Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cabanatuan and Baguio

For one person, living is cheaper in Cabanatuan: $603 a month against $737 in Baguio, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

29

Cost of Living Index in Cabanatuan
Learn more

Cabanatuan Living Index
36

Cost of Living Index in Baguio
Learn more

Baguio Living Index

Jump to prices

Cabanatuan

🇵🇭 Philippines

$603

/mo nomad

Baguio

🇵🇭 Philippines

$737

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cabanatuan and in Baguio

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cabanatuan and in Baguio actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $603 in Cabanatuan versus $737 in Baguio.

Cabanatuan $603
Baguio $737

Estimated couple costs with rent: $934 in Cabanatuan versus $1,148 in Baguio.

Cabanatuan $934
Baguio $1,148

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,265 in Cabanatuan versus $1,558 in Baguio.

Cabanatuan $1,265
Baguio $1,558

Living in Cabanatuan costs roughly 18% less than in Baguio, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cabanatuan 56% lower, Baguio 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.87 ₱247

$3.92 ₱251

-1.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.22 ₱1,036

$16.66 ₱1,064

-2.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.72 ₱174

$2.73 ₱174

-0.37%

Cappuccino

$1.76 ₱112

$1.80 ₱115

-2.22%

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

$0.60 ₱38.22

$0.55 ₱35.21

9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₱21.31

$0.33 ₱21.28

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ₱63.5

$0.99 ₱63.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 ₱102

$1.54 ₱98.2

3.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ₱105

$1.59 ₱101

3.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 ₱69.7

$1.14 ₱73.1

-4.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ₱59.1

$0.97 ₱61.7

-4.12%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱132

$1.99 ₱127

3.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.89 ₱312

$5.11 ₱326

-4.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.28 ₱210

$3.27 ₱209

0.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 ₱499

$7.63 ₱487

2.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 ₱143

$2.19 ₱140

2.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ₱66.0

$1.55 ₱99.3

-33.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ₱149

$2.26 ₱144

3.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 ₱48.26

$1.02 ₱65.1

-25.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ₱105

$1.73 ₱110

-5.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 ₱107

$1.69 ₱108

-1.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ₱41.83

$0.65 ₱41.24

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.20

$0.51 ₱32.75

-3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 ₱182

$2.94 ₱188

-3.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.41 ₱537

$8.50 ₱543

-1.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ₱57.1

$0.95 ₱60.5

-6.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ₱129

$2.05 ₱131

-1.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.87

$0.22 ₱14.05

13.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.20 ₱779

$12.90 ₱825

-5.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.80 ₱51.4

$0.81 ₱51.9

-1.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱15.38

$0.24 ₱15.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 ₱117

$1.90 ₱121

-3.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 ₱62.4

$1.19 ₱76.2

-17.65%

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

$21.0K ₱1.3M

$21.3K ₱1.4M

-1.26%

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

$19.0K ₱1.2M

$18.8K ₱1.2M

1.17%

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

$52.5 ₱3,356

$136 ₱8,684

-61.36%

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

$17.06 ₱1,090

$17.08 ₱1,091

-0.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.33 ₱1,363

$23.01 ₱1,470

-7.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.88 ₱695

$20.76 ₱1,326

-47.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.72 ₱302

$5.23 ₱334

-9.75%

Cinema Ticket

$5.22 ₱333

$5.03 ₱322

3.78%

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

$130 ₱8,331

$132 ₱8,465

-1.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ₱671.0K

$10.6K ₱674.1K

-0.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.08 ₱1,475

$28.91 ₱1,847

-20.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.95 ₱1,211

$19.53 ₱1,248

-2.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.0 ₱3,771

$71.5 ₱4,568

-17.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.2 ₱3,530

$54.9 ₱3,507

0.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 ₱16.7K

$393 ₱25.1K

-33.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$166 ₱10.6K

$192 ₱12.3K

-13.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$431 ₱27.6K

$819 ₱52.3K

-47.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$308 ₱19.7K

$463 ₱29.6K

-33.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,890 ₱184.6K

$3,156 ₱201.6K

-8.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,257 ₱80.3K

$1,526 ₱97.5K

-17.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$158 ₱10.1K

$179 ₱11.4K

-11.72%

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 Cabanatuan: October 26, 2026

Last update for Baguio: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Cabanatuan

$166 27.6%

Baguio

$171 23.2% 2.9% $4.8

Accommodation & Living

Cabanatuan

$166 27.6%

Baguio

$192 26.1% 15.6% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cabanatuan

$91 15.1%

Baguio

$176 23.9% 93.6% $85

Eating Out

Cabanatuan

$72 12%

Baguio

$73 9.9% 1% $0.7

Clothing & Footwear

Cabanatuan

$70 11.7%

Baguio

$79 10.7% 11.9% $8.3

Sport & Entertainment

Cabanatuan

$21 3.5%

Baguio

$31 4.2% 44.7% $9.5

Getting Around

Cabanatuan

$15 2.5%

Baguio

$16 2.1% 3.9% $0.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $261 in Cabanatuan and $393 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baguio pays 13% 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: $16 in Cabanatuan vs $17 in Baguio for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $166 vs $171 per month, with Cabanatuan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cabanatuan

🇵🇭 Baguio

🕒 Local time

03:58 3:58 AM

Same time as Cabanatuan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

302,231

366,358

💱 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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cabanatuan Baguio 110 km

From you

Cabanatuan
Baguio

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

Cabanatuan vs Baguio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cabanatuan wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Baguio. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Cabanatuan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Cabanatuan. 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: $261 in Cabanatuan versus $393 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $603 per month in Cabanatuan versus $737 in Baguio – Cabanatuan is about 18% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Cabanatuan runs roughly 5% less than in Baguio. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Cabanatuan gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Safety-wise, Cabanatuan and Baguio are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Cabanatuan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Baguio. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.