Cost of Living Comparison Between Baguio and Quezon City Cost of Living Comparison Between Baguio and Quezon City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $788 in Baguio versus $906 in Quezon City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,154 in Baguio versus $1,375 in Quezon City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,520 in Baguio versus $1,844 in Quezon City.

Living in Baguio costs roughly 13% less than in Quezon City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baguio 41% lower, Quezon City 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 ₱220

$4.89 ₱302

-26.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.38 ₱825

$21.49 ₱1,325

-37.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.64 ₱162

$3.12 ₱192

-15.38%

Cappuccino

$2.36 ₱145

$2.85 ₱176

-17.19%

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

$0.65 ₱40.14

$0.92 ₱56.8

-29.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₱23.18

$0.38 ₱23.27

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 ₱85.5

$1.22 ₱75.3

13.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ₱117

$2.71 ₱167

-30.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 ₱116

$2.16 ₱133

-12.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ₱73.4

$1.20 ₱74.1

-0.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ₱68.8

$1.08 ₱66.4

3.70%

Eggs

$2.22 ₱137

$2.03 ₱125

9.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.21 ₱568

$7.10 ₱438

29.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 ₱231

$4.24 ₱261

-11.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.33 ₱514

$7.39 ₱456

12.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 ₱169

$4.36 ₱269

-37.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱111

$1.60 ₱98.6

12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ₱147

$2.98 ₱184

-19.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ₱74.3

$1.63 ₱101

-26.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 ₱112

$2.89 ₱178

-37.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 ₱141

$4.16 ₱256

-44.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ₱45.12

$1.57 ₱97.0

-53.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₱44.25

$1.05 ₱64.5

-31.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 ₱201

$3.13 ₱193

4.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.08 ₱560

$7.20 ₱444

26.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ₱65.5

$1.55 ₱95.4

-31.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₱143

$2.02 ₱125

14.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.91

$0.46 ₱28.17

-43.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.85 ₱669

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 ₱57.0

$0.84 ₱51.6

9.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.88

$0.25 ₱15.24

-4.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ₱148

$2.16 ₱133

11.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ₱69.0

$1.09 ₱67.1

2.75%

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

$31.8K ₱2.0M

$25.3K ₱1.6M

25.88%

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

$20.3K ₱1.3M

$20.2K ₱1.2M

0.51%

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

$147 ₱9,087

$161 ₱9,945

-8.62%

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

$35.37 ₱2,181

$33.64 ₱2,074

5.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.43 ₱1,630

$30.00 ₱1,850

-11.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.38 ₱1,380

$24.35 ₱1,501

-8.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.18 ₱257

$6.34 ₱391

-34.07%

Cinema Ticket

$5.60 ₱346

$7.22 ₱445

-22.44%

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

$154 ₱9,495

$79.8 ₱4,920

92.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,706 ₱290.2K

$2,821 ₱173.9K

66.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.79 ₱2,947

$31.80 ₱1,961

50.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.10 ₱1,671

$29.11 ₱1,795

-6.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ₱4,690

$98.7 ₱6,085

-22.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.80 ₱2,824

$95.6 ₱5,894

-52.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$345 ₱21.3K

$274 ₱16.9K

26.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$145 ₱8,959

$198 ₱12.2K

-26.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$549 ₱33.8K

$737 ₱45.5K

-25.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 ₱16.1K

$430 ₱26.5K

-39.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,417 ₱149.1K

$2,363 ₱145.7K

2.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$933 ₱57.5K

$1,479 ₱91.2K

-36.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$181 ₱11.2K

$436 ₱26.9K

-58.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

8.13

-44.65%

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

Last update for Baguio: June 2, 2026

Last update for Quezon City: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $345 in Baguio and $274 in Quezon City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quezon City pays 140% 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 $21.00 in Quezon City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $224 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 Quezon City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baguio wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Quezon City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baguio the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Quezon City earns 140% 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 $274 in Quezon City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Quezon City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $788 per month in Baguio versus $906 in Quezon City – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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 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 Quezon City 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 15% less than in Quezon City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.