Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Baguio and San Jose del Monte

For one person, living costs are similar in Baguio and in San Jose del Monte: $737 and $731 a month, rent and utilities included.

Baguio, Philippines
San Jose del Monte, Philippines
Baguio
🇵🇭 Philippines
$737
/mo nomad
San Jose del Monte
🇵🇭 Philippines
$731
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Baguio and in San Jose del Monte

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 San Jose del Monte actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $737 in Baguio versus $731 in San Jose del Monte.

  • Baguio $737
  • San Jose del Monte $731

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,148 in Baguio versus $1,096 in San Jose del Monte.

  • Baguio $1,148
  • San Jose del Monte $1,096

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,558 in Baguio versus $1,461 in San Jose del Monte.

  • Baguio $1,558
  • San Jose del Monte $1,461

Monthly costs are close between Baguio and San Jose del Monte; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baguio 46% lower, San Jose del Monte 46% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Baguio
San Jose del Monte
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.92 ₱251
$3.94 ₱252
-0.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$16.66 ₱1,064
$16.34 ₱1,044
1.96%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$2.73 ₱174
$2.73 ₱174
-
Cappuccino
$1.80 ₱115
$1.74 ₱111
3.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 ₱35.21
$0.56 ₱35.61
-1.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ₱21.28
$0.31 ₱19.71
6.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.99 ₱63.6
$0.94 ₱59.8
5.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 ₱98.2
$1.60 ₱102
-3.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Baguio
San Jose del Monte
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.59 ₱101
$1.64 ₱105
-3.05%
White Bread (500g)
$1.14 ₱73.1
$1.14 ₱72.8
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.97 ₱61.7
$0.94 ₱59.9
3.19%
Eggs
$1.99 ₱127
$2.02 ₱129
-1.49%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.11 ₱326
$5.07 ₱324
0.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.27 ₱209
$3.28 ₱210
-0.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.63 ₱487
$6.92 ₱442
10.26%
Apples (1kg)
$2.19 ₱140
$2.27 ₱145
-3.52%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 ₱99.3
$1.57 ₱100
-1.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.26 ₱144
$2.37 ₱152
-4.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.02 ₱65.1
$1.02 ₱64.9
-
Potato (1kg)
$1.73 ₱110
$1.70 ₱109
1.76%
Onion (1kg)
$1.69 ₱108
$1.69 ₱108
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.65 ₱41.24
$0.65 ₱41.24
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ₱32.75
$0.48 ₱30.52
6.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.94 ₱188
$2.86 ₱183
2.80%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.50 ₱543
$8.81 ₱563
-3.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.95 ₱60.5
$0.94 ₱60.1
1.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 ₱131
$1.96 ₱126
4.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Baguio
San Jose del Monte
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.22 ₱14.05
$0.21 ₱13.69
4.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.90 ₱825
$12.48 ₱797
3.37%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.81 ₱51.9
$0.75 ₱48.17
8.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.24 ₱15.39
$0.23 ₱14.73
4.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.90 ₱121
$1.91 ₱122
-0.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.19 ₱76.2
$1.22 ₱78.2
-2.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.3K ₱1.4M
$20.9K ₱1.3M
1.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.8K ₱1.2M
$18.7K ₱1.2M
0.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Baguio
San Jose del Monte
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$136 ₱8,684
$122 ₱7,788
11.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.08 ₱1,091
$15.32 ₱979
11.49%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.01 ₱1,470
$23.05 ₱1,472
-0.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Baguio
San Jose del Monte
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$20.76 ₱1,326
$35.72 ₱2,282
-41.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.23 ₱334
$5.50 ₱351
-4.91%
Cinema Ticket
$5.03 ₱322
$5.22 ₱334
-3.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Baguio
San Jose del Monte
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$132 ₱8,465
$129 ₱8,244
2.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.6K ₱674.1K
$8,762 ₱559.8K
20.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Baguio
San Jose del Monte
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$28.91 ₱1,847
$28.74 ₱1,836
0.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.53 ₱1,248
$18.98 ₱1,213
2.90%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$71.5 ₱4,568
$70.5 ₱4,502
1.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$54.9 ₱3,507
$53.7 ₱3,428
2.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Baguio
San Jose del Monte
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$393 ₱25.1K
$230 ₱14.7K
70.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$192 ₱12.3K
$189 ₱12.1K
1.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$819 ₱52.3K
$437 ₱27.9K
87.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$463 ₱29.6K
$361 ₱23.1K
28.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,156 ₱201.6K
$2,325 ₱148.6K
35.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,526 ₱97.5K
$1,217 ₱77.8K
25.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Baguio
San Jose del Monte
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$179 ₱11.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.75
6.75
-

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

Last update for Baguio: October 25, 2026

Last update for San Jose del Monte: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Baguio
$192
San Jose del Monte
$189 1.6% $3
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Baguio
$176
San Jose del Monte
$160 8.9% $16
Groceries & Markets
Baguio
$171
San Jose del Monte
$170 0.4% $0.8
Clothing & Footwear
Baguio
$79
San Jose del Monte
$77 1.7% $1.3
Eating Out
Baguio
$73
San Jose del Monte
$72 1.1% $0.8
Sport & Entertainment
Baguio
$31
San Jose del Monte
$46 49.8% $15
Getting Around
Baguio
$16
San Jose del Monte
$15 3.5% $0.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $393 in Baguio and $230 in San Jose del Monte. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $17 in Baguio vs $16 in San Jose del Monte for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $171 vs $170 per month, with San Jose del Monte cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Baguio
🇵🇭 San Jose del Monte
🕒 Local time
06:19 6:19 AM
06:19 6:19 AM
Same time as Baguio
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
366,358
651,813
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 63.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.13 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Baguio San Jose del Monte 180 km
From you
  • Baguio
  • San Jose del Monte

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 San Jose del Monte: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Baguio and in San Jose del Monte?
You’d need roughly $1,106 in Baguio and $1,096 in San Jose del Monte to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Baguio compared to San Jose del Monte?
Rent for a central apartment: $393 in Baguio versus $230 in San Jose del Monte. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Baguio compared to San Jose del Monte?
A monthly transit pass in San Jose del Monte runs roughly 3% less than in Baguio. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
How do dining costs compare in Baguio and in San Jose del Monte?
Dining out is cheaper in San Jose del Monte – a meal for two runs $16 versus $17 in Baguio. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is better for families?
For families, San Jose del Monte is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Baguio, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

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