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: $797 in Boracay versus $764 in Baguio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,392 in Boracay versus $1,128 in Baguio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,987 in Boracay versus $1,491 in Baguio.

Living in Boracay is roughly 4% more expensive than in Baguio, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Boracay 40% lower, Baguio 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.16 ₱194

$3.51 ₱216

-9.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.07 ₱1,297

$13.35 ₱822

57.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 ₱296

$2.67 ₱165

80.15%

Cappuccino

$2.37 ₱146

$2.35 ₱145

0.85%

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

$1.27 ₱78.4

$0.69 ₱42.28

84.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 ₱15.86

$0.37 ₱23.01

-29.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 ₱80.5

$1.44 ₱88.4

-9.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱134

$1.93 ₱119

12.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ₱111

$1.92 ₱118

-6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ₱77.4

$1.19 ₱73.3

5.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 ₱53.8

$1.06 ₱65.3

-17.92%

Eggs

$2.60 ₱160

$2.17 ₱134

19.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.88 ₱485

$9.41 ₱579

-16.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.13 ₱254

$3.72 ₱229

11.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.83 ₱482

$8.61 ₱530

-9.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 ₱184

$2.72 ₱168

9.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 ₱91.2

$1.79 ₱110

-17.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 ₱159

$2.35 ₱145

9.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 ₱88.6

$1.17 ₱72.1

23.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 ₱110

$1.81 ₱112

-1.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 ₱160

$2.20 ₱135

18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 ₱65.2

$0.68 ₱41.60

55.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₱43.94

$0.78 ₱47.77

-8.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 ₱238

$3.33 ₱205

16.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.26 ₱508

$8.71 ₱536

-5.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.6

$1.06 ₱65.4

14.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₱125

$2.34 ₱144

-13.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₱22.34

$0.28 ₱17.27

28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.81 ₱665

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱50.7

$0.92 ₱56.7

-10.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.80

$0.22 ₱13.54

9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.07 ₱127

$2.35 ₱145

-11.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ₱78.7

$1.11 ₱68.1

15.32%

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

$26.6K ₱1.6M

$31.7K ₱1.9M

-15.98%

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

$20.5K ₱1.3M

0.01%

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

$117 ₱7,185

$144 ₱8,878

-19.07%

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

$8.78 ₱540

$34.02 ₱2,094

-74.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.13 ₱2,409

$25.86 ₱1,592

51.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ₱3,306

$22.30 ₱1,373

140.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.30 ₱265

$4.23 ₱261

1.65%

Cinema Ticket

$4.23 ₱261

$5.79 ₱356

-26.94%

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

$149 ₱9,181

$151 ₱9,287

-1.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,041 ₱248.8K

$4,640 ₱285.6K

-12.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.67 ₱2,873

$48.90 ₱3,011

-4.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.65 ₱1,641

$27.56 ₱1,697

-3.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 ₱4,654

$74.1 ₱4,560

2.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.9 ₱3,254

$45.63 ₱2,809

15.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 ₱16.1K

$349 ₱21.5K

-25.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₱11.0K

$145 ₱8,937

23.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 ₱35.7K

$543 ₱33.4K

6.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$742 ₱45.7K

$265 ₱16.3K

180.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,397 ₱147.6K

$2,392 ₱147.2K

0.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$957 ₱58.9K

$925 ₱57.0K

3.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$238 ₱14.7K

$183 ₱11.3K

30.16%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Baguio: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $261 in Boracay and $349 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boracay pays 30% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $21.00 in Boracay vs $13.00 in Baguio. Groceries flip the comparison at $204 vs $206, 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

Baguio wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Boracay. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baguio the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 30% higher in Boracay, 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: $261 in Boracay versus $349 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Boracay pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $797 per month in Boracay versus $764 in Baguio – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Baguio 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 Baguio delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $764 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Baguio 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.

Expats usually find Baguio gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Boracay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.