Cost of Living Comparison Between Marawi and Baguio Cost of Living Comparison Between Marawi and Baguio

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $782 in Marawi versus $779 in Baguio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,212 in Marawi versus $1,139 in Baguio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,643 in Marawi versus $1,500 in Baguio.

Monthly costs are close between Marawi and Baguio; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Marawi 42% lower, Baguio 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.58 ₱219

$3.59 ₱220

-0.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.02 ₱1,103

$13.50 ₱826

33.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.27 ₱200

$2.60 ₱159

25.77%

Cappuccino

$2.44 ₱149

$2.34 ₱143

4.27%

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

$0.81 ₱49.80

$0.70 ₱42.94

15.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₱23.94

$0.40 ₱24.52

-2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 ₱82.4

$1.46 ₱89.2

-7.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₱128

$2.00 ₱122

5.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.89 ₱115

1.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ₱74.9

$1.25 ₱76.6

-2.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ₱57.1

$1.11 ₱68.1

-16.22%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱126

$2.20 ₱134

-6.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.22 ₱503

$9.08 ₱555

-9.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.30 ₱263

$3.70 ₱226

16.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.79 ₱477

$8.42 ₱515

-7.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 ₱177

$2.63 ₱161

9.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₱97.2

$1.87 ₱114

-14.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 ₱158

$2.26 ₱138

14.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ₱94.7

$1.18 ₱72.0

31.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱138

$1.82 ₱111

23.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ₱155

$2.29 ₱140

10.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ₱68.2

$0.72 ₱44.31

54.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ₱46.55

$0.77 ₱47.22

-1.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 ₱171

$3.35 ₱205

-16.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.28 ₱445

$9.17 ₱561

-20.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 ₱72.8

$1.08 ₱65.8

10.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 ₱122

$2.26 ₱138

-11.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.18

$0.26 ₱15.77

7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.56 ₱646

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱47.67

$0.87 ₱53.3

-10.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.73

$0.22 ₱13.43

9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 ₱129

$2.45 ₱150

-13.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.6

$1.11 ₱67.8

-0.90%

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

$26.9K ₱1.6M

$32.3K ₱2.0M

-16.57%

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

$20.6K ₱1.3M

$20.5K ₱1.3M

0.43%

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

$113 ₱6,891

$146 ₱8,914

-22.69%

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

$32.89 ₱2,012

$34.10 ₱2,086

-3.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.09 ₱1,657

$25.99 ₱1,590

4.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.55 ₱2,114

$21.76 ₱1,331

58.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.46 ₱273

$4.16 ₱254

7.21%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ₱365

$5.93 ₱363

0.51%

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

$154 ₱9,398

$153 ₱9,378

0.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,228 ₱258.7K

$4,642 ₱284.0K

-8.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.90 ₱2,747

$49.11 ₱3,005

-8.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.81 ₱1,640

$27.25 ₱1,667

-1.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 ₱4,627

$76.3 ₱4,667

-0.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.0 ₱3,240

$45.91 ₱2,809

15.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 ₱15.9K

$346 ₱21.2K

-24.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 ₱10.8K

$142 ₱8,706

24.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 ₱35.8K

$544 ₱33.3K

7.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 ₱24.1K

$264 ₱16.1K

49.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,531 ₱154.9K

$2,423 ₱148.2K

4.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$246 ₱15.1K

$949 ₱58.0K

-74.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$296 ₱18.1K

$186 ₱11.4K

59.22%

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 Marawi: April 28, 2026

Last update for Baguio: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $261 in Marawi and $346 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Marawi pays 59% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $18.00 in Marawi vs $13.00 in Baguio. Groceries flip the comparison at $205 vs $205, with Marawi cheaper for home cooking.

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

Marawi vs Baguio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Marawi pays 59% more on average, 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: $261 in Marawi versus $346 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Marawi pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Baguio – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $18.00 in Marawi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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, Marawi 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.

It comes down to priorities – Baguio wins on affordability, Marawi on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.