Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Princesa and Baguio Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Princesa and Baguio

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $809 in Puerto Princesa versus $788 in Baguio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,180 in Puerto Princesa versus $1,154 in Baguio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,550 in Puerto Princesa versus $1,520 in Baguio.

Living in Puerto Princesa is roughly 3% more expensive than Baguio, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Puerto Princesa 40% lower, Baguio 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.10 ₱253

$3.57 ₱220

14.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.71 ₱1,647

$13.38 ₱825

99.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.27 ₱263

$2.64 ₱162

61.74%

Cappuccino

$2.46 ₱152

$2.36 ₱145

4.24%

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

$0.68 ₱41.75

$0.65 ₱40.14

4.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₱23.46

$0.38 ₱23.18

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.26 ₱77.5

$1.39 ₱85.5

-9.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₱106

$1.89 ₱117

-8.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 ₱94.5

$1.88 ₱116

-18.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 ₱72.1

$1.19 ₱73.4

-1.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 ₱51.8

$1.12 ₱68.8

-25.00%

Eggs

$1.88 ₱116

$2.22 ₱137

-15.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.83 ₱544

$9.21 ₱568

-4.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.03 ₱310

$3.74 ₱231

34.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.23 ₱384

$8.33 ₱514

-25.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 ₱216

$2.74 ₱169

28.10%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 ₱57.3

$1.80 ₱111

-48.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.48 ₱214

$2.39 ₱147

45.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 ₱55.6

$1.20 ₱74.3

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 ₱111

$1.81 ₱112

-0.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 ₱84.4

$2.29 ₱141

-40.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 ₱64.6

$0.73 ₱45.12

43.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ₱45.28

$0.72 ₱44.25

1.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₱182

$3.26 ₱201

-9.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.18 ₱443

$9.08 ₱560

-20.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ₱69.6

$1.06 ₱65.5

6.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ₱111

$2.31 ₱143

-22.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.47

$0.26 ₱15.91

7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.85 ₱669

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ₱112

$0.92 ₱57.0

96.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.50

$0.24 ₱14.88

-8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 ₱129

$2.40 ₱148

-12.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₱74.7

$1.12 ₱69.0

8.04%

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

$14.4K ₱890.6K

$31.8K ₱2.0M

-54.56%

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

$20.4K ₱1.3M

$20.3K ₱1.3M

0.41%

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

$122 ₱7,495

$147 ₱9,087

-17.53%

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

$13.69 ₱844

$35.37 ₱2,181

-61.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.56 ₱2,131

$26.43 ₱1,630

30.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.23 ₱1,618

$22.38 ₱1,380

17.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.33 ₱267

$4.18 ₱257

3.59%

Cinema Ticket

$5.30 ₱327

$5.60 ₱346

-5.36%

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

$62.5 ₱3,856

$154 ₱9,495

-59.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,255 ₱262.4K

$4,706 ₱290.2K

-9.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.30 ₱2,793

$47.79 ₱2,947

-5.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.63 ₱1,642

$27.10 ₱1,671

-1.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.2 ₱4,640

$76.1 ₱4,690

-1.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.3 ₱3,222

$45.80 ₱2,824

14.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$291 ₱18.0K

$345 ₱21.3K

-15.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 ₱14.0K

$145 ₱8,959

56.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 ₱27.0K

$549 ₱33.8K

-20.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$314 ₱19.4K

$261 ₱16.1K

20.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ₱149.1K

$2,417 ₱149.1K

0.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$970 ₱59.8K

$933 ₱57.5K

3.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$223 ₱13.7K

$181 ₱11.2K

22.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.25

4.5

83.33%

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

Last update for Puerto Princesa: June 1, 2026

Last update for Baguio: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $291 in Puerto Princesa and $345 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Puerto Princesa pays 23% 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: $27.00 in Puerto Princesa vs $13.00 in Baguio. Groceries flip the comparison at $195 vs $205, with Puerto Princesa 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

Puerto Princesa vs Baguio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baguio wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Puerto Princesa. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baguio the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Puerto Princesa pays 23% 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: $291 in Puerto Princesa versus $345 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Puerto Princesa pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $809 per month in Puerto Princesa versus $788 in Baguio – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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 work as nomad bases, but Baguio delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $788 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Baguio hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Puerto Princesa 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 3% less than in Puerto Princesa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.