Cost of Living Comparison Between Nanjing and Baguio Cost of Living Comparison Between Nanjing and Baguio

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $829 in Nanjing versus $748 in Baguio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,304 in Nanjing versus $1,182 in Baguio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,779 in Nanjing versus $1,616 in Baguio.

Living in Nanjing is roughly 11% more expensive than in Baguio, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nanjing 40% lower, Baguio 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.80 ¥25.52

$4.03 ₱252

-5.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.16 ¥149

$16.79 ₱1,050

31.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.72 ¥31.66

$2.77 ₱173

70.40%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ¥21.02

$1.79 ₱112

74.86%

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

$0.50 ¥3.33

$0.55 ₱34.69

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.83

$0.35 ₱21.58

-22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 ¥9.73

$1.02 ₱63.9

42.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ¥15.35

$1.64 ₱103

39.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ¥14.42

$1.62 ₱101

32.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 ¥14.31

$1.12 ₱70.0

90.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.58

$0.98 ₱61.3

-15.31%

Eggs

$1.35 ¥9.08

$2.11 ₱132

-36.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.49 ¥70.4

$5.00 ₱313

109.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ¥20.21

$3.36 ₱210

-10.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.05 ¥60.7

$8.12 ₱508

11.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 ¥14.21

$2.29 ₱143

-7.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 ¥8.63

$1.62 ₱101

-20.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥11.95

$2.33 ₱146

-23.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.50

$1.08 ₱67.3

3.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.04

$1.68 ₱105

-46.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.54

$1.71 ₱107

-43.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ¥6.20

$0.62 ₱39.00

48.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ¥3.67

$0.49 ₱30.59

12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.76 ¥25.24

$2.99 ₱187

25.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.59 ¥91.2

$8.98 ₱561

51.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ¥6.71

$0.95 ₱59.6

5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ¥9.96

$2.11 ₱132

-29.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.92

$0.25 ₱15.64

16.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.91 ¥201

$12.67 ₱793

136.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 ¥11.63

$0.76 ₱47.83

127.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ¥2.61

$0.25 ₱15.71

56.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.83 ¥59.2

$1.96 ₱122

350.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.40

$1.20 ₱75.0

4.17%

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

$19.1K ¥128.3K

$21.4K ₱1.3M

-10.66%

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

$16.4K ¥110.3K

$19.6K ₱1.2M

-16.05%

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

$54.3 ¥364

$144 ₱8,975

-62.15%

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

$7.59 ¥50.9

$17.30 ₱1,082

-56.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.11 ¥47.73

$23.28 ₱1,456

-69.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.05 ¥188

$21.30 ₱1,332

31.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.25 ¥230

$5.36 ₱335

538.99%

Cinema Ticket

$6.06 ¥40.67

$5.19 ₱325

16.76%

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

$1,491 ¥10.0K

$131 ₱8,192

1038.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.3K ¥149.4K

$10.6K ₱663.5K

109.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.09 ¥289

$29.51 ₱1,845

46.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.32 ¥230

$19.29 ₱1,206

77.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.3 ¥431

$73.0 ₱4,568

-11.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 ¥595

$55.4 ₱3,466

59.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$540 ¥3,620

$411 ₱25.7K

31.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 ¥1,981

$198 ₱12.4K

49.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 ¥7,469

$851 ₱53.2K

30.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,726

$466 ₱29.1K

19.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,944 ¥33.2K

$2,650 ₱165.7K

86.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,147 ¥21.1K

$919 ₱57.5K

242.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,413 ¥9,483

$180 ₱11.2K

687.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.42

6.75

-49.33%

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

Last update for Nanjing: August 31, 2026

Last update for Baguio: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $540 in Nanjing and $411 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nanjing pays 687% 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: $22.00 in Nanjing vs $17.00 in Baguio for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $175 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

Nanjing vs Baguio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baguio wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Nanjing. 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 687% higher in Nanjing, 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: $540 in Nanjing versus $411 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $829 per month in Nanjing versus $748 in Baguio – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Baguio runs roughly 136% less than in Nanjing. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $748 in Baguio versus $829 in Nanjing, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Baguio but tight or insufficient in Nanjing. The gap between the two cities makes Baguio the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Nanjing 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 11% less than in Nanjing. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.