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: $838 in Nanjing versus $764 in Baguio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,314 in Nanjing versus $1,128 in Baguio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,791 in Nanjing versus $1,491 in Baguio.

Living in Nanjing is roughly 10% more expensive than in Baguio, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nanjing 37% lower, Baguio 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 ¥19.32

$3.51 ₱216

-18.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.34 ¥151

$13.35 ₱823

67.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 ¥32.36

$2.67 ₱165

79.40%

Cappuccino

$3.17 ¥21.45

$2.35 ₱145

34.89%

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

$0.41 ¥2.77

$0.69 ₱42.35

-40.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 ¥1.76

$0.37 ₱23.05

-29.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.86 ¥5.81

$1.44 ₱88.5

-40.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ¥13.76

$1.93 ₱119

5.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 ¥15.62

$1.92 ₱118

20.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 ¥14.57

$1.19 ₱73.4

81.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.59

$1.06 ₱65.4

-21.70%

Eggs

$1.54 ¥10.39

$2.17 ₱134

-29.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 ¥60.3

$9.41 ₱580

-5.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.73 ¥18.46

$3.72 ₱230

-26.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.14 ¥61.8

$8.61 ₱531

6.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 ¥15.02

$2.72 ₱168

-18.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 ¥9.33

$1.79 ₱110

-22.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.86

$2.35 ₱145

-31.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.78

$1.17 ₱72.2

-1.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 ¥5.83

$1.81 ₱112

-52.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.58

$2.20 ₱136

-55.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 ¥5.87

$0.68 ₱41.67

27.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.12

$0.78 ₱47.85

-21.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.58 ¥24.22

$3.33 ₱205

7.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.08 ¥88.4

$8.71 ₱537

50.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥6.24

$1.06 ₱65.5

-13.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 ¥10.04

$2.34 ₱144

-36.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.82

$0.28 ₱17.29

-3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.63 ¥187

$10.81 ₱666

155.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 ¥10.57

$0.92 ₱56.8

69.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.41

$0.22 ₱13.56

63.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.27 ¥55.9

$2.35 ₱145

251.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.90

$1.11 ₱68.3

5.41%

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

$17.4K ¥117.6K

$31.7K ₱2.0M

-45.04%

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

$14.6K ¥98.8K

$20.5K ₱1.3M

-28.68%

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

$42.14 ¥285

$144 ₱8,892

-70.77%

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

$11.04 ¥74.6

$34.02 ₱2,098

-67.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.01 ¥74.4

$25.86 ₱1,595

-57.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.17 ¥177

$22.30 ₱1,375

17.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.55 ¥193

$4.23 ₱261

574.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.47 ¥36.96

$5.79 ₱357

-5.53%

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

$410 ¥2,768

$151 ₱9,302

171.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K ¥125.0K

$4,640 ₱286.1K

298.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.77 ¥289

$48.90 ₱3,016

-12.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.33 ¥218

$27.56 ₱1,700

17.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 ¥468

$74.1 ₱4,568

-6.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.4 ¥570

$45.63 ₱2,814

84.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ¥2,891

$349 ₱21.5K

22.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$308 ¥2,080

$145 ₱8,952

112.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$888 ¥6,000

$543 ₱33.5K

63.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ¥3,729

$265 ₱16.3K

108.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,328 ¥36.0K

$2,392 ₱147.5K

122.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,074 ¥20.8K

$925 ₱57.1K

232.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,341 ¥9,063

$183 ₱11.3K

632.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.87

4.5

-14.00%

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

Last update for Nanjing: July 12, 2026

Last update for Baguio: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Nanjing and $349 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nanjing pays 633% 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 $13.00 in Baguio. Groceries flip the comparison at $203 vs $206, with Nanjing 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

Nanjing vs Baguio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baguio wins on cost – living expenses run 10% 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 633% 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: $428 in Nanjing versus $349 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $838 per month in Nanjing versus $764 in Baguio – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Baguio runs roughly 156% less than in Nanjing. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

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, 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 10% less than in Nanjing. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.