Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Baguio and Lucena

For one person, living is cheaper in Lucena: $632 a month against $737 in Baguio, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Baguio outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

36

Cost of Living Index in Baguio
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Baguio Living Index
30

Cost of Living Index in Lucena
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Lucena Living Index

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Baguio

🇵🇭 Philippines

$737

/mo nomad

Lucena

🇵🇭 Philippines

$632

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Baguio and in Lucena

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $737 in Baguio versus $632 in Lucena.

Baguio $737
Lucena $632

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,148 in Baguio versus $1,026 in Lucena.

Baguio $1,148
Lucena $1,026

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,558 in Baguio versus $1,421 in Lucena.

Baguio $1,558
Lucena $1,421

Living in Baguio is roughly 17% more expensive than in Lucena, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baguio 46% lower, Lucena 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 ₱250

$1.42 ₱90.4

176.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.66 ₱1,061

$18.88 ₱1,203

-11.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.73 ₱174

$1.60 ₱102

70.63%

Cappuccino

$1.80 ₱114

$1.36 ₱86.3

32.35%

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

$0.55 ₱35.10

$0.30 ₱18.86

83.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₱21.21

$0.28 ₱17.97

17.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ₱63.4

$1.37 ₱87.0

-27.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₱97.9

$1.31 ₱83.5

17.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ₱101

$1.61 ₱103

-1.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 ₱72.9

$1.10 ₱70.3

3.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₱61.5

$0.91 ₱58.0

6.59%

Eggs

$1.99 ₱127

$1.80 ₱114

10.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.11 ₱325

$6.73 ₱429

-24.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.27 ₱208

$4.18 ₱266

-21.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.63 ₱486

$6.89 ₱439

10.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 ₱139

$3.94 ₱251

-44.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ₱99.0

$1.41 ₱89.7

9.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 ₱144

$3.52 ₱224

-35.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.9

$1.11 ₱70.5

-8.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 ₱110

$2.33 ₱148

-25.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 ₱108

$3.25 ₱207

-48.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ₱41.11

$1.40 ₱89.4

-53.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₱32.64

$0.91 ₱58.0

-43.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱187

$2.79 ₱178

5.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.50 ₱541

$7.37 ₱469

15.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ₱60.3

$1.30 ₱82.9

-26.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₱131

$1.81 ₱115

13.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱14.01

$0.22 ₱13.96

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.90 ₱822

$12.17 ₱775

6.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱51.7

$0.76 ₱48.43

6.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱15.35

$0.21 ₱13.35

14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ₱121

$2.55 ₱163

-25.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₱76.0

$1.16 ₱73.7

2.59%

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

$21.3K ₱1.4M

$21.1K ₱1.3M

0.53%

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

$18.8K ₱1.2M

$18.6K ₱1.2M

1.17%

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

$136 ₱8,657

$46.73 ₱2,976

190.84%

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

$17.08 ₱1,088

$6.27 ₱400

172.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.01 ₱1,465

$10.74 ₱684

114.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.76 ₱1,322

$33.83 ₱2,155

-38.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.23 ₱333

$5.35 ₱340

-2.24%

Cinema Ticket

$5.03 ₱321

$7.17 ₱457

-29.85%

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

$132 ₱8,438

$70.3 ₱4,478

88.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ₱672.0K

$2,461 ₱156.8K

328.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.91 ₱1,841

$35.51 ₱2,261

-18.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.53 ₱1,244

$22.17 ₱1,412

-11.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₱4,554

$78.7 ₱5,013

-9.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.9 ₱3,496

$74.1 ₱4,719

-25.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 ₱25.1K

$246 ₱15.7K

59.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 ₱12.2K

$164 ₱10.4K

17.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$819 ₱52.2K

$481 ₱30.6K

70.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 ₱29.5K

$355 ₱22.6K

30.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,156 ₱201.0K

$2,752 ₱175.3K

14.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,526 ₱97.2K

$1,144 ₱72.9K

33.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$179 ₱11.4K

$307 ₱19.6K

-41.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

-3.57%

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

Last update for Baguio: October 25, 2026

Last update for Lucena: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Baguio

$192 26.1%

Lucena

$164 26% 14.7% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Baguio

$176 23.9%

Lucena

$64 10.1% 63.8% $112

Groceries & Markets

Baguio

$171 23.2%

Lucena

$202 32% 18.2% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Baguio

$79 10.7%

Lucena

$95 15% 20.4% $16

Eating Out

Baguio

$73 9.9%

Lucena

$44 7% 39.2% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Baguio

$31 4.2%

Lucena

$48 7.6% 56.3% $17

Getting Around

Baguio

$16 2.1%

Lucena

$15 2.4% 6% $1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $393 in Baguio and $246 in Lucena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lucena pays 72% 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 $19 in Lucena for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $171 vs $202 per month, with Baguio cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Baguio

🇵🇭 Lucena

🕒 Local time

13:20 1:20 PM

Same time as Baguio

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

366,358

278,924

💱 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

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Baguio Lucena 300 km

From you

Baguio
Lucena

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 Lucena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lucena wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Baguio. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Lucena the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 42% 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 $246 in Lucena. 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 $632 in Lucena – Lucena is about 14% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Lucena runs roughly 6% less than in Baguio. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

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

For families, Lucena is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Baguio, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Baguio and Lucena are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.