Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Baguio and Iligan City

For one person, living is cheaper in Baguio: $734 a month against $829 in Iligan City, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

35

Cost of Living Index in Baguio
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Baguio Living Index
40

Cost of Living Index in Iligan City
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Iligan City Living Index

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Baguio

🇵🇭 Philippines

$734

/mo nomad

Iligan City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$829

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Baguio and in Iligan City

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $734 in Baguio versus $829 in Iligan City.

Baguio $734
Iligan City $829

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,206 in Baguio versus $1,236 in Iligan City.

Baguio $1,206
Iligan City $1,236

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,677 in Baguio versus $1,643 in Iligan City.

Baguio $1,677
Iligan City $1,643

Living in Baguio costs roughly 11% less than in Iligan City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baguio 46% lower, Iligan City 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.10 ₱197

$3.64 ₱231

-14.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.95 ₱1,519

$19.92 ₱1,264

20.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.71 ₱172

$3.38 ₱215

-19.82%

Cappuccino

$1.69 ₱107

$2.12 ₱134

-20.28%

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

$0.67 ₱42.61

$0.68 ₱43.10

-1.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₱24.49

$0.39 ₱24.62

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ₱72.3

$1.27 ₱80.8

-10.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₱121

$2.16 ₱137

-11.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 ₱113

$1.76 ₱112

1.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 ₱55.7

$1.18 ₱75.0

-25.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₱61.3

$0.95 ₱60.4

2.11%

Eggs

$1.83 ₱116

$1.84 ₱117

-0.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.75 ₱301

$4.89 ₱311

-2.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ₱204

$4.71 ₱299

-31.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.01 ₱445

$6.53 ₱414

7.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 ₱164

$2.16 ₱137

19.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 ₱135

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 ₱177

$2.23 ₱142

25.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.92 ₱58.1

$1.05 ₱66.9

-12.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ₱88.2

$1.37 ₱86.9

1.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 ₱86.8

$1.31 ₱83.3

4.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ₱41.37

$0.91 ₱57.9

-28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₱22.22

$0.47 ₱30.08

-25.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 ₱178

$3.01 ₱191

-6.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.99 ₱443

$7.60 ₱482

-8.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₱48.82

$1.15 ₱73.0

-33.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 ₱189

$1.71 ₱108

74.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.49 ₱919

$12.22 ₱775

18.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 ₱63.7

$0.71 ₱45.09

40.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.97

$0.20 ₱12.90

10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ₱118

$1.70 ₱108

9.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ₱82.6

$1.26 ₱80.0

3.17%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$23.7K ₱1.5M

-12.23%

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

$19.0K ₱1.2M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

-8.86%

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

$94.4 ₱5,990

$107 ₱6,770

-11.53%

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

$16.64 ₱1,056

$15.73 ₱998

5.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.88 ₱1,959

$26.59 ₱1,687

16.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.58 ₱1,750

$31.40 ₱1,992

-12.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.74 ₱491

Cinema Ticket

$4.72 ₱299

$4.92 ₱312

-4.07%

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

$1,019 ₱64.6K

$275 ₱17.5K

270.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,258 ₱333.6K

$7,158 ₱454.1K

-26.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.98 ₱3,171

$50.2 ₱3,183

-0.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.84 ₱2,401

$24.55 ₱1,558

54.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 ₱4,557

$72.2 ₱4,582

-0.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.8 ₱5,061

$60.4 ₱3,834

32.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 ₱24.5K

$111 ₱7,047

248.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 ₱12.4K

$274 ₱17.4K

-28.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,031 ₱65.4K

$811 ₱51.5K

27.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$513 ₱32.5K

$488 ₱31.0K

4.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,025 ₱255.4K

$3,664 ₱232.4K

9.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,526 ₱96.8K

$2,179 ₱138.2K

-29.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$180 ₱11.4K

$198 ₱12.5K

-8.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Baguio: November 2, 2026

Last update for Iligan City: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Baguio

$195 26.6%

Iligan City

$274 33.1% 40.6% $79

Groceries & Markets

Baguio

$168 22.9%

Iligan City

$177 21.3% 5.1% $8.6

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Baguio

$142 19.3%

Iligan City

$149 18% 5% $7.1

Clothing & Footwear

Baguio

$108 14.7%

Iligan City

$93 11.3% 13.4% $14

Eating Out

Baguio

$67 9.1%

Iligan City

$80 9.6% 18.9% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Baguio

$37 5%

Iligan City

$41 5% 11.4% $4.2

Getting Around

Baguio

$18 2.4%

Iligan City

$15 1.8% 15.1% $2.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Baguio and $111 in Iligan City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iligan City pays 10% 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: $24 in Baguio vs $20 in Iligan City. Groceries flip the comparison at $168 vs $177, with Baguio cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Baguio

🇵🇭 Iligan City

🕒 Local time

06:29 6:29 AM

Same time as Baguio

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

366,358

342,618

💱 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 Iligan City 990 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Baguio
Iligan City

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 Iligan City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baguio wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Iligan City. 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 9% 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: $387 in Baguio versus $111 in Iligan City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $734 per month in Baguio versus $829 in Iligan City – Baguio is about 11% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Iligan City runs roughly 16% less than in Baguio. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your 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.

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