Cost of Living Comparison Between Baguio and Boracay Cost of Living Comparison Between Baguio and Boracay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $788 in Baguio versus $785 in Boracay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,154 in Baguio versus $1,413 in Boracay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,520 in Baguio versus $2,041 in Boracay.

Monthly costs are close between Baguio and Boracay; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 ₱221

$3.13 ₱193

14.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.38 ₱825

$21.30 ₱1,314

-37.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.64 ₱163

$4.91 ₱303

-46.23%

Cappuccino

$2.36 ₱145

$2.36 ₱146

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

$0.65 ₱40.16

$1.23 ₱75.8

-47.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₱23.19

$0.28 ₱17.46

35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 ₱85.5

$1.30 ₱80.2

6.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ₱117

$2.11 ₱130

-10.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 ₱116

$1.75 ₱108

7.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ₱73.4

$1.22 ₱75.1

-2.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ₱68.9

$0.85 ₱52.4

31.76%

Eggs

$2.22 ₱137

$2.64 ₱163

-15.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.21 ₱568

$7.83 ₱483

17.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 ₱231

$4.30 ₱266

-13.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.33 ₱514

$7.49 ₱462

11.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 ₱169

$2.98 ₱184

-8.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱111

$1.47 ₱90.6

22.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ₱147

$2.58 ₱159

-7.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ₱74.3

$1.43 ₱88.3

-16.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 ₱112

$1.76 ₱108

2.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 ₱142

$2.62 ₱162

-12.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ₱45.15

$1.07 ₱66.1

-31.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₱44.28

$0.71 ₱44.01

1.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 ₱201

$3.81 ₱235

-14.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.08 ₱561

$7.95 ₱491

14.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ₱65.5

$1.15 ₱71.2

-7.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₱143

$1.96 ₱121

17.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.92

$0.36 ₱22.51

-27.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.85 ₱669

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 ₱57.0

$0.81 ₱49.99

13.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.89

$0.22 ₱13.57

9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ₱148

$2.19 ₱135

9.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ₱69.1

$1.26 ₱77.9

-11.11%

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

$31.8K ₱2.0M

$26.4K ₱1.6M

20.55%

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

$20.3K ₱1.3M

$20.5K ₱1.3M

-0.75%

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

$147 ₱9,093

$114 ₱7,039

29.18%

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

$35.37 ₱2,183

$8.80 ₱543

301.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.43 ₱1,631

$38.04 ₱2,347

-30.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.38 ₱1,381

$52.2 ₱3,218

-57.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.18 ₱258

$4.52 ₱279

-7.52%

Cinema Ticket

$5.60 ₱346

$4.12 ₱254

35.92%

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

$154 ₱9,502

$155 ₱9,537

-0.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,706 ₱290.4K

$3,962 ₱244.5K

18.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.79 ₱2,949

$46.06 ₱2,842

3.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.10 ₱1,672

$26.47 ₱1,633

2.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ₱4,693

$76.0 ₱4,689

0.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.80 ₱2,826

$53.0 ₱3,269

-13.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$345 ₱21.3K

$269 ₱16.6K

28.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$145 ₱8,965

$174 ₱10.8K

-16.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$549 ₱33.9K

$583 ₱35.9K

-5.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 ₱16.1K

$758 ₱46.8K

-65.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,417 ₱149.2K

$2,470 ₱152.4K

-2.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$933 ₱57.6K

$983 ₱60.7K

-5.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$181 ₱11.2K

$235 ₱14.5K

-22.66%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Boracay: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $345 in Baguio and $269 in Boracay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boracay pays 29% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $13.00 in Baguio vs $21.00 in Boracay. Groceries flip the comparison at $205 vs $201, with Boracay cheaper for home cooking.

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 Boracay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, Boracay earns 29% less. 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: $345 in Baguio versus $269 in Boracay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Baguio. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Boracay – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $13.00 in Baguio. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Boracay gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Boracay delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $785 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Boracay hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Baguio and Boracay are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

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