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: $714 in Puerto Princesa versus $748 in Baguio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,062 in Puerto Princesa versus $1,182 in Baguio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,409 in Puerto Princesa versus $1,616 in Baguio.

Living in Puerto Princesa costs roughly 5% less than in Baguio, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Puerto Princesa 48% lower, Baguio 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.38 ₱274

$4.03 ₱252

8.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.56 ₱1,035

$16.79 ₱1,050

-1.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.41 ₱276

$2.77 ₱173

59.21%

Cappuccino

$2.38 ₱149

$1.79 ₱112

32.96%

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

$0.91 ₱56.6

$0.55 ₱34.69

65.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.45

$0.35 ₱21.57

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.26 ₱78.9

$1.02 ₱63.9

23.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 ₱148

$1.64 ₱103

44.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ₱110

$1.62 ₱101

8.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ₱62.6

$1.12 ₱69.9

-10.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 ₱48.65

$0.98 ₱61.3

-20.41%

Eggs

$1.76 ₱110

$2.11 ₱132

-16.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.30 ₱331

$5.00 ₱313

6.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.51 ₱344

$3.36 ₱210

63.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.91 ₱432

$8.12 ₱508

-14.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ₱150

$2.29 ₱143

4.80%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 ₱57.7

$1.62 ₱101

-43.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 ₱171

$2.33 ₱146

17.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ₱72.1

$1.08 ₱67.3

6.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ₱93.1

$1.68 ₱105

-11.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ₱82.8

$1.71 ₱107

-22.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 ₱48.94

$0.62 ₱39.00

25.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₱45.21

$0.49 ₱30.59

46.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱184

$2.99 ₱187

-1.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.02 ₱439

$8.98 ₱561

-21.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₱64.1

$0.95 ₱59.6

7.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱81.3

$2.11 ₱132

-38.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.63

$0.25 ₱15.64

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.53 ₱721

$12.67 ₱792

-9.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.8

$0.76 ₱47.83

6.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.90

$0.25 ₱15.71

-12.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 ₱122

$1.96 ₱122

-1.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ₱65.3

$1.20 ₱75.0

-13.33%

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

$16.9K ₱1.1M

$21.4K ₱1.3M

-20.97%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$19.6K ₱1.2M

0.58%

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

$63.1 ₱3,945

$144 ₱8,974

-56.04%

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

$10.88 ₱680

$17.30 ₱1,082

-37.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.45 ₱1,529

$23.28 ₱1,456

5.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.25 ₱2,016

$21.30 ₱1,332

51.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.97 ₱311

$5.36 ₱335

-7.28%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 ₱318

$5.19 ₱325

-2.12%

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

$131 ₱8,214

$131 ₱8,191

0.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,903 ₱494.2K

$10.6K ₱663.5K

-25.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.15 ₱2,010

$29.51 ₱1,845

8.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.63 ₱1,227

$19.29 ₱1,206

1.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.0 ₱4,564

$73.0 ₱4,568

-0.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.4 ₱3,461

$55.4 ₱3,466

-0.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$289 ₱18.1K

$411 ₱25.7K

-29.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 ₱12.7K

$198 ₱12.4K

2.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₱32.2K

$851 ₱53.2K

-39.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 ₱20.0K

$466 ₱29.1K

-31.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,600 ₱162.6K

$2,650 ₱165.7K

-1.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,047 ₱65.4K

$919 ₱57.5K

13.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$221 ₱13.8K

$180 ₱11.2K

23.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.12

6.75

20.30%

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

Last update for Puerto Princesa: August 31, 2026

Last update for Baguio: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $289 in Puerto Princesa and $411 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Puerto Princesa pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $17.00 in Puerto Princesa vs $17.00 in Baguio. Groceries flip the comparison at $177 vs $175, with Baguio 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

Puerto Princesa wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Baguio. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Puerto Princesa the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 23% higher in Puerto Princesa, 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: $289 in Puerto Princesa versus $411 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $714 per month in Puerto Princesa versus $748 in Baguio – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Puerto Princesa runs roughly 10% less than in Baguio. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Puerto Princesa 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 Puerto Princesa delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $714 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Puerto Princesa 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 Puerto Princesa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Baguio. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.