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: $751 in Boracay versus $763 in Baguio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,139 in Boracay versus $1,175 in Baguio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,527 in Boracay versus $1,586 in Baguio.

Living in Boracay costs roughly 2% less than in Baguio, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Boracay 46% lower, Baguio 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.47 ₱343

$3.95 ₱248

38.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.52 ₱1,223

$16.48 ₱1,033

18.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.11 ₱383

$2.88 ₱180

112.15%

Cappuccino

$2.35 ₱147

$1.77 ₱111

32.77%

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

$0.65 ₱40.67

$0.61 ₱37.95

6.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ₱15.78

$0.32 ₱19.93

-21.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 ₱68.4

$0.98 ₱61.2

11.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₱116

$1.56 ₱98.1

18.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ₱100

$1.69 ₱106

-5.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 ₱73.9

$1.16 ₱72.6

1.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ₱59.9

$1.02 ₱63.9

-6.86%

Eggs

$1.86 ₱117

$2.07 ₱130

-10.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.75 ₱360

$5.15 ₱323

11.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.00 ₱251

$3.40 ₱213

17.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.37 ₱462

$8.09 ₱507

-8.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 ₱134

$2.31 ₱145

-7.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ₱102

$1.57 ₱98.1

3.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 ₱157

$2.41 ₱151

4.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ₱63.7

$1.07 ₱66.9

-4.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 ₱137

$1.76 ₱110

23.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 ₱132

$1.77 ₱111

19.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 ₱52.5

$0.62 ₱38.90

35.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₱35.65

$0.53 ₱33.24

7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 ₱146

$2.87 ₱180

-18.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.07 ₱506

$9.02 ₱565

-10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 ₱61.6

$0.96 ₱60.1

2.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₱122

$2.10 ₱131

-7.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.51

$0.25 ₱15.71

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.51 ₱659

$12.99 ₱814

-19.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 ₱53.2

$0.84 ₱52.4

1.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.72

$0.25 ₱15.69

-8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 ₱114

$1.97 ₱123

-7.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₱70.7

$1.15 ₱72.2

-1.74%

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

$23.4K ₱1.5M

$21.0K ₱1.3M

11.51%

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

$18.1K ₱1.1M

$19.6K ₱1.2M

-7.64%

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

$110 ₱6,914

$139 ₱8,708

-20.60%

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

$15.61 ₱978

$17.39 ₱1,090

-10.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.39 ₱2,156

$23.64 ₱1,482

45.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.83 ₱2,121

$21.34 ₱1,338

58.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.86 ₱304

$5.20 ₱326

-6.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.22 ₱327

$5.10 ₱320

2.35%

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

$126 ₱7,906

$134 ₱8,395

-5.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,151 ₱511.0K

$10.6K ₱662.1K

-22.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.00 ₱1,818

$28.47 ₱1,785

1.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.80 ₱1,304

$19.81 ₱1,242

5.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 ₱5,083

$70.8 ₱4,438

14.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.57 ₱3,107

$56.6 ₱3,547

-12.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 ₱17.1K

$411 ₱25.7K

-33.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 ₱10.9K

$198 ₱12.4K

-11.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 ₱30.8K

$849 ₱53.2K

-42.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 ₱22.1K

$465 ₱29.1K

-24.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,596 ₱162.8K

$2,662 ₱166.9K

-2.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,021 ₱64.0K

$900 ₱56.4K

13.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$230 ₱14.4K

$179 ₱11.3K

28.03%

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 Boracay: September 7, 2026

Last update for Baguio: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $272 in Boracay and $411 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boracay pays 28% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Boracay vs $16.00 in Baguio for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $178 per month, with Baguio cheaper across the board.

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 wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Baguio. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Boracay the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 28% 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: $272 in Boracay versus $411 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $751 per month in Boracay versus $763 in Baguio – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Boracay runs roughly 24% 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 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 $751 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.

Expats usually find Boracay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Baguio. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.