Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Baguio and Santa Rosa, Philippines

Name: Santa Rosa
Address: Santa Rosa, PH

For one person, living is cheaper in Santa Rosa: $609 a month against $734 in Baguio, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

35

Cost of Living Index in Baguio
Learn more

Baguio Living Index
29

Cost of Living Index in Santa Rosa
Learn more

Santa Rosa Living Index

Jump to prices

Baguio

🇵🇭 Philippines

$734

/mo nomad

Santa Rosa

🇵🇭 Philippines

$609

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Baguio and in Santa Rosa

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 Rosa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $734 in Baguio versus $609 in Santa Rosa.

Baguio $734
Santa Rosa $609

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,206 in Baguio versus $868 in Santa Rosa.

Baguio $1,206
Santa Rosa $868

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,677 in Baguio versus $1,127 in Santa Rosa.

Baguio $1,677
Santa Rosa $1,127

Living in Baguio is roughly 21% more expensive than in Santa Rosa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.10 ₱197

$2.37 ₱150

30.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.95 ₱1,519

$16.73 ₱1,061

43.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.71 ₱172

$2.79 ₱177

-2.87%

Cappuccino

$1.69 ₱107

$1.12 ₱71.0

50.89%

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

$0.67 ₱42.61

$0.36 ₱22.54

86.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₱24.49

$0.24 ₱15.27

62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ₱72.3

$1.02 ₱65.0

11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₱121

$1.28 ₱81.3

49.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 ₱113

$1.64 ₱104

8.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 ₱55.7

$1.15 ₱72.9

-23.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₱61.3

$1.02 ₱64.5

-4.90%

Eggs

$1.83 ₱116

$1.55 ₱98.3

18.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.75 ₱301

$4.82 ₱306

-1.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ₱204

$3.33 ₱211

-3.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.01 ₱445

$7.53 ₱478

-6.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 ₱164

$2.18 ₱138

18.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 ₱135

$0.80 ₱50.6

166.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 ₱177

$2.34 ₱149

19.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.92 ₱58.1

$1.00 ₱63.7

-8.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ₱88.2

$1.64 ₱104

-15.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 ₱86.8

$1.67 ₱106

-17.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ₱41.37

$0.87 ₱55.2

-25.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₱22.22

$0.52 ₱33.20

-32.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 ₱178

$2.95 ₱187

-4.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.99 ₱443

$8.46 ₱537

-17.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₱48.82

$0.96 ₱60.8

-19.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 ₱189

$1.98 ₱126

50.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.97

$0.22 ₱13.93

13.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.49 ₱919

$12.12 ₱769

19.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 ₱63.7

$0.81 ₱51.3

23.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.97

$0.20 ₱12.67

10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ₱118

$1.91 ₱121

-2.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ₱82.6

$1.02 ₱64.8

27.45%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$20.9K ₱1.3M

-0.23%

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

$19.0K ₱1.2M

$19.1K ₱1.2M

-0.33%

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

$94.4 ₱5,990

$62.5 ₱3,965

51.08%

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

$16.64 ₱1,056

$6.35 ₱403

162.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.88 ₱1,959

$22.61 ₱1,435

36.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.58 ₱1,750

$30.97 ₱1,965

-10.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.74 ₱491

$5.30 ₱336

46.04%

Cinema Ticket

$4.72 ₱299

$5.01 ₱318

-5.79%

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

$1,019 ₱64.6K

$128 ₱8,127

695.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,258 ₱333.6K

$5,501 ₱349.0K

-4.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.98 ₱3,171

$28.15 ₱1,786

77.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.84 ₱2,401

$19.46 ₱1,234

94.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 ₱4,557

$70.2 ₱4,452

2.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.8 ₱5,061

$54.8 ₱3,476

45.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 ₱24.5K

$254 ₱16.1K

52.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 ₱12.4K

$167 ₱10.6K

16.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,031 ₱65.4K

$489 ₱31.0K

110.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$513 ₱32.5K

$173 ₱11.0K

196.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,025 ₱255.4K

$2,679 ₱170.0K

50.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,526 ₱96.8K

$1,131 ₱71.7K

34.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$180 ₱11.4K

$142 ₱9,019

26.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

3.70%

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

Last update for Baguio: November 2, 2026

Last update for Santa Rosa: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Baguio

$195 26.6%

Santa Rosa

$167 27.5% 14.3% $28

Groceries & Markets

Baguio

$168 22.9%

Santa Rosa

$166 27.2% 1.4% $2.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Baguio

$142 19.3%

Santa Rosa

$91 15% 35.6% $50

Clothing & Footwear

Baguio

$108 14.7%

Santa Rosa

$78 12.8% 27.9% $30

Eating Out

Baguio

$67 9.1%

Santa Rosa

$51 8.4% 24.2% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Baguio

$37 5%

Santa Rosa

$41 6.7% 10.8% $4

Getting Around

Baguio

$18 2.4%

Santa Rosa

$15 2.4% 15.9% $2.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Baguio and $254 in Santa Rosa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baguio pays 27% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $24 in Baguio vs $17 in Santa Rosa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $168 vs $166 per month, with Santa Rosa cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Baguio

🇵🇭 Santa Rosa

🕒 Local time

01:51 1:51 AM

Same time as Baguio

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

366,358

414,812

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.58 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.58 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Baguio Santa Rosa 240 km

From you

Baguio
Santa Rosa

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 Santa Rosa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Rosa 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 Rosa the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 27% higher in Baguio, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $387 in Baguio versus $254 in Santa Rosa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Santa Rosa runs roughly 16% less than in Baguio. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

All in, you’ll spend $734 per month in Baguio versus $609 in Santa Rosa – Santa Rosa is about 17% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Santa Rosa 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 Santa Rosa are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Santa Rosa wins on affordability, Baguio on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.