Cost of Living Comparison Between Baguio and Cagayan de Oro City Cost of Living Comparison Between Baguio and Cagayan de Oro City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $766 in Baguio versus $765 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,168 in Baguio versus $1,150 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,570 in Baguio versus $1,534 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Monthly costs are close between Baguio and Cagayan de Oro City; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baguio 44% lower, Cagayan de Oro City 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.03 ₱253

$3.48 ₱219

15.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.53 ₱1,039

$12.57 ₱790

31.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.77 ₱174

$2.95 ₱185

-6.10%

Cappuccino

$1.84 ₱116

$2.40 ₱151

-23.33%

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

$0.60 ₱37.82

$0.71 ₱44.46

-15.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₱20.87

$0.89 ₱55.8

-62.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 ₱64.4

$1.41 ₱88.7

-26.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ₱98.5

$1.93 ₱122

-18.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ₱105

$1.53 ₱96.0

8.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 ₱72.3

$0.89 ₱56.0

29.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.4

$0.96 ₱60.5

5.21%

Eggs

$2.02 ₱127

$2.18 ₱137

-7.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.99 ₱313

$8.52 ₱535

-41.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.47 ₱218

$3.23 ₱203

7.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.80 ₱490

$5.73 ₱360

36.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ₱145

$2.15 ₱135

7.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 ₱96.0

$1.09 ₱68.4

40.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ₱145

$2.91 ₱183

-20.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 ₱65.3

$1.15 ₱72.1

-9.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 ₱104

$2.14 ₱134

-22.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 ₱111

$2.53 ₱159

-30.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ₱41.82

$0.77 ₱48.15

-12.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₱32.95

$0.46 ₱28.68

13.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₱187

$2.85 ₱179

4.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.49 ₱534

$3.92 ₱246

116.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₱60.3

$1.64 ₱103

-41.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ₱128

$1.92 ₱120

6.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₱14.39

$0.39 ₱24.27

-41.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.81 ₱805

$9.95 ₱625

28.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱51.0

$0.66 ₱41.76

22.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.39

$0.22 ₱13.85

4.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₱118

$2.36 ₱148

-20.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₱75.2

$1.01 ₱63.7

18.81%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$21.2K ₱1.3M

1.44%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$20.2K ₱1.3M

-5.51%

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

$138 ₱8,673

$133 ₱8,329

4.14%

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

$17.68 ₱1,111

$22.83 ₱1,434

-22.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.45 ₱1,473

$30.15 ₱1,894

-22.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.64 ₱1,359

$20.25 ₱1,272

6.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.27 ₱331

$2.71 ₱170

94.46%

Cinema Ticket

$5.13 ₱322

$4.39 ₱276

16.86%

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

$131 ₱8,244

$65.5 ₱4,115

100.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₱675.8K

$2,262 ₱142.1K

375.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.37 ₱1,845

$31.65 ₱1,989

-7.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.10 ₱1,200

$13.10 ₱823

45.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ₱4,577

$52.2 ₱3,278

39.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.0 ₱3,516

$39.98 ₱2,512

39.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 ₱25.1K

$382 ₱24.0K

4.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 ₱12.6K

$228 ₱14.3K

-12.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$853 ₱53.6K

$703 ₱44.2K

21.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 ₱29.1K

$441 ₱27.7K

4.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,603 ₱163.5K

$1,627 ₱102.2K

59.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$928 ₱58.3K

$939 ₱59.0K

-1.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$179 ₱11.3K

$305 ₱19.2K

-41.16%

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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Cagayan de Oro City: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $399 in Baguio and $382 in Cagayan de Oro City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cagayan de Oro City pays 70% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $17.00 in Baguio vs $13.00 in Cagayan de Oro City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $174 vs $170 per month, with Cagayan de Oro City 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 Cagayan de Oro City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 70% lower in Cagayan de Oro City. 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: $399 in Baguio versus $382 in Cagayan de Oro City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cagayan de Oro City runs roughly 29% less than in Baguio. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

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

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Cagayan de Oro City 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 Cagayan de Oro City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $765 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cagayan de Oro City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Baguio and Cagayan de Oro City 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 – Cagayan de Oro City wins on affordability, Baguio on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.