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: $792 in Albay versus $764 in Baguio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,227 in Albay versus $1,128 in Baguio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,662 in Albay versus $1,491 in Baguio.

Living in Albay is roughly 4% more expensive than in Baguio, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Albay 41% lower, Baguio 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.61 ₱222

$3.51 ₱216

2.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.94 ₱1,104

$13.35 ₱822

34.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.34 ₱206

$2.67 ₱165

25.09%

Cappuccino

$2.44 ₱150

$2.35 ₱145

3.83%

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

$0.82 ₱50.5

$0.69 ₱42.28

18.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₱22.26

$0.37 ₱23.01

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 ₱79.7

$1.44 ₱88.4

-9.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱133

$1.93 ₱119

12.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ₱114

$1.92 ₱118

-3.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 ₱78.5

$1.19 ₱73.3

6.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₱58.1

$1.06 ₱65.3

-11.32%

Eggs

$1.99 ₱123

$2.17 ₱134

-8.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 ₱484

$9.41 ₱579

-16.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 ₱257

$3.72 ₱229

12.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱474

$8.61 ₱530

-10.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ₱181

$2.72 ₱168

7.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₱93.5

$1.79 ₱110

-15.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 ₱161

$2.35 ₱145

11.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ₱94.5

$1.17 ₱72.1

30.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 ₱135

$1.81 ₱112

20.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 ₱159

$2.20 ₱135

17.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ₱65.7

$0.68 ₱41.60

57.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₱44.01

$0.78 ₱47.77

-8.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 ₱177

$3.33 ₱205

-13.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.26 ₱570

$8.71 ₱536

6.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ₱71.8

$1.06 ₱65.4

10.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₱122

$2.34 ₱144

-15.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.31

$0.28 ₱17.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.81 ₱665

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱50.8

$0.92 ₱56.7

-10.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.51

$0.22 ₱13.54

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₱132

$2.35 ₱145

-8.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₱68.1

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

$27.0K ₱1.7M

$31.7K ₱1.9M

-14.79%

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

$20.3K ₱1.3M

$20.5K ₱1.3M

-0.79%

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

$114 ₱6,997

$144 ₱8,878

-21.18%

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

$32.47 ₱1,999

$34.02 ₱2,094

-4.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.26 ₱1,678

$25.86 ₱1,592

5.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.29 ₱2,050

$22.30 ₱1,373

49.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.50 ₱277

$4.23 ₱261

6.38%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ₱367

$5.79 ₱356

2.94%

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

$153 ₱9,437

$151 ₱9,287

1.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,338 ₱267.1K

$4,640 ₱285.6K

-6.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.01 ₱2,771

$48.90 ₱3,011

-7.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ₱1,620

$27.56 ₱1,697

-4.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 ₱4,637

$74.1 ₱4,560

1.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.0 ₱3,262

$45.63 ₱2,809

16.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$263 ₱16.2K

$349 ₱21.5K

-24.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 ₱11.0K

$145 ₱8,937

22.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 ₱35.6K

$543 ₱33.4K

6.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 ₱24.3K

$265 ₱16.3K

49.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,503 ₱154.1K

$2,392 ₱147.2K

4.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$956 ₱58.8K

$925 ₱57.0K

3.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 ₱10.1K

$183 ₱11.3K

-10.36%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Baguio: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $263 in Albay and $349 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baguio pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $18.00 in Albay vs $13.00 in Baguio. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $206, 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 4% in total monthly costs ($792 vs $764 including rent). Baguio is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Baguio. 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: $263 in Albay versus $349 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $153 in Albay versus $151 in Baguio. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

Either city works on $800 a month, though Baguio 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 Baguio gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Albay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.