Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pagadian and Baguio

For one person, living costs are similar in Pagadian and in Baguio: $731 and $748 a month, rent and utilities included.

Pagadian
🇵🇭 Philippines
$731
/mo nomad
Baguio
🇵🇭 Philippines
$748
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $731 in Pagadian versus $748 in Baguio.

  • Pagadian $731
  • Baguio $748

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,112 in Pagadian versus $1,157 in Baguio.

  • Pagadian $1,112
  • Baguio $1,157

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,494 in Pagadian versus $1,566 in Baguio.

  • Pagadian $1,494
  • Baguio $1,566

Living in Pagadian costs roughly 2% less than in Baguio, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pagadian 46% lower, Baguio 45% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pagadian
Baguio
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.97 ₱250
$3.88 ₱244
2.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$16.95 ₱1,067
$16.81 ₱1,058
0.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$2.75 ₱173
$2.83 ₱178
-2.83%
Cappuccino
$1.91 ₱120
$1.77 ₱111
7.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.80 ₱50.6
$0.57 ₱35.76
40.35%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.25 ₱15.76
$0.31 ₱19.29
-19.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.46 ₱92.2
$0.98 ₱61.5
48.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 ₱125
$1.62 ₱102
22.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pagadian
Baguio
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 ₱106
$1.68 ₱106
0.60%
White Bread (500g)
$1.16 ₱73.1
$1.10 ₱69.3
5.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.96 ₱60.8
$1.01 ₱63.8
-4.95%
Eggs
$1.87 ₱118
$1.99 ₱125
-6.03%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.47 ₱344
$4.94 ₱311
10.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.27 ₱269
$3.49 ₱220
22.35%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.29 ₱459
$7.73 ₱487
-5.69%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ₱148
$2.22 ₱140
5.86%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 ₱96.4
$1.60 ₱100
-4.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.41 ₱151
$2.38 ₱150
1.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.13 ₱71.3
$1.03 ₱65.1
9.71%
Potato (1kg)
$2.01 ₱127
$1.74 ₱110
15.52%
Onion (1kg)
$1.93 ₱121
$1.74 ₱109
10.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.92 ₱58.1
$0.61 ₱38.71
50.82%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ₱34.43
$0.49 ₱30.80
12.24%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.87 ₱181
$2.91 ₱183
-1.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.48 ₱471
$8.57 ₱540
-12.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.01 ₱63.8
$0.92 ₱58.2
9.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 ₱122
$2.01 ₱127
-3.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Pagadian
Baguio
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.26 ₱16.37
$0.23 ₱14.39
13.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.25 ₱708
$12.79 ₱806
-12.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.78 ₱48.85
$0.76 ₱47.69
2.63%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.21 ₱13.17
$0.25 ₱15.82
-16.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.88 ₱118
$1.93 ₱122
-2.59%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.03 ₱64.9
$1.19 ₱74.8
-13.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.3K ₱1.3M
$21.2K ₱1.3M
0.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.0K ₱1.2M
$19.5K ₱1.2M
-2.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pagadian
Baguio
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$125 ₱7,875
$141 ₱8,908
-11.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.14 ₱953
$17.70 ₱1,114
-14.46%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.15 ₱1,521
$23.50 ₱1,479
2.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pagadian
Baguio
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.36 ₱2,037
$21.59 ₱1,359
49.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.70 ₱296
$5.31 ₱334
-11.49%
Cinema Ticket
$5.07 ₱319
$5.22 ₱329
-2.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pagadian
Baguio
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$130 ₱8,191
$130 ₱8,180
0.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,984 ₱502.7K
$10.8K ₱682.6K
-26.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pagadian
Baguio
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$32.64 ₱2,055
$28.85 ₱1,816
13.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.82 ₱1,248
$19.38 ₱1,220
2.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.4 ₱4,556
$72.3 ₱4,551
0.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$55.1 ₱3,470
$54.9 ₱3,458
0.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pagadian
Baguio
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$266 ₱16.7K
$398 ₱25.0K
-33.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$171 ₱10.7K
$192 ₱12.1K
-11.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$516 ₱32.5K
$838 ₱52.7K
-38.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$354 ₱22.3K
$454 ₱28.6K
-22.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,381 ₱149.9K
$2,660 ₱167.5K
-10.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$997 ₱62.8K
$925 ₱58.2K
7.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pagadian
Baguio
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$183 ₱11.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
6.75
0.59%

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

Last update for Pagadian: October 20, 2026

Last update for Baguio: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Pagadian
$180
Baguio
$173 3.5% $6.2
Accommodation & Living
Pagadian
$171
Baguio
$192 12.8% $22
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pagadian
$164
Baguio
$183 11.1% $18
Clothing & Footwear
Pagadian
$81
Baguio
$79 2.5% $2
Eating Out
Pagadian
$78
Baguio
$72 7.7% $6.1
Sport & Entertainment
Pagadian
$43
Baguio
$32 24.6% $10
Getting Around
Pagadian
$14
Baguio
$16 11.4% $1.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $266 in Pagadian and $398 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $17.00 in Pagadian vs $17.00 in Baguio. Groceries flip the comparison at $180 vs $173, with Baguio cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Pagadian
🇵🇭 Baguio
🕒 Local time
01:00 1:00 AM
01:00 1:00 AM
Same time as Pagadian
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
199,060
366,358
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Pagadian Baguio 1,000 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Pagadian
  • 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
Pagadian vs Baguio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Pagadian or Baguio?
Pagadian wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Baguio. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Pagadian the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Pagadian and in Baguio?
You'd need roughly $1,096 in Pagadian and $1,121 in Baguio to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Pagadian compared to Baguio?
Rent for a central apartment: $266 in Pagadian versus $398 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Pagadian compared to Baguio?
All in, you'll spend $731 per month in Pagadian versus $748 in Baguio – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Pagadian compared to Baguio?
A monthly transit pass in Pagadian runs roughly 14% less than in Baguio. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,200/month in Pagadian or in Baguio?
Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Pagadian gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Pagadian or Baguio?
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.
How safe is Pagadian compared to Baguio?
Safety-wise, Pagadian 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Pagadian gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Baguio. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Pagadian vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?