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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $764 in Baguio versus $792 in Albay.

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

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

Living in Baguio costs roughly 3% less than in Albay, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.51 ₱216

$3.61 ₱222

-2.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.35 ₱822

$17.94 ₱1,104

-25.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.67 ₱165

$3.34 ₱206

-20.06%

Cappuccino

$2.35 ₱145

$2.44 ₱150

-3.69%

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

$0.69 ₱42.28

$0.82 ₱50.5

-15.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₱23.01

$0.36 ₱22.26

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 ₱88.4

$1.30 ₱79.7

10.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₱119

$2.17 ₱133

-11.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.86 ₱114

3.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ₱73.3

$1.27 ₱78.5

-6.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ₱65.3

$0.94 ₱58.1

12.77%

Eggs

$2.17 ₱134

$1.99 ₱123

9.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.41 ₱579

$7.86 ₱484

19.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ₱229

$4.18 ₱257

-11.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 ₱530

$7.70 ₱474

11.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 ₱168

$2.93 ₱181

-7.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ₱110

$1.52 ₱93.5

17.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 ₱145

$2.62 ₱161

-10.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ₱72.1

$1.53 ₱94.5

-23.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 ₱112

$2.19 ₱135

-17.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 ₱135

$2.58 ₱159

-14.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ₱41.60

$1.07 ₱65.7

-36.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₱47.77

$0.71 ₱44.00

9.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 ₱205

$2.87 ₱177

16.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.71 ₱536

$9.26 ₱570

-5.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ₱65.4

$1.17 ₱71.8

-9.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.98 ₱122

18.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.26

$0.28 ₱17.31

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.81 ₱665

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 ₱56.7

$0.82 ₱50.8

12.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.54

$0.22 ₱13.51

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ₱145

$2.14 ₱132

9.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₱68.1

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

$31.7K ₱1.9M

$27.0K ₱1.7M

17.35%

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

$20.5K ₱1.3M

$20.3K ₱1.3M

0.80%

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

$144 ₱8,877

$114 ₱6,997

26.87%

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

$34.02 ₱2,094

$32.47 ₱1,999

4.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.86 ₱1,592

$27.26 ₱1,678

-5.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.30 ₱1,373

$33.29 ₱2,050

-33.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.23 ₱261

$4.50 ₱277

-6.00%

Cinema Ticket

$5.79 ₱356

$5.96 ₱367

-2.85%

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

$151 ₱9,286

$153 ₱9,436

-1.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,640 ₱285.6K

$4,338 ₱267.1K

6.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.90 ₱3,010

$45.01 ₱2,771

8.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.56 ₱1,697

$26.31 ₱1,620

4.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 ₱4,560

$75.3 ₱4,637

-1.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.63 ₱2,809

$53.0 ₱3,262

-13.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$349 ₱21.5K

$263 ₱16.2K

32.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$145 ₱8,936

$178 ₱11.0K

-18.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$543 ₱33.4K

$579 ₱35.6K

-6.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 ₱16.3K

$395 ₱24.3K

-32.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,392 ₱147.2K

$2,503 ₱154.1K

-4.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$925 ₱57.0K

$956 ₱58.8K

-3.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$183 ₱11.3K

$164 ₱10.1K

11.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

6.67

-32.53%

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

Last update for Baguio: July 14, 2026

Last update for Albay: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $349 in Baguio and $263 in Albay. 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: $13.00 in Baguio vs $18.00 in Albay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $206 per month, with Baguio cheaper across the board.

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 4% in total monthly costs ($764 vs $792 including rent). Baguio is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 12% 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: $349 in Baguio versus $263 in Albay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $151 in Baguio versus $153 in Albay. 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, Baguio and Albay 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.