Cost of Living Comparison Between Quezon City and Baguio Cost of Living Comparison Between Quezon City and Baguio

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $906 in Quezon City versus $788 in Baguio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,375 in Quezon City versus $1,154 in Baguio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,844 in Quezon City versus $1,520 in Baguio.

Living in Quezon City is roughly 15% more expensive than Baguio, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Quezon City 32% lower, Baguio 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.89 ₱302

$3.57 ₱220

36.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.49 ₱1,325

$13.38 ₱825

60.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.12 ₱192

$2.64 ₱162

18.18%

Cappuccino

$2.85 ₱176

$2.36 ₱145

20.76%

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

$0.92 ₱56.8

$0.65 ₱40.14

41.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₱23.27

$0.38 ₱23.18

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ₱75.3

$1.39 ₱85.5

-12.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ₱167

$1.89 ₱117

43.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ₱133

$1.88 ₱116

14.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 ₱74.1

$1.19 ₱73.4

0.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.4

$1.12 ₱68.8

-3.57%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱125

$2.22 ₱137

-8.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.10 ₱438

$9.21 ₱568

-22.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.24 ₱261

$3.74 ₱231

13.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.39 ₱456

$8.33 ₱514

-11.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 ₱269

$2.74 ₱169

59.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ₱98.6

$1.80 ₱111

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 ₱184

$2.39 ₱147

24.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ₱101

$1.20 ₱74.3

35.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 ₱178

$1.81 ₱112

59.67%

Onion (1kg)

$4.16 ₱256

$2.29 ₱141

81.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 ₱97.0

$0.73 ₱45.12

115.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ₱64.5

$0.72 ₱44.25

45.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 ₱193

$3.26 ₱201

-3.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.20 ₱444

$9.08 ₱560

-20.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₱95.4

$1.06 ₱65.5

46.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₱125

$2.31 ₱143

-12.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₱28.17

$0.26 ₱15.91

76.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.85 ₱669

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱51.6

$0.92 ₱57.0

-8.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.24

$0.24 ₱14.88

4.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ₱133

$2.40 ₱148

-10.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.1

$1.12 ₱69.0

-2.68%

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

$25.3K ₱1.6M

$31.8K ₱2.0M

-20.56%

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

$20.2K ₱1.2M

$20.3K ₱1.3M

-0.51%

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

$161 ₱9,945

$147 ₱9,087

9.44%

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

$33.64 ₱2,074

$35.37 ₱2,181

-4.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.00 ₱1,850

$26.43 ₱1,630

13.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.35 ₱1,501

$22.38 ₱1,380

8.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 ₱391

$4.18 ₱257

51.67%

Cinema Ticket

$7.22 ₱445

$5.60 ₱346

28.93%

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

$79.8 ₱4,920

$154 ₱9,495

-48.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,821 ₱173.9K

$4,706 ₱290.2K

-40.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.80 ₱1,961

$47.79 ₱2,947

-33.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.11 ₱1,795

$27.10 ₱1,671

7.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.7 ₱6,085

$76.1 ₱4,690

29.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.6 ₱5,894

$45.80 ₱2,824

108.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$274 ₱16.9K

$345 ₱21.3K

-20.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 ₱12.2K

$145 ₱8,959

36.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ₱45.5K

$549 ₱33.8K

34.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 ₱26.5K

$261 ₱16.1K

64.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ₱145.7K

$2,417 ₱149.1K

-2.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,479 ₱91.2K

$933 ₱57.5K

58.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$436 ₱26.9K

$181 ₱11.2K

140.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.13

4.5

80.67%

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

Last update for Quezon City: June 2, 2026

Last update for Baguio: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $274 in Quezon City and $345 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quezon City pays 140% 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: $21.00 in Quezon City vs $13.00 in Baguio for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $224 vs $205 per month, with Baguio cheaper across the board.

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

Quezon City vs Baguio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baguio wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Quezon City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baguio the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Quezon City pays 140% 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: $274 in Quezon City versus $345 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Quezon City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $906 per month in Quezon City versus $788 in Baguio – a 15% 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, Quezon City 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 15% less than in Quezon City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.