ₱14.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.18 ₱134

$2.40 ₱148

-9.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₱70.0

$1.12 ₱69.0

1.79%

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

$26.5K ₱1.6M

$31.8K ₱2.0M

-16.61%

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

$20.4K ₱1.3M

$20.3K ₱1.3M

0.35%

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

$110 ₱6,806

$147 ₱9,087

-25.10%

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

$32.34 ₱1,994

$35.37 ₱2,181

-8.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.56 ₱1,699

$26.43 ₱1,630

4.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.25 ₱2,050

$22.38 ₱1,380

48.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.51 ₱278

$4.18 ₱257

7.89%

Cinema Ticket

$5.87 ₱362

$5.60 ₱346

4.82%

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

$152 ₱9,356

$154 ₱9,495

-1.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,241 ₱261.5K

$4,706 ₱290.2K

-9.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.77 ₱2,822

$47.79 ₱2,947

-4.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.78 ₱1,651

$27.10 ₱1,671

-1.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 ₱4,674

$76.1 ₱4,690

-0.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.3 ₱3,287

$45.80 ₱2,824

16.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 ₱16.5K

$345 ₱21.3K

-22.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 ₱10.9K

$145 ₱8,959

21.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$594 ₱36.6K

$549 ₱33.8K

8.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 ₱24.8K

$261 ₱16.1K

53.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,794 ₱172.3K

$2,417 ₱149.1K

15.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$889 ₱54.8K

$933 ₱57.5K

-4.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 ₱10.0K

$181 ₱11.2K

-10.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

4.5

48.22%

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

Last update for Albay: May 31, 2026

Last update for Baguio: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $268 in Albay and $345 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baguio pays 11% 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: $18.00 in Albay vs $13.00 in Baguio. Groceries flip the comparison at $204 vs $205, with Albay 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

Albay vs Baguio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Albay and Baguio differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($772 vs $788 including rent). Albay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Baguio earns 11% less. 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: $268 in Albay versus $345 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $152 in Albay versus $154 in Baguio. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Albay – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $13.00 in Baguio. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Albay gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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, Albay and Baguio 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 Albay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Baguio. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.