Cost of Living Comparison Between Baguio and Alabang Cost of Living Comparison Between Baguio and Alabang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $763 per month in Baguio vs $746 in Alabang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,175 per month in Baguio vs $1,120 in Alabang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,586 per month in Baguio vs $1,495 in Alabang, rent included.

Baguio costs about 2% more than Alabang, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Baguio and Alabang are more affordable than the global median – Baguio 45% lower, Alabang 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 ₱246

$4.07 ₱254

-2.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.48 ₱1,027

$19.14 ₱1,193

-13.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.88 ₱179

$2.77 ₱173

3.97%

Cappuccino

$1.77 ₱110

$2.44 ₱152

-27.46%

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

$0.61 ₱37.75

$0.74 ₱46.17

-17.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₱19.83

$0.34 ₱21.25

-5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ₱60.9

$1.01 ₱63.0

-2.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ₱97.5

$1.90 ₱119

-17.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ₱105

$1.67 ₱104

1.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 ₱72.2

$1.17 ₱72.9

-0.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱63.6

$0.87 ₱54.4

17.24%

Eggs

$2.07 ₱129

$1.81 ₱113

14.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.15 ₱321

$5.12 ₱319

0.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ₱212

$3.38 ₱211

0.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.09 ₱504

$7.34 ₱458

10.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ₱144

$2.30 ₱143

0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ₱97.6

$1.40 ₱87.2

12.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ₱150

$2.37 ₱148

1.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 ₱66.6

$1.03 ₱64.5

3.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 ₱110

$1.69 ₱106

4.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 ₱110

$1.79 ₱112

-1.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ₱38.69

$0.67 ₱41.69

-7.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.07

$0.53 ₱33.30

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 ₱179

$2.78 ₱174

3.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 ₱562

$7.48 ₱466

20.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₱59.8

$0.97 ₱60.4

-1.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₱131

$1.76 ₱110

19.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.63

$0.25 ₱15.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.99 ₱810

$11.03 ₱688

17.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱52.2

$0.79 ₱49.26

6.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.61

$0.23 ₱14.39

8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 ₱123

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱71.8

$1.14 ₱71.3

0.88%

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

$21.0K ₱1.3M

$21.9K ₱1.4M

-3.90%

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

$19.6K ₱1.2M

$19.1K ₱1.2M

2.61%

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

$139 ₱8,662

$140 ₱8,743

-0.93%

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

$17.39 ₱1,085

$14.39 ₱897

20.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.64 ₱1,474

$23.52 ₱1,467

0.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.34 ₱1,331

$31.55 ₱1,968

-32.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.20 ₱324

$4.92 ₱307

5.69%

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 ₱318

$5.31 ₱331

-3.95%

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

$134 ₱8,351

$72.1 ₱4,494

85.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ₱658.6K

$2,476 ₱154.4K

326.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.47 ₱1,775

$28.50 ₱1,777

-0.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.81 ₱1,235

$19.36 ₱1,208

2.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 ₱4,415

$72.7 ₱4,535

-2.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.6 ₱3,529

$55.8 ₱3,477

1.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 ₱25.6K

$226 ₱14.1K

82.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 ₱12.3K

$170 ₱10.6K

16.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 ₱52.9K

$510 ₱31.8K

66.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 ₱29.0K

$354 ₱22.1K

31.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,662 ₱166.0K

$2,556 ₱159.4K

4.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$900 ₱56.1K

$1,055 ₱65.8K

-14.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$179 ₱11.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

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

Last update for Baguio: September 5, 2026

Last update for Alabang: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $411 in Baguio versus $226 in Alabang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16.00 in Baguio versus $19.00 in Alabang. Groceries tell a different story – $178 in Baguio vs $169 in Alabang – so Alabang wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Baguio vs Alabang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Baguio is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,144 per month in Baguio and $1,119 in Alabang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alabang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Baguio, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16.00 in Baguio and $19.00 in Alabang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $763 in Baguio and $746 in Alabang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Alabang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Alabang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Baguio makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.