Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Baguio and Bataan

For one person, living is cheaper in Bataan: $484 a month against $737 in Baguio, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

36

Cost of Living Index in Baguio
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Baguio Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Bataan
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Bataan Living Index

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Baguio

🇵🇭 Philippines

$737

/mo nomad

Bataan

🇵🇭 Philippines

$484

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Baguio and in Bataan

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $737 in Baguio versus $484 in Bataan.

Baguio $737
Bataan $484

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,148 in Baguio versus $808 in Bataan.

Baguio $1,148
Bataan $808

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,558 in Baguio versus $1,132 in Bataan.

Baguio $1,558
Bataan $1,132

Living in Baguio is roughly 52% more expensive than in Bataan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baguio 46% lower, Bataan 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 ₱251

$1.35 ₱86.6

190.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.66 ₱1,064

$16.58 ₱1,059

0.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.73 ₱174

$2.67 ₱171

2.25%

Cappuccino

$1.80 ₱115

$1.30 ₱83.1

38.46%

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

$0.55 ₱35.21

$0.58 ₱37.13

-5.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₱21.28

$0.22 ₱14.03

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ₱63.6

$1.00 ₱63.8

-1.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₱98.2

$1.55 ₱99.0

-0.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ₱101

$1.57 ₱100

1.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 ₱73.1

$1.10 ₱70.4

3.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₱61.7

$1.01 ₱64.6

-3.96%

Eggs

$1.99 ₱127

$1.75 ₱112

13.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.11 ₱326

$5.10 ₱326

0.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.27 ₱209

$2.95 ₱189

10.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.63 ₱487

$7.61 ₱486

0.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 ₱140

$2.24 ₱143

-2.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ₱99.3

$1.52 ₱97.3

1.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 ₱144

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ₱65.1

$1.06 ₱67.4

-3.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 ₱110

$1.65 ₱105

4.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 ₱108

$1.67 ₱107

1.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ₱41.24

$0.60 ₱38.38

8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₱32.75

$0.52 ₱33.50

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱188

$2.18 ₱139

34.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.50 ₱543

$8.40 ₱537

1.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ₱60.5

$0.97 ₱61.7

-2.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₱131

$2.02 ₱129

1.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱14.05

$0.24 ₱15.22

-8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.90 ₱825

$11.16 ₱713

15.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱51.9

$0.75 ₱48.08

8.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱15.39

$0.24 ₱15.37

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ₱121

$1.84 ₱117

3.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₱76.2

$1.03 ₱66.0

15.53%

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

$21.3K ₱1.4M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

2.94%

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

$18.8K ₱1.2M

$18.7K ₱1.2M

0.66%

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

$136 ₱8,684

$47.28 ₱3,021

187.46%

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

$17.08 ₱1,091

$17.49 ₱1,117

-2.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.01 ₱1,470

$22.85 ₱1,460

0.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.76 ₱1,326

$31.23 ₱1,996

-33.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.23 ₱334

$5.61 ₱359

-6.77%

Cinema Ticket

$5.03 ₱322

$5.01 ₱320

0.40%

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

$132 ₱8,465

$65.6 ₱4,190

101.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ₱674.1K

$10.7K ₱683.0K

-1.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.91 ₱1,847

$27.82 ₱1,778

3.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.53 ₱1,248

$19.07 ₱1,218

2.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₱4,568

$69.2 ₱4,422

3.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.9 ₱3,507

$55.8 ₱3,565

-1.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 ₱25.1K

$161 ₱10.3K

144.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 ₱12.3K

$50.0 ₱3,197

284.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$819 ₱52.3K

$274 ₱17.5K

199.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 ₱29.6K

$177 ₱11.3K

160.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,156 ₱201.6K

$2,553 ₱163.1K

23.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,526 ₱97.5K

$1,066 ₱68.1K

43.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$179 ₱11.4K

$389 ₱24.9K

-53.96%

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 Bataan: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Baguio

$192 26.1%

Bataan

$50 10.3% 74% $142

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Baguio

$176 23.9%

Bataan

$88 18.1% 50.2% $88

Groceries & Markets

Baguio

$171 23.2%

Bataan

$168 34.7% 1.9% $3.3

Clothing & Footwear

Baguio

$79 10.7%

Bataan

$77 16% 1.7% $1.3

Eating Out

Baguio

$73 9.9%

Bataan

$46 9.5% 37.1% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Baguio

$31 4.2%

Bataan

$41 8.5% 33.8% $10

Getting Around

Baguio

$16 2.1%

Bataan

$14 2.9% 10.9% $1.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $393 in Baguio and $161 in Bataan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bataan pays about 2.2 times more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $17 in Baguio vs $17 in Bataan. Groceries flip the comparison at $171 vs $168, with Bataan cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Baguio

🇵🇭 Bataan

🕒 Local time

06:15 6:15 AM

Same time as Baguio

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

366,358

6,743

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Baguio Bataan 190 km

From you

Baguio
Bataan

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 Bataan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bataan wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Baguio. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Bataan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 54% lower in Baguio. 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: $393 in Baguio versus $161 in Bataan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $737 per month in Baguio versus $484 in Bataan – Bataan is about 34% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Bataan runs roughly 13% less than in Baguio. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Bataan 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.