Cost of Living Comparison Between Cagayan de Oro City and Baguio Cost of Living Comparison Between Cagayan de Oro City and Baguio

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $750 in Cagayan de Oro City versus $788 in Baguio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,121 in Cagayan de Oro City versus $1,154 in Baguio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,493 in Cagayan de Oro City versus $1,520 in Baguio.

Living in Cagayan de Oro City costs roughly 5% less than in Baguio, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cagayan de Oro City 44% lower, Baguio 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.67 ₱226

$3.57 ₱220

2.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.04 ₱866

$13.38 ₱825

4.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.44 ₱212

$2.64 ₱162

30.30%

Cappuccino

$2.62 ₱162

$2.36 ₱145

11.02%

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

$0.96 ₱59.2

$0.65 ₱40.14

47.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₱22.11

$0.38 ₱23.18

-5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 ₱89.4

$1.39 ₱85.5

4.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 ₱152

$1.89 ₱117

30.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ₱102

$1.88 ₱116

-11.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ₱60.3

$1.19 ₱73.4

-17.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₱60.2

$1.12 ₱68.8

-12.50%

Eggs

$2.40 ₱148

$2.22 ₱137

8.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.08 ₱375

$9.21 ₱568

-33.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ₱215

$3.74 ₱231

-6.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.43 ₱397

$8.33 ₱514

-22.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 ₱138

$2.74 ₱169

-18.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 ₱69.9

$1.80 ₱111

-37.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ₱141

$2.39 ₱147

-4.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 ₱75.2

$1.20 ₱74.3

1.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 ₱139

$1.81 ₱112

24.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 ₱172

$2.29 ₱141

21.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 ₱52.3

$0.73 ₱45.12

16.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₱31.16

$0.72 ₱44.25

-29.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.40 ₱148

$3.26 ₱201

-26.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.95 ₱244

$9.08 ₱560

-56.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 ₱82.9

$1.06 ₱65.5

26.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ₱96.3

$2.31 ₱143

-32.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ₱25.24

$0.26 ₱15.91

57.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.72 ₱538

$10.85 ₱669

-19.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 ₱41.72

$0.92 ₱57.0

-26.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.49

$0.24 ₱14.88

-8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.18 ₱134

$2.40 ₱148

-9.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₱70.3

$1.12 ₱69.0

1.79%

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

$20.2K ₱1.2M

$31.8K ₱2.0M

-36.44%

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

$18.9K ₱1.2M

$20.3K ₱1.3M

-7.24%

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

$105 ₱6,471

$147 ₱9,087

-28.78%

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

$40.33 ₱2,487

$35.37 ₱2,181

14.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.47 ₱2,064

$26.43 ₱1,630

26.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.08 ₱1,362

$22.38 ₱1,380

-1.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.27 ₱202

$4.18 ₱257

-21.77%

Cinema Ticket

$4.62 ₱285

$5.60 ₱346

-17.50%

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

$190 ₱11.7K

$154 ₱9,495

23.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,462 ₱151.8K

$4,706 ₱290.2K

-47.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.46 ₱2,187

$47.79 ₱2,947

-25.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.51 ₱895

$27.10 ₱1,671

-46.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.7 ₱3,621

$76.1 ₱4,690

-22.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.85 ₱2,642

$45.80 ₱2,824

-6.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$362 ₱22.3K

$345 ₱21.3K

4.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 ₱13.2K

$145 ₱8,959

47.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 ₱35.8K

$549 ₱33.8K

5.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 ₱23.6K

$261 ₱16.1K

46.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,668 ₱102.8K

$2,417 ₱149.1K

-31.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$994 ₱61.3K

$933 ₱57.5K

6.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$313 ₱19.3K

$181 ₱11.2K

72.78%

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 Cagayan de Oro City: June 1, 2026

Last update for Baguio: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $362 in Cagayan de Oro City and $345 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cagayan de Oro City pays 73% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $14.00 in Cagayan de Oro City vs $13.00 in Baguio. Groceries flip the comparison at $168 vs $205, with Cagayan de Oro City 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

Cagayan de Oro City vs Baguio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cagayan de Oro City wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Baguio. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cagayan de Oro City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Cagayan de Oro City pays 73% 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: $362 in Cagayan de Oro City versus $345 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $750 per month in Cagayan de Oro City versus $788 in Baguio – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cagayan de Oro City 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 Cagayan de Oro City 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 Cagayan de Oro City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $750 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cagayan de Oro City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cagayan de Oro City 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 Cagayan de Oro City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Baguio. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.