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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $764 per month in Baguio vs $688 in Alabang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,128 per month in Baguio vs $1,094 in Alabang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,491 per month in Baguio vs $1,499 in Alabang, rent included.

Baguio costs about 11% more than Alabang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Baguio and Alabang are more affordable than the global median – Baguio 43% lower, Alabang 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.51 ₱216

$4.12 ₱254

-14.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.35 ₱822

$21.61 ₱1,330

-38.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.67 ₱165

$2.19 ₱135

21.92%

Cappuccino

$2.35 ₱145

$2.67 ₱164

-11.99%

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

$0.69 ₱42.28

$0.94 ₱58.1

-26.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₱23.01

$0.37 ₱22.80

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 ₱88.4

$1.25 ₱77.0

15.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₱119

$2.63 ₱162

-26.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.54 ₱94.8

24.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ₱73.3

$1.20 ₱73.9

-0.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ₱65.3

$0.73 ₱44.79

45.21%

Eggs

$2.17 ₱134

$1.94 ₱119

11.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.41 ₱579

$6.87 ₱423

36.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ₱229

$3.04 ₱187

22.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 ₱530

$6.73 ₱414

27.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 ₱168

$2.15 ₱133

26.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ₱110

$1.41 ₱86.7

26.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 ₱145

$1.55 ₱95.6

51.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ₱72.1

$1.64 ₱101

-28.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 ₱112

$1.27 ₱78.2

42.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 ₱135

$3.17 ₱195

-30.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ₱41.60

$1.59 ₱97.6

-57.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₱47.77

$0.69 ₱42.26

13.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 ₱205

$2.11 ₱130

57.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.71 ₱536

$7.90 ₱487

10.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ₱65.4

$1.23 ₱75.7

-13.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.73 ₱106

35.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.26

$0.26 ₱15.89

7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.81 ₱665

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 ₱56.7

$0.82 ₱50.3

12.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.54

$0.24 ₱14.81

-8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ₱145

$2.16 ₱133

8.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₱68.1

$1.10 ₱67.8

0.91%

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

$31.7K ₱1.9M

$26.2K ₱1.6M

21.04%

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

$20.5K ₱1.3M

$20.2K ₱1.2M

1.34%

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

$144 ₱8,877

$46.97 ₱2,892

206.98%

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

$34.02 ₱2,094

$32.80 ₱2,019

3.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.86 ₱1,592

$29.90 ₱1,841

-13.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.30 ₱1,373

$34.32 ₱2,113

-35.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.23 ₱261

$4.37 ₱269

-3.20%

Cinema Ticket

$5.79 ₱356

$3.48 ₱215

66.38%

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

$151 ₱9,286

$66.9 ₱4,116

125.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,640 ₱285.6K

$2,844 ₱175.1K

63.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.90 ₱3,010

$32.18 ₱1,981

51.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.56 ₱1,697

$17.39 ₱1,070

58.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 ₱4,560

$98.4 ₱6,057

-24.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.63 ₱2,809

$52.2 ₱3,214

-12.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$349 ₱21.5K

$251 ₱15.5K

39.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$145 ₱8,936

$174 ₱10.7K

-16.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$543 ₱33.4K

$580 ₱35.7K

-6.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 ₱16.3K

$399 ₱24.5K

-33.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,392 ₱147.2K

$2,314 ₱142.4K

3.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$925 ₱57.0K

$1,045 ₱64.4K

-11.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$183 ₱11.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

8.13

-44.65%

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

Last update for Baguio: July 14, 2026

Last update for Alabang: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $349 in Baguio versus $251 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 $13.00 in Baguio versus $22.00 in Alabang. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in Baguio vs $178 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 11%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,146 per month in Baguio and $1,032 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $13.00 in Baguio and $22.00 in Alabang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Baguio, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $764 in Baguio and $688 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.