Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Baguio and Albay

For one person, living costs are similar in Baguio and in Albay: $748 and $729 a month, rent and utilities included.

36

Cost of Living Index in Baguio
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Baguio Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Albay
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Albay Living Index

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Baguio

🇵🇭 Philippines

$748

/mo nomad

Albay

🇵🇭 Philippines

$729

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Baguio and in Albay

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Baguio and in Albay actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $748 in Baguio versus $729 in Albay.

Baguio $748
Albay $729

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,157 in Baguio versus $1,108 in Albay.

Baguio $1,157
Albay $1,108

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,566 in Baguio versus $1,487 in Albay.

Baguio $1,566
Albay $1,487

Living in Baguio is roughly 3% more expensive than in Albay, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baguio 45% lower, Albay 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.88 ₱248

$3.78 ₱242

2.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.81 ₱1,074

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.83 ₱181

$2.82 ₱180

0.35%

Cappuccino

$1.77 ₱113

$2.19 ₱140

-19.18%

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

$0.57 ₱36.31

$0.63 ₱40.22

-9.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₱19.59

$0.33 ₱21.13

-6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ₱62.4

$1.12 ₱71.7

-12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ₱104

$1.99 ₱127

-18.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 ₱108

$1.61 ₱103

4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 ₱70.3

$1.12 ₱71.8

-1.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱64.8

$0.96 ₱61.4

5.21%

Eggs

$1.99 ₱127

$1.88 ₱120

5.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.94 ₱316

$5.70 ₱365

-13.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 ₱223

$4.21 ₱269

-17.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.73 ₱494

$6.95 ₱445

11.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 ₱142

$2.33 ₱149

-4.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ₱102

$1.56 ₱99.7

2.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ₱152

$2.42 ₱155

-1.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 ₱66.1

$1.17 ₱75.1

-11.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 ₱111

$1.93 ₱123

-9.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 ₱111

$1.96 ₱125

-11.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ₱39.31

$0.98 ₱62.4

-37.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.27

$0.54 ₱34.46

-9.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 ₱186

$2.90 ₱186

0.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.57 ₱548

$7.69 ₱491

11.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₱59.1

$0.96 ₱61.4

-4.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ₱129

$1.95 ₱125

3.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₱14.62

$0.24 ₱15.19

-4.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.79 ₱818

$11.21 ₱717

14.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱48.43

$0.74 ₱47.17

2.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱16.06

$0.23 ₱14.72

8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 ₱124

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₱75.9

$1.24 ₱79.1

-4.03%

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

$21.2K ₱1.4M

-0.02%

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

$19.5K ₱1.2M

$18.9K ₱1.2M

2.86%

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

$141 ₱9,045

$124 ₱7,929

14.07%

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

$17.70 ₱1,132

$15.06 ₱963

17.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.50 ₱1,502

$24.69 ₱1,578

-4.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.59 ₱1,380

$32.74 ₱2,093

-34.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.31 ₱339

$4.58 ₱293

15.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.22 ₱334

$5.24 ₱335

-0.38%

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

$130 ₱8,306

$131 ₱8,392

-1.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₱693.1K

$7,896 ₱504.8K

37.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.85 ₱1,844

$33.24 ₱2,125

-13.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.38 ₱1,239

$19.61 ₱1,254

-1.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 ₱4,621

$70.4 ₱4,500

2.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.9 ₱3,512

$56.3 ₱3,596

-2.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$398 ₱25.4K

$261 ₱16.7K

52.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 ₱12.3K

$170 ₱10.9K

13.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 ₱53.5K

$512 ₱32.7K

63.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₱29.0K

$351 ₱22.5K

29.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,660 ₱170.0K

$2,446 ₱156.4K

8.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$925 ₱59.1K

$974 ₱62.3K

-5.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$183 ₱11.7K

$162 ₱10.3K

13.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

6.79

-0.59%

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

Last update for Baguio: October 18, 2026

Last update for Albay: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Baguio

$192 25.7%

Albay

$170 23.3% 11.6% $22

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Baguio

$183 24.4%

Albay

$164 22.5% 10.4% $19

Groceries & Markets

Baguio

$173 23.2%

Albay

$178 24.5% 2.8% $4.9

Clothing & Footwear

Baguio

$79 10.6%

Albay

$81 11.1% 2.3% $1.8

Eating Out

Baguio

$72 9.7%

Albay

$78 10.8% 8.4% $6

Sport & Entertainment

Baguio

$32 4.3%

Albay

$43 5.9% 34.9% $11

Getting Around

Baguio

$16 2.1%

Albay

$14 1.9% 10.6% $1.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $398 in Baguio and $261 in Albay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baguio pays 13% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $17 in Baguio vs $17 in Albay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $173 vs $178 per month, with Baguio cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Baguio

🇵🇭 Albay

🕒 Local time

22:52 10:52 PM

Same time as Baguio

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

366,358

179,481

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.56 USD

100 PHP = 1.39 EUR

100 PHP = 1.56 USD

100 PHP = 1.39 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Baguio Albay 500 km

From you

Baguio
Albay

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Albay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baguio and Albay differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($748 vs $729 including rent). Albay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 13% higher in Baguio, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $398 in Baguio versus $261 in Albay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $130 in Baguio versus $131 in Albay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in Albay runs roughly 12% less than in Baguio. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

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.

It comes down to priorities – Albay wins on affordability, Baguio on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.