Cost of Living Comparison Between Boracay and Baguio Cost of Living Comparison Between Boracay and Baguio

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $785 in Boracay versus $788 in Baguio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,413 in Boracay versus $1,154 in Baguio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,041 in Boracay versus $1,520 in Baguio.

Monthly costs are close between Boracay and Baguio; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Boracay 41% lower, Baguio 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ₱193

$3.57 ₱221

-12.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.30 ₱1,314

$13.38 ₱825

59.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 ₱303

$2.64 ₱163

85.98%

Cappuccino

$2.36 ₱146

$2.36 ₱145

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

$1.23 ₱75.8

$0.65 ₱40.16

89.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₱17.46

$0.38 ₱23.19

-26.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 ₱80.2

$1.39 ₱85.5

-6.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$1.89 ₱117

11.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ₱108

$1.88 ₱116

-6.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ₱75.1

$1.19 ₱73.4

2.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 ₱52.4

$1.12 ₱68.9

-24.11%

Eggs

$2.64 ₱163

$2.22 ₱137

18.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.83 ₱483

$9.21 ₱568

-14.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.30 ₱266

$3.74 ₱231

14.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 ₱462

$8.33 ₱514

-10.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ₱184

$2.74 ₱169

8.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ₱90.6

$1.80 ₱111

-18.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 ₱159

$2.39 ₱147

7.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 ₱88.3

$1.20 ₱74.3

19.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 ₱108

$1.81 ₱112

-2.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 ₱162

$2.29 ₱142

14.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ₱66.1

$0.73 ₱45.15

46.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₱44.01

$0.72 ₱44.28

-1.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.81 ₱235

$3.26 ₱201

16.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.95 ₱491

$9.08 ₱561

-12.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₱71.2

$1.06 ₱65.5

8.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ₱121

$2.31 ₱143

-15.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₱22.51

$0.26 ₱15.92

38.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.85 ₱669

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱49.99

$0.92 ₱57.0

-11.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.57

$0.24 ₱14.89

-8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 ₱135

$2.40 ₱148

-8.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₱77.9

$1.12 ₱69.1

12.50%

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

$26.4K ₱1.6M

$31.8K ₱2.0M

-17.05%

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

$20.5K ₱1.3M

$20.3K ₱1.3M

0.75%

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

$114 ₱7,039

$147 ₱9,093

-22.59%

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

$8.80 ₱543

$35.37 ₱2,183

-75.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.04 ₱2,347

$26.43 ₱1,631

43.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 ₱3,218

$22.38 ₱1,381

133.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.52 ₱279

$4.18 ₱258

8.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.12 ₱254

$5.60 ₱346

-26.43%

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

$155 ₱9,537

$154 ₱9,502

0.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,962 ₱244.5K

$4,706 ₱290.4K

-15.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.06 ₱2,842

$47.79 ₱2,949

-3.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.47 ₱1,633

$27.10 ₱1,672

-2.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 ₱4,689

$76.1 ₱4,693

-0.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.0 ₱3,269

$45.80 ₱2,826

15.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 ₱16.6K

$345 ₱21.3K

-22.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 ₱10.8K

$145 ₱8,965

20.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 ₱35.9K

$549 ₱33.9K

6.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$758 ₱46.8K

$261 ₱16.1K

190.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,470 ₱152.4K

$2,417 ₱149.2K

2.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$983 ₱60.7K

$933 ₱57.6K

5.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$235 ₱14.5K

$181 ₱11.2K

29.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

4.5

48.22%

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

Last update for Boracay: May 31, 2026

Last update for Baguio: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $269 in Boracay and $345 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boracay pays 29% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $21.00 in Boracay vs $13.00 in Baguio. Groceries flip the comparison at $201 vs $205, with Boracay cheaper for home cooking.

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

Boracay vs Baguio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boracay pays 29% more on average, 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: $269 in Boracay versus $345 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Baguio. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Boracay – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $13.00 in Baguio. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Boracay 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 Boracay delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $785 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Boracay hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Boracay and Baguio are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

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