Cost of Living Comparison Between Laoag City and Baguio Cost of Living Comparison Between Laoag City and Baguio

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $798 in Laoag City versus $788 in Baguio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,218 in Laoag City versus $1,154 in Baguio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,639 in Laoag City versus $1,520 in Baguio.

Living in Laoag City is roughly 1% more expensive than Baguio, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Laoag City 40% lower, Baguio 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 ₱224

$3.57 ₱220

1.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.98 ₱924

$13.38 ₱825

11.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.30 ₱203

$2.64 ₱162

25.00%

Cappuccino

$2.48 ₱153

$2.36 ₱145

5.08%

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

$0.78 ₱48.40

$0.65 ₱40.14

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₱24.52

$0.38 ₱23.18

5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 ₱83.2

$1.39 ₱85.5

-2.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.89 ₱117

13.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₱116

$1.88 ₱116

0.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ₱77.6

$1.19 ₱73.4

5.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ₱61.0

$1.12 ₱68.8

-11.61%

Eggs

$2.23 ₱137

$2.22 ₱137

0.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.17 ₱504

$9.21 ₱568

-11.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.50 ₱462

$3.74 ₱231

100.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 ₱482

$8.33 ₱514

-6.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 ₱183

$2.74 ₱169

8.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 ₱97.7

$1.80 ₱111

-12.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 ₱164

$2.39 ₱147

11.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 ₱96.7

$1.20 ₱74.3

30.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 ₱135

$1.81 ₱112

21.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 ₱160

$2.29 ₱141

13.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ₱68.5

$0.73 ₱45.12

52.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₱47.23

$0.72 ₱44.25

6.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₱191

$3.26 ₱201

-4.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.15 ₱503

$9.08 ₱560

-10.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ₱61.9

$1.06 ₱65.5

-5.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₱127

$2.31 ₱143

-10.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.97

$0.26 ₱15.91

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.85 ₱669

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱51.6

$0.92 ₱57.0

-8.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ₱16.15

$0.24 ₱14.88

8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ₱133

$2.40 ₱148

-10.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 ₱66.0

$1.12 ₱69.0

-4.46%

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

$26.4K ₱1.6M

$31.8K ₱2.0M

-16.88%

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

$20.5K ₱1.3M

$20.3K ₱1.3M

0.97%

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

$114 ₱7,042

$147 ₱9,087

-22.51%

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

$32.36 ₱1,996

$35.37 ₱2,181

-8.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.18 ₱1,615

$26.43 ₱1,630

-0.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.18 ₱936

$22.38 ₱1,380

-32.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.49 ₱277

$4.18 ₱257

7.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.06 ₱374

$5.60 ₱346

8.21%

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

$150 ₱9,247

$154 ₱9,495

-2.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,236 ₱261.2K

$4,706 ₱290.2K

-10.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.02 ₱2,776

$47.79 ₱2,947

-5.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.19 ₱1,615

$27.10 ₱1,671

-3.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.2 ₱4,701

$76.1 ₱4,690

0.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.3 ₱3,224

$45.80 ₱2,824

14.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 ₱16.7K

$345 ₱21.3K

-21.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 ₱12.6K

$145 ₱8,959

40.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱26.5K

$549 ₱33.8K

-21.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 ₱23.9K

$261 ₱16.1K

48.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,479 ₱152.9K

$2,417 ₱149.1K

2.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,081 ₱66.6K

$933 ₱57.5K

15.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$160 ₱9,882

$181 ₱11.2K

-11.67%

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 Laoag City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Baguio: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $270 in Laoag City and $345 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baguio pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $15.00 in Laoag City vs $13.00 in Baguio for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $205 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

Laoag City vs Baguio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baguio wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Laoag City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baguio the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Baguio earns 13% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $270 in Laoag City versus $345 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Laoag City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $798 per month in Laoag City versus $788 in Baguio – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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 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, Laoag 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 Baguio gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Laoag City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.