Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Baguio and Makati

For one person, living is cheaper in Baguio: $757 a month against $1,228 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

37

Cost of Living Index in Baguio
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Baguio Living Index
60

Cost of Living Index in Makati
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Makati Living Index

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Baguio

🇵🇭 Philippines

$757

/mo nomad

Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,228

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Baguio and in Makati

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $757 in Baguio versus $1,228 in Makati.

Baguio $757
Makati $1,228

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,171 in Baguio versus $2,028 in Makati.

Baguio $1,171
Makati $2,028

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,585 in Baguio versus $2,828 in Makati.

Baguio $1,585
Makati $2,828

Living in Baguio costs roughly 38% less than in Makati, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baguio 44% lower, Makati 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.04 ₱255

$6.22 ₱392

-35.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.77 ₱1,056

$39.57 ₱2,491

-57.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.85 ₱180

$4.88 ₱307

-41.60%

Cappuccino

$1.86 ₱117

$2.55 ₱161

-27.06%

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

$0.59 ₱37.34

$1.06 ₱67.0

-44.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₱19.17

$0.50 ₱31.54

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.97 ₱61.3

$2.38 ₱150

-59.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ₱98.9

$3.21 ₱202

-51.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ₱106

$1.90 ₱120

-11.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 ₱70.7

$1.29 ₱81.5

-13.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 ₱60.5

$1.06 ₱67.0

-9.43%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱128

$2.47 ₱155

-17.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.22 ₱329

$7.29 ₱459

-28.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ₱210

$4.86 ₱306

-31.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.04 ₱506

$7.03 ₱442

14.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ₱145

$4.04 ₱254

-42.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₱100

$1.94 ₱122

-18.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 ₱148

$3.22 ₱203

-27.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 ₱67.7

$2.29 ₱144

-52.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ₱107

$3.48 ₱219

-51.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.76 ₱111

$3.59 ₱226

-50.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ₱38.85

$1.06 ₱66.8

-41.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱31.33

$1.11 ₱69.7

-54.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 ₱181

$2.69 ₱169

6.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.00 ₱567

$8.11 ₱511

10.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₱57.8

$1.32 ₱82.9

-30.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₱127

$1.98 ₱124

2.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.84

$0.90 ₱56.4

-72.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.90 ₱812

$56.8 ₱3,575

-77.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.34

$0.67 ₱41.91

14.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.44

$0.21 ₱13.16

9.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 ₱121

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₱78.7

$1.25 ₱78.8

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

$21.5K ₱1.4M

$21.3K ₱1.3M

1.03%

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

$19.0K ₱1.2M

$19.6K ₱1.2M

-2.87%

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

$138 ₱8,682

$153 ₱9,620

-9.76%

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

$17.71 ₱1,115

$16.06 ₱1,011

10.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.76 ₱1,496

$32.37 ₱2,038

-26.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.05 ₱1,325

$54.9 ₱3,456

-61.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.19 ₱327

$14.14 ₱890

-63.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.30 ₱334

$7.22 ₱454

-26.59%

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

$135 ₱8,486

$794 ₱50.0K

-83.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₱673.8K

$7,321 ₱460.9K

46.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.76 ₱1,811

$61.2 ₱3,850

-52.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.76 ₱1,244

$36.86 ₱2,321

-46.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.1 ₱4,479

$81.5 ₱5,129

-12.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.4 ₱3,551

$103 ₱6,510

-45.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 ₱25.8K

$815 ₱51.3K

-49.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 ₱12.6K

$417 ₱26.3K

-52.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 ₱52.6K

$2,274 ₱143.2K

-63.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 ₱29.3K

$1,069 ₱67.3K

-56.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,647 ₱166.7K

$5,869 ₱369.5K

-54.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$930 ₱58.6K

$3,738 ₱235.4K

-75.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$182 ₱11.4K

$601 ₱37.9K

-69.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

7.5

-10.00%

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

Last update for Baguio: October 12, 2026

Last update for Makati: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Baguio

$200 26.4%

Makati

$417 34% 109% $218

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Baguio

$179 23.7%

Makati

$201 16.4% 12.2% $22

Groceries & Markets

Baguio

$176 23.3%

Makati

$231 18.8% 31.4% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Baguio

$79 10.5%

Makati

$127 10.4% 60.7% $48

Eating Out

Baguio

$75 9.9%

Makati

$120 9.7% 59.8% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Baguio

$32 4.2%

Makati

$69 5.6% 119% $38

Getting Around

Baguio

$16 2.1%

Makati

$62 5.1% 292% $46

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Baguio and $815 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 231% 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: $17.00 in Baguio vs $40.00 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $176 vs $231 per month, with Baguio cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Baguio

🇵🇭 Makati

🕒 Local time

06:40 6:40 AM

Same time as Baguio

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

366,358

582,602

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Baguio Makati 210 km

From you

Baguio
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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 Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baguio wins on cost – living expenses run 62% lower than in Makati. 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 231% lower in Makati. 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: $409 in Baguio versus $815 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $757 per month in Baguio versus $1,228 in Makati – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Baguio runs roughly 340% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $757 in Baguio versus $1,228 in Makati, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Baguio but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Baguio the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Baguio delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $757 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Baguio hard to pass up.

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

Expats usually find Baguio gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.