Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Baguio and Tuguegarao

For one person, living is cheaper in Tuguegarao: $570 a month against $737 in Baguio, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 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
27

Cost of Living Index in Tuguegarao
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Tuguegarao Living Index

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Baguio

🇵🇭 Philippines

$737

/mo nomad

Tuguegarao

🇵🇭 Philippines

$570

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Baguio and in Tuguegarao

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $737 in Baguio versus $570 in Tuguegarao.

Baguio $737
Tuguegarao $570

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,148 in Baguio versus $909 in Tuguegarao.

Baguio $1,148
Tuguegarao $909

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,558 in Baguio versus $1,249 in Tuguegarao.

Baguio $1,558
Tuguegarao $1,249

Living in Baguio is roughly 29% more expensive than in Tuguegarao, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baguio 46% lower, Tuguegarao 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 ₱251

$1.58 ₱101

148.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.66 ₱1,064

$16.12 ₱1,030

3.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.73 ₱174

$2.68 ₱171

1.87%

Cappuccino

$1.80 ₱115

$1.74 ₱111

3.45%

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

$0.55 ₱35.21

$0.42 ₱26.97

30.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₱21.28

$0.28 ₱17.65

17.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ₱63.6

$1.02 ₱65.1

-2.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₱98.2

$1.53 ₱97.5

0.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ₱101

$1.64 ₱105

-3.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 ₱73.1

$1.15 ₱73.4

-0.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₱61.7

$0.68 ₱43.28

42.65%

Eggs

$1.99 ₱127

$1.98 ₱126

0.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.11 ₱326

$4.92 ₱314

3.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.27 ₱209

$3.26 ₱209

0.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.63 ₱487

$7.94 ₱508

-3.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 ₱140

$2.20 ₱141

-0.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ₱99.3

$1.51 ₱96.4

2.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 ₱144

$2.25 ₱144

0.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ₱65.1

$1.02 ₱65.0

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 ₱110

$1.72 ₱110

0.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 ₱108

$1.74 ₱111

-2.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ₱41.24

$0.61 ₱39.24

6.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₱32.75

$0.49 ₱31.17

4.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱188

$1.84 ₱117

59.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.50 ₱543

$8.44 ₱539

0.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ₱60.5

$0.96 ₱61.5

-1.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₱131

$2.01 ₱129

1.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱14.05

$0.24 ₱15.16

-8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.90 ₱825

$13.38 ₱855

-3.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱51.9

$0.75 ₱47.83

8.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱15.39

$0.24 ₱15.40

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ₱121

$1.84 ₱117

3.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₱76.2

$1.08 ₱68.8

10.19%

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

$21.3K ₱1.4M

-0.35%

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

$18.8K ₱1.2M

0.18%

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

$136 ₱8,684

$31.51 ₱2,013

331.32%

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

$17.08 ₱1,091

$16.94 ₱1,082

0.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.01 ₱1,470

$22.96 ₱1,467

0.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.76 ₱1,326

$31.59 ₱2,018

-34.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.23 ₱334

$5.24 ₱335

-0.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.03 ₱322

$4.95 ₱316

1.62%

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

$132 ₱8,465

$132 ₱8,409

0.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ₱674.1K

$10.7K ₱682.3K

-1.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.91 ₱1,847

$28.57 ₱1,826

1.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.53 ₱1,248

$19.15 ₱1,223

1.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ₱4,568

$39.08 ₱2,497

82.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.9 ₱3,507

$23.29 ₱1,488

135.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 ₱25.1K

$246 ₱15.7K

59.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 ₱12.3K

$169 ₱10.8K

13.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$819 ₱52.3K

$482 ₱30.8K

70.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 ₱29.6K

$349 ₱22.3K

32.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,156 ₱201.6K

$2,480 ₱158.5K

27.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,526 ₱97.5K

$1,104 ₱70.5K

38.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$179 ₱11.4K

$201 ₱12.9K

-11.09%

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 Tuguegarao: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Baguio

$192 26.1%

Tuguegarao

$169 29.6% 12.1% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Baguio

$176 23.9%

Tuguegarao

$71 12.5% 59.4% $105

Groceries & Markets

Baguio

$171 23.2%

Tuguegarao

$170 29.8% 0.6% $1

Clothing & Footwear

Baguio

$79 10.7%

Tuguegarao

$50 8.7% 37% $29

Eating Out

Baguio

$73 9.9%

Tuguegarao

$52 9.2% 27.9% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Baguio

$31 4.2%

Tuguegarao

$41 7.3% 34.6% $11

Getting Around

Baguio

$16 2.1%

Tuguegarao

$16 2.9% 3% $0.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $393 in Baguio and $246 in Tuguegarao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tuguegarao pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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

Good to know

🇵🇭 Baguio

🇵🇭 Tuguegarao

🕒 Local time

14:28 2:28 PM

Same time as Baguio

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

366,358

166,334

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Baguio Tuguegarao 180 km

From you

Baguio
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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 Tuguegarao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tuguegarao wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Baguio. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Tuguegarao the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 11% lower in Baguio. 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: $393 in Baguio versus $246 in Tuguegarao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Baguio runs roughly 4% less than in Tuguegarao. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

All in, you’ll spend $737 per month in Baguio versus $570 in Tuguegarao – Tuguegarao is about 23% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

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