Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Polomolok and Baguio

For one person, living is cheaper in Polomolok: $612 a month against $737 in Baguio, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Polomolok, Philippines
Baguio, Philippines
Polomolok
🇵🇭 Philippines
$612
/mo nomad
Baguio
🇵🇭 Philippines
$737
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $612 in Polomolok versus $737 in Baguio.

  • Polomolok $612
  • Baguio $737

Estimated couple costs with rent: $966 in Polomolok versus $1,148 in Baguio.

  • Polomolok $966
  • Baguio $1,148

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,321 in Polomolok versus $1,558 in Baguio.

  • Polomolok $1,321
  • Baguio $1,558

Living in Polomolok costs roughly 17% less than in Baguio, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Polomolok 55% lower, Baguio 46% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Polomolok
Baguio
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.53 ₱97.6
$3.92 ₱251
-60.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$16.22 ₱1,036
$16.66 ₱1,064
-2.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$2.06 ₱131
$2.73 ₱174
-24.54%
Cappuccino
$2.12 ₱135
$1.80 ₱115
17.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ₱23.73
$0.55 ₱35.21
-32.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.66 ₱42.33
$0.33 ₱21.28
100.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.14 ₱72.5
$0.99 ₱63.6
15.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12 ₱136
$1.54 ₱98.2
37.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Polomolok
Baguio
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.58 ₱101
$1.59 ₱101
-0.63%
White Bread (500g)
$0.89 ₱56.8
$1.14 ₱73.1
-21.93%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.64 ₱40.93
$0.97 ₱61.7
-34.02%
Eggs
$1.92 ₱123
$1.99 ₱127
-3.52%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.35 ₱405
$5.11 ₱326
24.27%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.72 ₱174
$3.27 ₱209
-16.82%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.61 ₱358
$7.63 ₱487
-26.47%
Apples (1kg)
$2.52 ₱161
$2.19 ₱140
15.07%
Banana (1kg)
$0.57 ₱36.13
$1.55 ₱99.3
-63.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.42 ₱154
$2.26 ₱144
7.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.76 ₱48.46
$1.02 ₱65.1
-25.49%
Potato (1kg)
$1.15 ₱73.5
$1.73 ₱110
-33.53%
Onion (1kg)
$2.78 ₱178
$1.69 ₱108
64.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.81 ₱51.5
$0.65 ₱41.24
24.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.66 ₱42.05
$0.51 ₱32.75
29.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.45 ₱156
$2.94 ₱188
-16.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.06 ₱451
$8.50 ₱543
-16.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.92 ₱58.5
$0.95 ₱60.5
-3.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52 ₱97.2
$2.05 ₱131
-25.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Polomolok
Baguio
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.22 ₱14.31
$0.22 ₱14.05
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.59 ₱804
$12.90 ₱825
-2.40%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.82 ₱52.3
$0.81 ₱51.9
1.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.22 ₱14.05
$0.24 ₱15.39
-8.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.92 ₱122
$1.90 ₱121
1.05%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.85 ₱54.3
$1.19 ₱76.2
-28.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$15.4K ₱985.8K
$21.3K ₱1.4M
-27.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.1K ₱1.1M
$18.8K ₱1.2M
-8.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Polomolok
Baguio
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$50.4 ₱3,219
$136 ₱8,684
-62.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.88 ₱1,207
$17.08 ₱1,091
10.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.19 ₱1,673
$23.01 ₱1,470
13.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Polomolok
Baguio
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.17 ₱1,992
$20.76 ₱1,326
50.14%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.26 ₱336
$5.23 ₱334
0.57%
Cinema Ticket
$3.93 ₱251
$5.03 ₱322
-21.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Polomolok
Baguio
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$106 ₱6,744
$132 ₱8,465
-20.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,346 ₱86.0K
$10.6K ₱674.1K
-87.25%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Polomolok
Baguio
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$32.46 ₱2,074
$28.91 ₱1,847
12.28%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$18.92 ₱1,209
$19.53 ₱1,248
-3.12%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$62.7 ₱4,006
$71.5 ₱4,568
-12.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$61.6 ₱3,936
$54.9 ₱3,507
12.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Polomolok
Baguio
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$254 ₱16.2K
$393 ₱25.1K
-35.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$169 ₱10.8K
$192 ₱12.3K
-11.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$558 ₱35.7K
$819 ₱52.3K
-31.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$359 ₱22.9K
$463 ₱29.6K
-22.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,598 ₱166.0K
$3,156 ₱201.6K
-17.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,128 ₱72.1K
$1,526 ₱97.5K
-26.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Polomolok
Baguio
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$233 ₱14.9K
$179 ₱11.4K
30.27%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6
6.75
-11.11%

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

Last update for Polomolok: October 24, 2026

Last update for Baguio: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Polomolok
$169
Baguio
$192 13.5% $23
Groceries & Markets
Polomolok
$156
Baguio
$171 10% $16
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Polomolok
$95
Baguio
$176 84.4% $81
Clothing & Footwear
Polomolok
$79
Baguio
$79 0.5% $0.4
Eating Out
Polomolok
$58
Baguio
$73 25.8% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Polomolok
$39
Baguio
$31 21% $8.2
Getting Around
Polomolok
$15
Baguio
$16 2.6% $0.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $254 in Polomolok and $393 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Polomolok pays 30% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $16 in Polomolok vs $17 in Baguio for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $156 vs $171 per month, with Polomolok cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Polomolok
🇵🇭 Baguio
🕒 Local time
04:27 4:27 AM
04:27 4:27 AM
Same time as Polomolok
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
172,605
366,358
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 63.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.13 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Polomolok Baguio 1,230 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Polomolok
  • 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
Polomolok vs Baguio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Polomolok or Baguio?
Polomolok wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Baguio. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Polomolok the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Polomolok or in Baguio?
Average pay runs 30% higher in Polomolok, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Polomolok compared to Baguio?
Rent for a central apartment: $254 in Polomolok versus $393 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Polomolok or in Baguio?
Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Baguio. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Polomolok compared to Baguio?
All in, you’ll spend $612 per month in Polomolok versus $737 in Baguio – Polomolok is about 17% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Polomolok 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.

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