Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Baguio and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Baguio: $755 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $23,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

37

Cost of Living Index in Baguio
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Baguio Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Baguio

🇵🇭 Philippines

$755

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Baguio and in Austin, TX

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 Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $755 in Baguio versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Baguio $755
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,183 in Baguio versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Baguio $1,183
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,611 in Baguio versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Baguio $1,611
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Baguio costs roughly 72% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Baguio is 44% below, Austin, TX is 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.97 ₱249

$20.22 $20.22

-80.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.85 ₱1,060

$85.0 $85.0

-80.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.76 ₱174

$12.35 $12.35

-77.65%

Cappuccino

$1.84 ₱115

$5.47 $5.47

-66.36%

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

$0.60 ₱37.85

$3.82 $3.82

-84.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₱21.46

$2.50 $2.50

-86.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 ₱63.8

$8.06 $8.06

-87.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₱103

$8.99 $8.99

-81.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ₱106

$1.13 $1.13

49.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 ₱71.1

$3.78 $3.78

-70.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱64.7

$3.25 $3.25

-68.31%

Eggs

$2.02 ₱127

$4.14 $4.14

-51.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.96 ₱312

$13.08 $13.08

-62.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 ₱212

$14.31 $14.31

-76.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.68 ₱483

$15.96 $15.96

-51.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ₱145

$4.38 $4.38

-47.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ₱100

$1.45 $1.45

10.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱147

$4.54 $4.54

-48.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 ₱67.7

$4.19 $4.19

-74.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 ₱105

$2.63 $2.63

-36.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 ₱108

$2.36 $2.36

-27.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ₱42.02

$1.76 $1.76

-61.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.24

$2.16 $2.16

-75.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₱188

$9.81 $9.81

-69.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.72 ₱548

$14.72 $14.72

-40.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ₱61.3

$2.78 $2.78

-65.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₱131

$3.48 $3.48

-40.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.77

$1.49 $1.49

-83.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.66 ₱796

$40.51 $40.51

-68.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱52.1

$2.67 $2.67

-68.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.82

$1.58 $1.58

-84.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ₱119

$35.29 $35.29

-94.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₱78.9

$0.99 $0.99

26.26%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$35.8K $35.8K

-40.95%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$27.2K $27.2K

-28.77%

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

$142 ₱8,935

$219 $219

-35.21%

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

$17.90 ₱1,126

$58.0 $58.0

-69.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 ₱1,495

$68.4 $68.4

-65.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.07 ₱1,325

$57.9 $57.9

-63.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.18 ₱326

$14.82 $14.82

-65.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.15 ₱324

$14.13 $14.13

-63.55%

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

$132 ₱8,329

$1,509 $1,509

-91.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₱677.2K

$21.5K $21.5K

-49.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.14 ₱1,832

$51.7 $51.7

-43.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.94 ₱1,254

$44.05 $44.05

-54.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.0 ₱4,591

$85.1 $85.1

-14.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.5 ₱3,489

$105 $105

-47.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 ₱25.3K

$1,932 $1,932

-79.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 ₱12.2K

$1,272 $1,272

-84.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$824 ₱51.8K

$3,670 $3,670

-77.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 ₱28.9K

$2,525 $2,525

-81.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,677 ₱168.4K

$7,617 $7,617

-64.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$928 ₱58.3K

$3,199 $3,199

-71.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$185 ₱11.6K

$5,105 $5,105

-96.38%

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 3, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Baguio

$195 25.8%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2% 554% $1.1K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Baguio

$184 24.4%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1% 88.1% $162

Groceries & Markets

Baguio

$175 23.2%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 130% $228

Clothing & Footwear

Baguio

$80 10.6%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9% 61.1% $49

Eating Out

Baguio

$74 9.8%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 369% $274

Sport & Entertainment

Baguio

$31 4.2%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 175% $55

Getting Around

Baguio

$16 2.1%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2% 262% $41

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $403 in Baguio and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 2664% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $17.00 in Baguio vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $175 vs $403 per month, with Baguio cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Baguio

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

15:22 3:22 PM

02:22 2:22 AM

13 h behind Baguio

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

366,358

974,447

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.54 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Baguio Austin, TX 13,400 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Baguio
Austin, TX

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 Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baguio wins on cost – living expenses run 258% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baguio the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 2664% lower in Austin, TX. 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: $403 in Baguio versus $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $755 per month in Baguio versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 258% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Baguio runs roughly 220% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $755 in Baguio versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Baguio but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Baguio the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Austin, TX 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 258% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.