Cost of Living Comparison Between Davao and Baguio Cost of Living Comparison Between Davao and Baguio

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $805 in Davao versus $748 in Baguio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,239 in Davao versus $1,182 in Baguio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,672 in Davao versus $1,616 in Baguio.

Living in Davao is roughly 8% more expensive than in Baguio, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Davao 41% lower, Baguio 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.95 ₱310

$4.03 ₱252

22.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.82 ₱1,680

$16.79 ₱1,051

59.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.98 ₱249

$2.77 ₱174

43.68%

Cappuccino

$2.71 ₱170

$1.79 ₱112

51.40%

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

$1.10 ₱68.9

$0.55 ₱34.74

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ₱43.37

$0.35 ₱21.61

97.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 ₱102

$1.02 ₱63.9

59.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱146

$1.64 ₱103

42.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₱121

$1.62 ₱101

19.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 ₱68.7

$1.12 ₱70.0

-1.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ₱57.1

$0.98 ₱61.4

-7.14%

Eggs

$1.93 ₱121

$2.11 ₱132

-8.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.91 ₱433

$5.00 ₱313

38.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.24 ₱266

$3.36 ₱210

26.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.40 ₱526

$8.12 ₱508

3.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 ₱167

$2.29 ₱143

16.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ₱67.0

$1.62 ₱102

-33.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 ₱143

$2.33 ₱146

-2.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ₱72.7

$1.08 ₱67.4

7.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 ₱132

$1.68 ₱105

25.60%

Onion (1kg)

$3.54 ₱222

$1.71 ₱107

107.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.5

$0.62 ₱39.05

91.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₱41.13

$0.49 ₱30.63

34.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.42 ₱152

$2.99 ₱187

-19.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.93 ₱497

$8.98 ₱562

-11.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 ₱77.7

$0.95 ₱59.7

30.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₱98.7

$2.11 ₱132

-25.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 ₱20.59

$0.25 ₱15.66

32.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.43 ₱841

$12.67 ₱794

6.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱51.7

$0.76 ₱47.90

9.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.32

$0.25 ₱15.73

-8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ₱119

$1.96 ₱122

-3.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₱72.4

$1.20 ₱75.1

-3.33%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$21.4K ₱1.3M

-0.94%

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

$19.2K ₱1.2M

$19.6K ₱1.2M

-1.75%

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

$106 ₱6,654

$144 ₱8,987

-25.97%

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

$18.90 ₱1,183

$17.30 ₱1,083

9.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.97 ₱1,939

$23.28 ₱1,458

33.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.64 ₱2,232

$21.30 ₱1,334

67.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.63 ₱227

$5.36 ₱336

-32.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 ₱309

$5.19 ₱325

-4.82%

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

$107 ₱6,685

$131 ₱8,203

-18.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,664 ₱479.9K

$10.6K ₱664.4K

-27.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 ₱3,901

$29.51 ₱1,848

111.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.84 ₱1,681

$19.29 ₱1,208

39.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 ₱4,458

$73.0 ₱4,574

-2.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.9 ₱3,873

$55.4 ₱3,471

11.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 ₱17.6K

$411 ₱25.7K

-31.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 ₱10.6K

$198 ₱12.4K

-14.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$631 ₱39.5K

$851 ₱53.3K

-25.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$327 ₱20.5K

$466 ₱29.2K

-29.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,618 ₱101.3K

$2,650 ₱165.9K

-38.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,423 ₱89.1K

$919 ₱57.5K

54.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$210 ₱13.1K

$180 ₱11.2K

16.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.31

6.75

23.11%

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

Last update for Davao: August 29, 2026

Last update for Baguio: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $282 in Davao and $411 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Davao pays 17% 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: $27.00 in Davao vs $17.00 in Baguio for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $175 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

Davao vs Baguio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baguio wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Davao. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baguio the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 17% higher in Davao, 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: $282 in Davao versus $411 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $805 per month in Davao versus $748 in Baguio – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Baguio runs roughly 6% less than in Davao. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Baguio 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 Baguio delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $748 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Baguio hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Davao 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 8% less than in Davao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.