Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lapu-Lapu and Baguio

For one person, living is cheaper in Baguio: $757 a month against $845 in Lapu-Lapu, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lapu-Lapu outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

41

Cost of Living Index in Lapu-Lapu
Learn more

Lapu-Lapu Living Index
37

Cost of Living Index in Baguio
Learn more

Baguio Living Index

Jump to prices

Lapu-Lapu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$845

/mo nomad

Baguio

🇵🇭 Philippines

$757

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $845 in Lapu-Lapu versus $757 in Baguio.

Lapu-Lapu $845
Baguio $757

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,195 in Lapu-Lapu versus $1,171 in Baguio.

Lapu-Lapu $1,195
Baguio $1,171

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,545 in Lapu-Lapu versus $1,585 in Baguio.

Lapu-Lapu $1,545
Baguio $1,585

Living in Lapu-Lapu is roughly 12% more expensive than in Baguio, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lapu-Lapu 37% lower, Baguio 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.95 ₱186

$4.04 ₱255

-26.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.86 ₱998

$16.77 ₱1,056

-5.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.90 ₱246

$2.85 ₱180

36.84%

Cappuccino

$2.54 ₱160

$1.86 ₱117

36.56%

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

$0.58 ₱36.53

$0.59 ₱37.34

-1.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₱23.93

$0.30 ₱19.17

26.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.29 ₱80.9

$0.97 ₱61.3

32.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₱142

$1.57 ₱98.9

43.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ₱111

$1.69 ₱106

4.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ₱89.2

$1.12 ₱70.7

26.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₱59.5

$0.96 ₱60.5

-2.08%

Eggs

$2.04 ₱129

$2.03 ₱128

0.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.68 ₱358

$5.22 ₱329

8.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.45 ₱280

$3.34 ₱210

33.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱486

$8.04 ₱506

-4.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ₱211

$2.31 ₱145

45.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱91.5

$1.59 ₱100

-8.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 ₱149

$2.35 ₱148

0.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱97.1

$1.08 ₱67.7

42.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 ₱151

$1.69 ₱107

41.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 ₱125

$1.76 ₱111

12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱75.2

$0.62 ₱38.85

91.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₱42.80

$0.50 ₱31.33

36.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.62 ₱102

$2.87 ₱181

-43.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.07 ₱256

$9.00 ₱567

-54.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ₱65.9

$0.92 ₱57.8

14.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 ₱95.2

$2.02 ₱127

-25.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.81

$0.25 ₱15.84

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.90 ₱812

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.77

$0.77 ₱48.34

-3.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.51

$0.23 ₱14.44

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 ₱246

$1.93 ₱121

102.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.4

$1.25 ₱78.7

6.40%

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

$21.5K ₱1.4M

0.25%

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

$19.6K ₱1.2M

$19.0K ₱1.2M

2.90%

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

$120 ₱7,559

$138 ₱8,682

-12.92%

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

$13.99 ₱881

$17.71 ₱1,115

-21.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.04 ₱1,765

$23.76 ₱1,496

18.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.62 ₱795

$21.05 ₱1,325

-40.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.19 ₱327

Cinema Ticket

$5.60 ₱353

$5.30 ₱334

5.66%

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

$103 ₱6,509

$135 ₱8,486

-23.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,848 ₱494.1K

$10.7K ₱673.8K

-26.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.78 ₱3,008

$28.76 ₱1,811

66.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ₱1,603

$19.76 ₱1,244

28.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.86 ₱1,502

$71.1 ₱4,479

-66.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.5 ₱3,683

$56.4 ₱3,551

3.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ₱27.5K

$409 ₱25.8K

6.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 ₱19.9K

$200 ₱12.6K

58.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,214 ₱76.4K

$836 ₱52.6K

45.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 ₱29.8K

$466 ₱29.3K

1.54%

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)

$229 ₱14.4K

$182 ₱11.4K

25.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

6.75

6.67%

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

Last update for Lapu-Lapu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Baguio: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lapu-Lapu

$317 37.5%

Baguio

$200 26.4% 37% $117

Groceries & Markets

Lapu-Lapu

$189 22.4%

Baguio

$176 23.3% 7% $13

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lapu-Lapu

$162 19.2%

Baguio

$179 23.7% 10.7% $17

Eating Out

Lapu-Lapu

$81 9.5%

Baguio

$75 9.9% 7.1% $5.7

Clothing & Footwear

Lapu-Lapu

$70 8.3%

Baguio

$79 10.5% 13.2% $9.2

Sport & Entertainment

Lapu-Lapu

$24 2.8%

Baguio

$32 4.2% 32.9% $7.8

Getting Around

Lapu-Lapu

$2.9 * 0.3%

Baguio

$16 2.1% 446% $13

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Lapu-Lapu and $409 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lapu-Lapu pays 26% 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: $16.00 in Lapu-Lapu vs $17.00 in Baguio. Groceries flip the comparison at $189 vs $176, with Baguio cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Lapu-Lapu

🇵🇭 Baguio

🕒 Local time

03:03 3:03 AM

Same time as Lapu-Lapu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

497,604

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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Lapu-Lapu Baguio 770 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Lapu-Lapu
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

Lapu-Lapu vs Baguio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baguio wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Lapu-Lapu. 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 26% higher in Lapu-Lapu, 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: $437 in Lapu-Lapu versus $409 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Lapu-Lapu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $845 per month in Lapu-Lapu versus $757 in Baguio – a 12% 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, Lapu-Lapu 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 12% less than in Lapu-Lapu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.