Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lucena and Baguio

For one person, living is cheaper in Lucena: $646 a month against $757 in Baguio, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Baguio outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

31

Cost of Living Index in Lucena
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Lucena Living Index
37

Cost of Living Index in Baguio
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Baguio Living Index

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Lucena

🇵🇭 Philippines

$646

/mo nomad

Baguio

🇵🇭 Philippines

$757

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $646 in Lucena versus $757 in Baguio.

Lucena $646
Baguio $757

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,041 in Lucena versus $1,171 in Baguio.

Lucena $1,041
Baguio $1,171

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,436 in Lucena versus $1,585 in Baguio.

Lucena $1,436
Baguio $1,585

Living in Lucena costs roughly 15% less than in Baguio, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lucena 52% lower, Baguio 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.50 ₱94.4

$4.04 ₱255

-62.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.91 ₱1,191

$16.77 ₱1,056

12.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$1.72 ₱108

$2.85 ₱180

-39.65%

Cappuccino

$1.32 ₱83.2

$1.86 ₱117

-29.03%

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

$0.33 ₱20.88

$0.59 ₱37.34

-44.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₱18.26

$0.30 ₱19.17

-3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.38 ₱86.7

$0.97 ₱61.3

42.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₱80.9

$1.57 ₱98.9

-18.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ₱105

$1.69 ₱106

-1.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 ₱73.4

$1.12 ₱70.7

4.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 ₱57.6

$0.96 ₱60.5

-4.17%

Eggs

$1.75 ₱110

$2.03 ₱128

-13.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.82 ₱429

$5.22 ₱329

30.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.21 ₱265

$3.34 ₱210

26.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.13 ₱449

$8.04 ₱506

-11.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 ₱254

$2.31 ₱145

74.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 ₱86.0

$1.59 ₱100

-13.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 ₱225

$2.35 ₱148

52.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ₱73.5

$1.08 ₱67.7

8.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 ₱143

$1.69 ₱107

34.32%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 ₱208

$1.76 ₱111

87.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 ₱89.6

$0.62 ₱38.85

129.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₱57.0

$0.50 ₱31.33

82.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.74 ₱173

$2.87 ₱181

-4.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.74 ₱487

$9.00 ₱567

-14.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 ₱84.6

$0.92 ₱57.8

45.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 ₱111

$2.02 ₱127

-12.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₱14.97

$0.25 ₱15.84

-4.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.08 ₱761

$12.90 ₱812

-6.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱51.0

$0.77 ₱48.34

5.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.19

$0.23 ₱14.44

-8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 ₱160

$1.93 ₱121

31.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₱77.6

$1.25 ₱78.7

-1.60%

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

$21.3K ₱1.3M

$21.5K ₱1.4M

-0.81%

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

$18.8K ₱1.2M

$19.0K ₱1.2M

-1.26%

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

$47.89 ₱3,015

$138 ₱8,682

-65.27%

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

$6.37 ₱401

$17.71 ₱1,115

-64.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.06 ₱696

$23.76 ₱1,496

-53.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.15 ₱2,150

$21.05 ₱1,325

62.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.02 ₱253

$5.19 ₱327

-22.54%

Cinema Ticket

$7.38 ₱465

$5.30 ₱334

39.25%

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

$71.9 ₱4,529

$135 ₱8,486

-46.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,515 ₱158.3K

$10.7K ₱673.8K

-76.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.78 ₱2,253

$28.76 ₱1,811

24.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.69 ₱1,428

$19.76 ₱1,244

14.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 ₱5,020

$71.1 ₱4,479

12.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.4 ₱4,683

$56.4 ₱3,551

31.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 ₱16.5K

$409 ₱25.8K

-36.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 ₱10.7K

$200 ₱12.6K

-14.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$516 ₱32.5K

$836 ₱52.6K

-38.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₱22.5K

$466 ₱29.3K

-23.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,274 ₱143.2K

$2,647 ₱166.7K

-14.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$921 ₱58.0K

$930 ₱58.6K

-1.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$320 ₱20.2K

$182 ₱11.4K

76.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

3.70%

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

Last update for Lucena: October 12, 2026

Last update for Baguio: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Lucena

$206 31.9%

Baguio

$176 23.3% 14.6% $30

Accommodation & Living

Lucena

$170 26.3%

Baguio

$200 26.4% 17.6% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Lucena

$96 14.8%

Baguio

$79 10.5% 17.2% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lucena

$65 10.1%

Baguio

$179 23.7% 175% $114

Sport & Entertainment

Lucena

$49 7.6%

Baguio

$32 4.2% 35.3% $17

Eating Out

Lucena

$45 7%

Baguio

$75 9.9% 66.5% $30

Getting Around

Lucena

$15 2.3%

Baguio

$16 2.1% 6.2% $0.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $262 in Lucena and $409 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lucena pays 76% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Lucena vs $17.00 in Baguio for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $176 per month, with Baguio cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Lucena

🇵🇭 Baguio

🕒 Local time

05:27 5:27 AM

Same time as Lucena

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

278,924

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

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Lucena Baguio 300 km

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Lucena
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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

Lucena vs Baguio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lucena wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Baguio. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lucena the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 76% higher in Lucena, 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: $262 in Lucena versus $409 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $646 per month in Lucena versus $757 in Baguio – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lucena runs roughly 7% less than in Baguio. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Lucena 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, Lucena 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 Lucena gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Baguio. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.