Cost of Living Comparison Between Baguio and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Baguio and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $788 in Baguio versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,139 in Baguio versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,490 in Baguio versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Baguio costs roughly 38% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baguio 41% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 ₱217

$4.56 ฿149

-21.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.22 ₱802

$46.63 ฿1,519

-71.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.65 ₱161

$8.47 ฿276

-68.71%

Cappuccino

$2.36 ₱143

$3.03 ฿98.6

-22.11%

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

$0.69 ₱41.93

$0.69 ฿22.45

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₱22.55

$0.37 ฿11.92

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 ₱87.5

$2.49 ฿81.0

-42.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ₱115

$3.66 ฿119

-48.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₱115

$2.18 ฿71.0

-13.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 ₱74.8

$1.90 ฿62.0

-35.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱65.3

$2.20 ฿71.6

-50.91%

Eggs

$2.26 ₱137

$2.22 ฿72.4

1.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.14 ₱555

$19.99 ฿651

-54.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.91 ₱237

$3.66 ฿119

6.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.75 ₱531

$13.25 ฿432

-33.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 ₱160

$3.23 ฿105

-18.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱109

$1.70 ฿55.3

5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ₱140

$2.39 ฿78.0

-3.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ₱70.2

$2.08 ฿67.7

-44.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 ₱112

$1.59 ฿51.8

15.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 ₱139

$1.48 ฿48.31

54.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ₱40.39

$1.03 ฿33.54

-34.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ₱46.15

$0.52 ฿16.83

46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.34 ₱203

$4.25 ฿138

-21.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.91 ₱541

$18.79 ฿612

-52.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ₱63.1

$1.76 ฿57.2

-40.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱141

$2.76 ฿89.8

-15.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.11

$1.36 ฿44.32

-79.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.58 ₱642

$11.36 ฿370

-6.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 ₱51.7

$3.14 ฿102

-72.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.32

$1.04 ฿33.74

-78.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 ₱143

$13.77 ฿448

-82.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.1

$1.34 ฿43.79

-17.91%

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

$31.9K ₱1.9M

$27.7K ฿901.4K

15.27%

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

$20.5K ₱1.2M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-39.53%

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

$146 ₱8,846

$124 ฿4,025

17.88%

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

$35.30 ₱2,143

$13.52 ฿440

161.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.09 ₱1,584

$18.69 ฿609

39.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.90 ₱1,330

$61.8 ฿2,013

-64.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.05 ₱246

$17.25 ฿562

-76.52%

Cinema Ticket

$5.82 ₱353

$9.14 ฿298

-36.32%

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

$154 ₱9,378

$703 ฿22.9K

-78.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,658 ₱282.9K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-70.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.66 ₱2,955

$59.5 ฿1,937

-18.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.00 ₱1,700

$35.07 ฿1,142

-20.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.2 ₱4,624

$115 ฿3,754

-33.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.62 ₱2,831

$84.1 ฿2,737

-44.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$340 ₱20.7K

$619 ฿20.1K

-45.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$142 ₱8,635

$433 ฿14.1K

-67.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$552 ₱33.5K

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-73.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$264 ₱16.1K

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-82.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,390 ₱145.1K

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-34.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$933 ₱56.7K

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-64.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$184 ₱11.2K

$507 ฿16.5K

-63.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

5.33

-15.57%

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

Last update for Baguio: June 9, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $340 in Baguio and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 175% 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 $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $293 per month, with Baguio cheaper across the board.

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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baguio wins on cost – living expenses run 60% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baguio the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Phuket earns 175% 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: $340 in Baguio versus $619 in Phuket. 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 $1,261 in Phuket – a 60% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Baguio runs roughly 7% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $788 in Baguio versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Baguio but tight or insufficient in Phuket. 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 $788 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Baguio hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Baguio and Phuket 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 60% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.