Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Baguio Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Baguio

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $873 in Cebu versus $788 in Baguio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,340 in Cebu versus $1,151 in Baguio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,808 in Cebu versus $1,513 in Baguio.

Living in Cebu is roughly 11% more expensive than Baguio, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 35% lower, Baguio 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.37 ₱262

$3.60 ₱215

21.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.24 ₱1,452

$13.11 ₱785

84.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.48 ₱268

$2.62 ₱157

70.99%

Cappuccino

$2.56 ₱153

$2.45 ₱147

4.49%

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

$0.85 ₱51.1

$0.66 ₱39.50

28.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₱25.54

$0.40 ₱24.25

7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ₱91.7

$1.45 ₱87.1

5.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ₱125

$1.99 ₱119

5.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 ₱138

$1.92 ₱115

20.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 ₱91.2

$1.25 ₱74.6

21.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 ₱69.8

$1.07 ₱64.1

9.35%

Eggs

$2.38 ₱142

$2.25 ₱135

5.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.82 ₱768

$9.34 ₱559

37.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ₱321

$3.84 ₱230

39.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.52 ₱450

$8.65 ₱518

-13.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 ₱207

$2.67 ₱160

29.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ₱87.6

$1.86 ₱111

-21.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 ₱195

$2.28 ₱136

42.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱134

$1.21 ₱72.2

85.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 ₱154

$1.82 ₱109

40.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.57 ₱154

$2.30 ₱138

11.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 ₱58.2

$0.67 ₱39.89

44.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₱46.22

$0.77 ₱45.99

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.27 ₱196

$3.31 ₱198

-1.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.84 ₱410

$9.36 ₱560

-26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱69.3

$1.04 ₱62.3

11.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₱139

$2.24 ₱134

4.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.49

$0.28 ₱16.92

-7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.33 ₱918

$10.73 ₱643

42.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₱52.4

$0.88 ₱52.5

-1.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱13.67

$0.24 ₱14.46

-4.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 ₱162

$2.35 ₱141

15.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱68.6

$1.16 ₱69.2

-0.86%

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

$30.7K ₱1.8M

$31.3K ₱1.9M

-1.86%

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

$27.0K ₱1.6M

$20.6K ₱1.2M

30.90%

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

$96.4 ₱5,774

$148 ₱8,876

-34.95%

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

$34.40 ₱2,060

$34.34 ₱2,056

0.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 ₱1,757

$26.43 ₱1,583

11.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.83 ₱2,026

$21.66 ₱1,297

56.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.29 ₱497

$4.11 ₱246

101.70%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ₱346

$5.73 ₱343

0.87%

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

$234 ₱14.0K

$152 ₱9,083

54.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,897 ₱233.4K

$4,739 ₱283.8K

-17.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.6 ₱3,207

$49.46 ₱2,962

8.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.90 ₱1,372

$28.00 ₱1,677

-18.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,586

$74.9 ₱4,483

2.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.2 ₱3,367

$46.07 ₱2,759

22.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$510 ₱30.5K

$338 ₱20.3K

50.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 ₱13.0K

$146 ₱8,749

48.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$803 ₱48.1K

$546 ₱32.7K

46.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 ₱23.2K

$264 ₱15.8K

46.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,082 ₱184.6K

$2,498 ₱149.6K

23.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,952 ₱116.9K

$960 ₱57.5K

103.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$382 ₱22.9K

$190 ₱11.4K

101.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

77.78%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Cebu: April 14, 2026

Last update for Baguio: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $510 in Cebu and $338 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 101% 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: $24 in Cebu vs $13 in Baguio for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $208 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

Cebu vs Baguio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baguio wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Cebu. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baguio the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Cebu pays 101% 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: $510 in Cebu versus $338 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $873 per month in Cebu versus $788 in Baguio – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Baguio runs roughly 43% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $788 in Baguio versus $873 in Cebu, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Baguio but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Baguio the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Baguio delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $788 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Baguio hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cebu 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 11% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.