Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Baguio and Santa Cruz, Laguna

For one person, living is cheaper in Santa Cruz, Laguna: $616 a month against $737 in Baguio, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

36

Cost of Living Index in Baguio
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Baguio Living Index
30

Cost of Living Index in Santa Cruz, Laguna
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Santa Cruz, Laguna Living Index

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Baguio

🇵🇭 Philippines

$737

/mo nomad

Santa Cruz, Laguna

🇵🇭 Philippines

$616

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Baguio and in Santa Cruz, Laguna

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 Santa Cruz, Laguna actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $737 in Baguio versus $616 in Santa Cruz, Laguna.

Baguio $737
Santa Cruz, Laguna $616

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,148 in Baguio versus $911 in Santa Cruz, Laguna.

Baguio $1,148
Santa Cruz, Laguna $911

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,558 in Baguio versus $1,206 in Santa Cruz, Laguna.

Baguio $1,558
Santa Cruz, Laguna $1,206

Living in Baguio is roughly 20% more expensive than in Santa Cruz, Laguna, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baguio 46% lower, Santa Cruz, Laguna 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 ₱251

$1.55 ₱98.9

152.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.66 ₱1,066

$7.73 ₱495

115.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.73 ₱175

$2.79 ₱178

-2.15%

Cappuccino

$1.80 ₱115

$1.76 ₱113

2.27%

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

$0.55 ₱35.26

$0.37 ₱23.94

48.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₱21.31

$0.24 ₱15.44

37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ₱63.7

$1.01 ₱64.8

-1.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₱98.3

$0.90 ₱57.3

71.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ₱102

$1.54 ₱98.5

3.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 ₱73.2

$1.15 ₱73.5

-0.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₱61.8

$0.91 ₱58.0

6.59%

Eggs

$1.99 ₱127

$1.52 ₱97.2

30.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.11 ₱327

$4.82 ₱308

6.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.27 ₱209

$3.29 ₱210

-0.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.63 ₱488

$7.20 ₱461

5.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 ₱140

$1.37 ₱87.8

59.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ₱99.5

$0.49 ₱31.57

216.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 ₱144

$1.43 ₱91.8

58.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ₱65.2

$1.06 ₱67.8

-3.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 ₱110

$1.67 ₱107

3.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 ₱108

$1.68 ₱107

0.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ₱41.30

$0.61 ₱39.31

6.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₱32.80

$0.52 ₱33.17

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱188

$2.93 ₱188

0.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.50 ₱544

$8.49 ₱544

0.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ₱60.6

$0.96 ₱61.5

-1.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₱131

$2.06 ₱132

-0.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱14.07

$0.21 ₱13.13

4.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.90 ₱826

$11.50 ₱736

12.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱52.0

$0.76 ₱48.82

6.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱15.42

$0.22 ₱14.02

9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ₱122

$1.93 ₱124

-1.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₱76.3

$1.20 ₱76.6

-0.83%

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

$21.3K ₱1.4M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

2.69%

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

$18.8K ₱1.2M

$18.9K ₱1.2M

-0.76%

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

$136 ₱8,697

$82.8 ₱5,298

64.16%

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

$17.08 ₱1,093

$17.51 ₱1,120

-2.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.01 ₱1,472

$22.58 ₱1,445

1.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.76 ₱1,328

$27.30 ₱1,747

-23.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.23 ₱335

$4.47 ₱286

17.00%

Cinema Ticket

$5.03 ₱322

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

$132 ₱8,478

$128 ₱8,206

3.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ₱675.2K

$10.6K ₱678.6K

-0.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.91 ₱1,850

$28.32 ₱1,812

2.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.53 ₱1,249

$19.21 ₱1,229

1.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₱4,575

$69.6 ₱4,454

2.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.9 ₱3,512

$53.7 ₱3,437

2.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 ₱25.2K

$219 ₱14.0K

79.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 ₱12.3K

$160 ₱10.2K

20.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$819 ₱52.4K

$480 ₱30.7K

70.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 ₱29.6K

$298 ₱19.1K

55.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,156 ₱201.9K

$2,453 ₱157.0K

28.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,526 ₱97.6K

$1,079 ₱69.0K

41.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$179 ₱11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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 Santa Cruz, Laguna: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Baguio

$192 26.1%

Santa Cruz, Laguna

$160 26% 16.7% $32

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Baguio

$176 23.9%

Santa Cruz, Laguna

$123 20% 30.2% $53

Groceries & Markets

Baguio

$171 23.2%

Santa Cruz, Laguna

$153 24.8% 10.7% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Baguio

$79 10.7%

Santa Cruz, Laguna

$77 12.5% 2.3% $1.8

Eating Out

Baguio

$73 9.9%

Santa Cruz, Laguna

$51 8.3% 29.6% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Baguio

$31 4.2%

Santa Cruz, Laguna

$37 6.1% 21.1% $6.5

Getting Around

Baguio

$16 2.1%

Santa Cruz, Laguna

$14 2.3% 10.3% $1.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $393 in Baguio and $219 in Santa Cruz, Laguna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $17 in Baguio vs $8 in Santa Cruz, Laguna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $171 vs $153 per month, with Santa Cruz, Laguna cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Baguio

🇵🇭 Santa Cruz, Laguna

🕒 Local time

03:05 3:05 AM

Same time as Baguio

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

366,358

123,574

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.56 USD

100 PHP = 1.4 EUR

100 PHP = 1.56 USD

100 PHP = 1.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Santa Cruz, Laguna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Cruz, Laguna wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Baguio. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Santa Cruz, Laguna the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $1,106 in Baguio and $923 in Santa Cruz, Laguna 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $393 in Baguio versus $219 in Santa Cruz, Laguna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $737 per month in Baguio versus $616 in Santa Cruz, Laguna – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Santa Cruz, Laguna runs roughly 11% less than in Baguio. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Santa Cruz, Laguna 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.

Expats usually find Santa Cruz, Laguna gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Baguio. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.