Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Baguio and Bacolod

For one person, living is cheaper in Bacolod: $598 a month against $737 in Baguio, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Baguio
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Baguio Living Index

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Baguio

🇵🇭 Philippines

$737

/mo nomad

Bacolod

🇵🇭 Philippines

$598

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Baguio and in Bacolod

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

A single person spends $737 per month in Baguio vs $598 in Bacolod, rent included.

Baguio $737
Bacolod $598

A couple spends around $1,148 per month in Baguio vs $867 in Bacolod, rent included.

Baguio $1,148
Bacolod $867

A family of three spends $1,558 per month in Baguio vs $1,135 in Bacolod, rent included.

Baguio $1,558
Bacolod $1,135

Baguio costs about 23% more than Bacolod, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Baguio and Bacolod are more affordable than the global median – Baguio 46% lower, Bacolod 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 ₱249

$2.36 ₱150

66.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.66 ₱1,056

$12.74 ₱808

30.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.73 ₱173

$3.90 ₱247

-30.00%

Cappuccino

$1.80 ₱114

$2.30 ₱146

-21.74%

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

$0.55 ₱34.93

$0.67 ₱42.59

-17.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₱21.11

$0.36 ₱23.09

-8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ₱63.1

$1.31 ₱83.1

-24.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₱97.4

$1.84 ₱117

-16.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ₱101

$1.50 ₱95.1

6.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 ₱72.5

$1.09 ₱69.3

4.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₱61.2

$0.95 ₱60.4

2.11%

Eggs

$1.99 ₱126

$1.58 ₱100

25.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.11 ₱324

$8.64 ₱548

-40.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.27 ₱207

$6.47 ₱410

-49.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.63 ₱483

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 ₱139

$3.45 ₱219

-36.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ₱98.5

$2.39 ₱152

-35.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 ₱143

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.6

$0.56 ₱35.64

82.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 ₱109

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 ₱107

$1.97 ₱125

-14.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ₱40.91

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₱32.49

$1.00 ₱63.6

-49.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱186

$2.73 ₱173

7.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.50 ₱539

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ₱60.0

$0.88 ₱55.5

7.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₱130

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.94

$0.17 ₱10.58

29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.90 ₱818

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱51.5

$0.65 ₱41.09

24.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱15.27

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ₱120

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₱75.6

$1.25 ₱79.1

-4.80%

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

$21.3K ₱1.3M

-0.04%

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

$18.8K ₱1.2M

$22.9K ₱1.4M

-17.89%

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

$136 ₱8,615

$137 ₱8,713

-1.13%

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

$17.08 ₱1,083

$7.72 ₱489

121.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.01 ₱1,458

$27.18 ₱1,723

-15.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.76 ₱1,316

$15.83 ₱1,003

31.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.23 ₱332

$2.33 ₱148

124.46%

Cinema Ticket

$5.03 ₱319

$4.44 ₱282

13.29%

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

$132 ₱8,397

$31.16 ₱1,975

325.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ₱668.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.91 ₱1,833

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.53 ₱1,238

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₱4,532

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.9 ₱3,479

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 ₱24.9K

$257 ₱16.3K

53.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 ₱12.2K

$178 ₱11.3K

7.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$819 ₱51.9K

$466 ₱29.5K

75.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 ₱29.3K

$339 ₱21.5K

36.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,156 ₱200.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,526 ₱96.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$179 ₱11.3K

$202 ₱12.8K

-11.27%

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: October 25, 2026

Last update for Bacolod: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Baguio

$192 26.1%

Bacolod

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Baguio

$176 23.9%

Bacolod

–

Groceries & Markets

Baguio

$171 23.2%

Bacolod

–

Clothing & Footwear

Baguio

$79 10.7%

Bacolod

–

Eating Out

Baguio

$73 9.9%

Bacolod

–

Sport & Entertainment

Baguio

$31 4.2%

Bacolod

–

Getting Around

Baguio

$16 2.1%

Bacolod

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $393 in Baguio versus $257 in Bacolod. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 13% higher in Bacolod, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17 in Baguio versus $13 in Bacolod. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $149 – making Bacolod the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Baguio

🇵🇭 Bacolod

🕒 Local time

13:14 1:14 PM

Same time as Baguio

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

366,358

561,875

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.58 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.58 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Baguio Bacolod 690 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Baguio
Bacolod

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 Bacolod: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $737 in Baguio, $598 in Bacolod – Bacolod comes out roughly 19% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,106 per month in Baguio and $898 in Bacolod. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bacolod, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $257 there versus $393 in Baguio.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17 in Baguio and $13 in Bacolod. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Baguio, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $737 in Baguio and $598 in Bacolod, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.