Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calamba and Baguio

For one person, living is cheaper in Calamba: $518 a month against $757 in Baguio, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

25

Cost of Living Index in Calamba
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Calamba Living Index
37

Cost of Living Index in Baguio
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Baguio Living Index

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Calamba

🇵🇭 Philippines

$518

/mo nomad

Baguio

🇵🇭 Philippines

$757

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calamba 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 Calamba and in Baguio actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $518 in Calamba versus $757 in Baguio.

Calamba $518
Baguio $757

Estimated couple costs with rent: $764 in Calamba versus $1,171 in Baguio.

Calamba $764
Baguio $1,171

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,010 in Calamba versus $1,585 in Baguio.

Calamba $1,010
Baguio $1,585

Living in Calamba costs roughly 31% less than in Baguio, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Calamba 62% lower, Baguio 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 ₱247

$4.04 ₱255

-2.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.02 ₱757

$16.77 ₱1,056

-28.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.82 ₱178

$2.85 ₱180

-1.05%

Cappuccino

$1.79 ₱113

$1.86 ₱117

-3.76%

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

$0.56 ₱35.44

$0.59 ₱37.34

-5.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₱21.06

$0.30 ₱19.17

10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 ₱59.5

$0.97 ₱61.3

-3.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₱97.7

$1.57 ₱98.9

-1.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ₱101

$1.69 ₱106

-5.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 ₱70.1

$1.12 ₱70.7

-0.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₱61.0

$0.96 ₱60.5

1.04%

Eggs

$2.00 ₱126

$2.03 ₱128

-1.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.20 ₱327

$5.22 ₱329

-0.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ₱214

$3.34 ₱210

1.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.80 ₱491

$8.04 ₱506

-2.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ₱145

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.9

$1.59 ₱100

-3.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.40 ₱151

$2.35 ₱148

2.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 ₱66.9

$1.08 ₱67.7

-1.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 ₱109

$1.69 ₱107

2.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 ₱112

$1.76 ₱111

1.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ₱38.68

$0.62 ₱38.85

-1.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.10

$0.50 ₱31.33

-2.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₱184

$2.87 ₱181

1.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.87 ₱558

$9.00 ₱567

-1.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₱60.3

$0.92 ₱57.8

4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₱132

$2.02 ₱127

3.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.84

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.90 ₱812

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱51.9

$0.77 ₱48.34

6.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.75

$0.23 ₱14.44

8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₱119

$1.93 ₱121

-2.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 ₱58.7

$1.25 ₱78.7

-25.60%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$21.5K ₱1.4M

-1.60%

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

$19.0K ₱1.2M

0.06%

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

$139 ₱8,759

$138 ₱8,682

0.89%

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

$17.36 ₱1,093

$17.71 ₱1,115

-1.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 ₱1,502

$23.76 ₱1,496

0.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.05 ₱1,325

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.19 ₱327

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 ₱317

$5.30 ₱334

-4.91%

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

$130 ₱8,193

$135 ₱8,486

-3.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ₱668.9K

$10.7K ₱673.8K

-0.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.54 ₱1,797

$28.76 ₱1,811

-0.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.73 ₱1,242

$19.76 ₱1,244

-0.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.0 ₱4,468

$71.1 ₱4,479

-0.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.3 ₱3,482

$56.4 ₱3,551

-1.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 ₱25.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 ₱12.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 ₱52.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 ₱29.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,647 ₱166.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$930 ₱58.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$260 ₱16.4K

$182 ₱11.4K

43.01%

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 Calamba: October 12, 2026

Last update for Baguio: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Calamba

$180 34.8%

Baguio

$179 23.7% 0.5% $0.9

Groceries & Markets

Calamba

$175 33.7%

Baguio

$176 23.3% 0.9% $1.5

Clothing & Footwear

Calamba

$79 15.2%

Baguio

$79 10.5% 0.9% $0.7

Eating Out

Calamba

$73 14%

Baguio

$75 9.9% 2.9% $2.1

Sport & Entertainment

Calamba

$10 * 1.9%

Baguio

$32 4.2% 214% $22

Getting Around

Calamba

$2.1 * 0.4%

Baguio

$16 2.1% 661% $14

Accommodation & Living

Calamba

- * 0%

Baguio

$200 26.4%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Calamba pays 43% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $12.00 in Calamba vs $17.00 in Baguio for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $175 vs $176 per month, with Calamba cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Calamba

🇵🇭 Baguio

🕒 Local time

20:33 8:33 PM

Same time as Calamba

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

539,671

366,358

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Calamba Baguio 250 km

From you

Calamba
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

Calamba vs Baguio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calamba wins on cost – living expenses run 46% lower than in Baguio. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Calamba the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 43% higher in Calamba, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Baguio. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $518 per month in Calamba versus $757 in Baguio – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Calamba gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Calamba 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 Calamba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Baguio. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.