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: $764 in Baguio versus $838 in Nanjing.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,128 in Baguio versus $1,314 in Nanjing.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,491 in Baguio versus $1,791 in Nanjing.

Living in Baguio costs roughly 9% less than in Nanjing, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baguio 43% lower, Nanjing 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.51 ₱216

$2.86 ¥19.32

22.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.35 ₱823

$22.34 ¥151

-40.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.67 ₱165

$4.79 ¥32.36

-44.26%

Cappuccino

$2.35 ₱145

$3.17 ¥21.45

-25.87%

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

$0.69 ₱42.35

$0.41 ¥2.77

68.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₱23.05

$0.26 ¥1.76

42.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 ₱88.5

$0.86 ¥5.81

67.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₱119

$2.04 ¥13.76

-5.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱118

$2.31 ¥15.62

-16.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ₱73.4

$2.16 ¥14.57

-44.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ₱65.4

$0.83 ¥5.59

27.71%

Eggs

$2.17 ₱134

$1.54 ¥10.39

40.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.41 ₱580

$8.92 ¥60.3

5.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ₱230

$2.73 ¥18.46

36.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 ₱531

$9.14 ¥61.8

-5.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 ₱168

$2.22 ¥15.02

22.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ₱110

$1.38 ¥9.33

29.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 ₱145

$1.61 ¥10.86

45.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ₱72.2

$1.15 ¥7.78

1.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 ₱112

$0.86 ¥5.83

110.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 ₱136

$0.97 ¥6.58

126.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ₱41.67

$0.87 ¥5.87

-21.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₱47.85

$0.61 ¥4.12

27.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 ₱205

$3.58 ¥24.22

-6.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.71 ₱537

$13.08 ¥88.4

-33.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ₱65.5

$0.92 ¥6.24

15.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.49 ¥10.04

57.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.29

$0.27 ¥1.82

3.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.81 ₱666

$27.63 ¥187

-60.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 ₱56.8

$1.56 ¥10.57

-41.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.56

$0.36 ¥2.41

-38.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ₱145

$8.27 ¥55.9

-71.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₱68.3

$1.17 ¥7.90

-5.13%

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

$31.7K ₱2.0M

$17.4K ¥117.6K

81.95%

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

$20.5K ₱1.3M

$14.6K ¥98.8K

40.22%

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

$144 ₱8,892

$42.14 ¥285

242.17%

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

$34.02 ₱2,098

$11.04 ¥74.6

208.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.86 ₱1,595

$11.01 ¥74.4

134.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.30 ₱1,375

$26.17 ¥177

-14.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.23 ₱261

$28.55 ¥193

-85.18%

Cinema Ticket

$5.79 ₱357

$5.47 ¥36.96

5.85%

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

$151 ₱9,302

$410 ¥2,768

-63.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,640 ₱286.1K

$18.5K ¥125.0K

-74.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.90 ₱3,016

$42.77 ¥289

14.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.56 ₱1,700

$32.33 ¥218

-14.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 ₱4,568

$69.3 ¥468

6.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.63 ₱2,814

$84.4 ¥570

-45.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$349 ₱21.5K

$428 ¥2,891

-18.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$145 ₱8,952

$308 ¥2,080

-52.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$543 ₱33.5K

$888 ¥6,000

-38.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 ₱16.3K

$552 ¥3,729

-52.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,392 ₱147.5K

$5,328 ¥36.0K

-55.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$925 ₱57.1K

$3,074 ¥20.8K

-69.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$183 ₱11.3K

$1,341 ¥9,063

-86.35%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Nanjing: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $349 in Baguio and $428 in Nanjing. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nanjing pays 633% 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 $206 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 10% 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, salaries run 633% lower in Nanjing. 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: $349 in Baguio versus $428 in Nanjing. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $764 per month in Baguio versus $838 in Nanjing – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Baguio runs roughly 156% 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 10% less than in Nanjing. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.