Cost of Living Comparison Between Baguio and Nanjing Cost of Living Comparison Between Baguio and Nanjing

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $788 in Baguio versus $830 in Nanjing.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,154 in Baguio versus $1,302 in Nanjing.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,520 in Baguio versus $1,773 in Nanjing.

Living in Baguio costs roughly 5% less than in Nanjing, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baguio 41% lower, Nanjing 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 ₱221

$2.72 ¥18.42

31.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.38 ₱825

$22.36 ¥151

-40.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.64 ₱163

$4.80 ¥32.48

-45.00%

Cappuccino

$2.36 ₱145

$3.12 ¥21.15

-24.36%

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

$0.65 ₱40.16

$0.45 ¥3.03

44.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₱23.19

$0.24 ¥1.62

58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 ₱85.5

$0.82 ¥5.58

69.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ₱117

$2.06 ¥13.93

-8.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 ₱116

$2.33 ¥15.76

-19.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ₱73.4

$2.16 ¥14.65

-44.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ₱68.9

$0.77 ¥5.22

45.45%

Eggs

$2.22 ₱137

$1.49 ¥10.12

48.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.21 ₱568

$9.23 ¥62.5

-0.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 ₱231

$2.75 ¥18.63

36.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.33 ₱514

$8.96 ¥60.6

-7.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 ₱169

$2.22 ¥15.02

23.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱111

$1.42 ¥9.63

26.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ₱147

$1.63 ¥11.04

46.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ₱74.3

$1.20 ¥8.12

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 ₱112

$0.92 ¥6.23

96.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 ₱142

$0.91 ¥6.17

151.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ₱45.15

$0.83 ¥5.59

-12.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₱44.28

$0.57 ¥3.86

26.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 ₱201

$3.52 ¥23.82

-7.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.08 ₱561

$13.05 ¥88.3

-30.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ₱65.5

$0.92 ¥6.20

15.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₱143

$1.51 ¥10.20

52.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.92

$0.27 ¥1.82

-3.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.85 ₱669

$27.67 ¥187

-60.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 ₱57.0

$1.57 ¥10.60

-41.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.89

$0.36 ¥2.43

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ₱148

$8.41 ¥56.9

-71.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ₱69.1

$1.13 ¥7.61

-0.88%

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

$31.8K ₱2.0M

$17.0K ¥114.8K

87.39%

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

$20.3K ₱1.3M

$14.7K ¥99.2K

38.75%

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

$147 ₱9,093

$42.34 ¥287

248.06%

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

$35.37 ₱2,183

$10.72 ¥72.6

229.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.43 ₱1,631

$10.92 ¥73.9

142.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.38 ₱1,381

$26.44 ¥179

-15.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.18 ₱258

$29.37 ¥199

-85.77%

Cinema Ticket

$5.60 ₱346

$5.41 ¥36.65

3.51%

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

$154 ₱9,502

$406 ¥2,748

-62.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,706 ₱290.4K

$18.5K ¥125.0K

-74.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.79 ₱2,949

$42.23 ¥286

13.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.10 ₱1,672

$33.05 ¥224

-18.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ₱4,693

$67.2 ¥455

13.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.80 ₱2,826

$84.6 ¥573

-45.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$345 ₱21.3K

$425 ¥2,880

-18.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$145 ₱8,965

$300 ¥2,029

-51.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$549 ₱33.9K

$911 ¥6,169

-39.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 ₱16.1K

$541 ¥3,664

-51.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,417 ₱149.2K

$5,311 ¥35.9K

-54.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$933 ₱57.6K

$3,154 ¥21.3K

-70.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$181 ₱11.2K

$1,388 ¥9,395

-86.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

3.87

16.28%

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

Last update for Baguio: June 2, 2026

Last update for Nanjing: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $345 in Baguio and $425 in Nanjing. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nanjing pays 665% 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: $13.00 in Baguio vs $22.00 in Nanjing. Groceries flip the comparison at $205 vs $203, with Nanjing 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 Nanjing: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baguio wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Nanjing. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baguio the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Nanjing earns 665% 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 $425 in Nanjing. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $788 per month in Baguio versus $830 in Nanjing – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Baguio runs roughly 155% less than in Nanjing. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Baguio gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

Safety-wise, Baguio and Nanjing 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 5% less than in Nanjing. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.