Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dipolog and Baguio

For one person, living is cheaper in Dipolog: $602 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.

Dipolog, Philippines
Baguio, Philippines
Dipolog
🇵🇭 Philippines
$602
/mo nomad
Baguio
🇵🇭 Philippines
$737
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $602 in Dipolog versus $737 in Baguio.

  • Dipolog $602
  • Baguio $737

Estimated couple costs with rent: $839 in Dipolog versus $1,148 in Baguio.

  • Dipolog $839
  • Baguio $1,148

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,076 in Dipolog versus $1,558 in Baguio.

  • Dipolog $1,076
  • Baguio $1,558

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

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dipolog
Baguio
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.36 ₱87.1
$3.92 ₱251
-65.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.30 ₱1,235
$16.66 ₱1,066
15.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$2.72 ₱174
$2.73 ₱175
-0.37%
Cappuccino
$2.02 ₱129
$1.80 ₱115
12.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ₱40.84
$0.55 ₱35.26
16.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29 ₱18.78
$0.33 ₱21.31
-12.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.04 ₱66.7
$0.99 ₱63.7
5.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 ₱110
$1.54 ₱98.3
11.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dipolog
Baguio
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.60 ₱103
$1.59 ₱102
0.63%
White Bread (500g)
$0.77 ₱49.00
$1.14 ₱73.2
-32.46%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.82 ₱52.5
$0.97 ₱61.8
-15.46%
Eggs
$1.87 ₱120
$1.99 ₱127
-6.03%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.77 ₱369
$5.11 ₱327
12.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.12 ₱264
$3.27 ₱209
25.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.71 ₱365
$7.63 ₱488
-25.16%
Apples (1kg)
$1.60 ₱102
$2.19 ₱140
-26.94%
Banana (1kg)
$1.07 ₱68.8
$1.55 ₱99.5
-30.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.91 ₱186
$2.26 ₱144
28.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.43 ₱91.6
$1.02 ₱65.2
40.20%
Potato (1kg)
$1.84 ₱118
$1.73 ₱110
6.36%
Onion (1kg)
$2.68 ₱171
$1.69 ₱108
58.58%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 ₱93.8
$0.65 ₱41.30
126.15%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.61 ₱39.31
$0.51 ₱32.80
19.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.04 ₱194
$2.94 ₱188
3.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$3.93 ₱251
$8.50 ₱544
-53.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.13 ₱72.1
$0.95 ₱60.6
18.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.26 ₱80.5
$2.05 ₱131
-38.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Dipolog
Baguio
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.26 ₱16.75
$0.22 ₱14.07
18.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$10.99 ₱703
$12.90 ₱826
-14.81%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.81 ₱51.6
$0.81 ₱52.0
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.32 ₱20.75
$0.24 ₱15.42
33.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.32 ₱149
$1.90 ₱122
22.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.89 ₱57.1
$1.19 ₱76.3
-25.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ₱1.4M
$21.3K ₱1.4M
-0.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.0K ₱1.2M
$18.8K ₱1.2M
1.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dipolog
Baguio
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$64.3 ₱4,112
$136 ₱8,697
-52.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.73 ₱495
$17.08 ₱1,093
-54.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.98 ₱1,534
$23.01 ₱1,472
4.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dipolog
Baguio
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.70 ₱2,093
$20.76 ₱1,328
57.51%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.65 ₱298
$5.23 ₱335
-11.09%
Cinema Ticket
$4.70 ₱301
$5.03 ₱322
-6.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dipolog
Baguio
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$32.00 ₱2,048
$132 ₱8,478
-75.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,107 ₱518.7K
$10.6K ₱675.2K
-23.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dipolog
Baguio
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$33.03 ₱2,114
$28.91 ₱1,850
14.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.08 ₱1,221
$19.53 ₱1,249
-2.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$55.9 ₱3,579
$71.5 ₱4,575
-21.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$23.76 ₱1,521
$54.9 ₱3,512
-56.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dipolog
Baguio
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$156 ₱9,970
$393 ₱25.2K
-60.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$172 ₱11.0K
$192 ₱12.3K
-10.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$513 ₱32.8K
$819 ₱52.4K
-37.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$134 ₱8,602
$463 ₱29.6K
-70.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,401 ₱153.6K
$3,156 ₱201.9K
-23.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,119 ₱71.6K
$1,526 ₱97.6K
-26.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dipolog
Baguio
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$234 ₱15.0K
$179 ₱11.5K
30.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.33
6.75
8.59%

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

Last update for Dipolog: October 25, 2026

Last update for Baguio: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Dipolog
$172
Baguio
$192 11.8% $20
Groceries & Markets
Dipolog
$163
Baguio
$171 5.1% $8.3
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dipolog
$96
Baguio
$176 83.4% $80
Clothing & Footwear
Dipolog
$59
Baguio
$79 32.6% $19
Eating Out
Dipolog
$56
Baguio
$73 30.7% $17
Sport & Entertainment
Dipolog
$42
Baguio
$31 26.8% $11
Getting Around
Dipolog
$14
Baguio
$16 9.2% $1.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $156 in Dipolog and $393 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dipolog pays 31% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19 in Dipolog vs $17 in Baguio. Groceries flip the comparison at $163 vs $171, with Dipolog cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Dipolog
🇵🇭 Baguio
🕒 Local time
17:12 5:12 PM
17:12 5:12 PM
Same time as Dipolog
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
130,759
366,358
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 63.99 PHP (100 PHP = 1.56 USD). 1 EUR = 71.22 PHP (100 PHP = 1.4 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Dipolog Baguio 920 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Dipolog
  • 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
Dipolog vs Baguio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Dipolog or Baguio?
Dipolog wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Baguio. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Dipolog the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Dipolog or in Baguio?
Average pay runs 31% higher in Dipolog, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Dipolog compared to Baguio?
Rent for a central apartment: $156 in Dipolog versus $393 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Dipolog compared to Baguio?
All in, you’ll spend $602 per month in Dipolog versus $737 in Baguio – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Dipolog compared to Baguio?
A monthly transit pass in Dipolog runs roughly 15% less than in Baguio. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.
Which city is better for families?
For families, Dipolog is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Baguio, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

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