Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tagbilaran City and Baguio

For one person, living is cheaper in Tagbilaran City: $620 a month against $748 in Baguio, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

30

Cost of Living Index in Tagbilaran City
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Tagbilaran City Living Index
36

Cost of Living Index in Baguio
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Baguio Living Index

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Tagbilaran City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$620

/mo nomad

Baguio

🇵🇭 Philippines

$748

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $620 in Tagbilaran City versus $748 in Baguio.

Tagbilaran City $620
Baguio $748

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,005 in Tagbilaran City versus $1,157 in Baguio.

Tagbilaran City $1,005
Baguio $1,157

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,390 in Tagbilaran City versus $1,566 in Baguio.

Tagbilaran City $1,390
Baguio $1,566

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Tagbilaran City 54% lower, Baguio 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.93 ₱185

$3.88 ₱244

-24.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.16 ₱1,081

$16.81 ₱1,058

2.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.91 ₱183

$2.83 ₱178

2.83%

Cappuccino

$2.48 ₱156

$1.77 ₱111

40.11%

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

$0.99 ₱62.6

$0.57 ₱35.76

73.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱26.32

$0.31 ₱19.29

35.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.77 ₱48.77

$0.98 ₱61.5

-21.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₱142

$1.62 ₱102

38.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 ₱94.0

$1.68 ₱106

-11.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 ₱63.8

$1.10 ₱69.3

-8.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₱61.9

$1.01 ₱63.8

-2.97%

Eggs

$1.72 ₱108

$1.99 ₱125

-13.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.68 ₱610

$4.94 ₱311

95.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 ₱287

$3.49 ₱220

30.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱485

$7.73 ₱487

-0.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ₱183

$2.22 ₱140

30.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 ₱82.3

$1.60 ₱100

-18.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱149

$2.38 ₱150

-0.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ₱95.8

$1.03 ₱65.1

47.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 ₱146

$1.74 ₱110

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₱120

$1.74 ₱109

9.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ₱43.81

$0.61 ₱38.71

14.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱31.38

$0.49 ₱30.80

2.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₱149

$2.91 ₱183

-18.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.33 ₱399

$8.57 ₱540

-26.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₱58.1

$0.92 ₱58.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 ₱65.7

$2.01 ₱127

-48.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ₱29.42

$0.23 ₱14.39

104.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.79 ₱806

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱49.99

$0.76 ₱47.69

3.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.87

$0.25 ₱15.82

-12.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 ₱276

$1.93 ₱122

126.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 ₱65.1

$1.19 ₱74.8

-13.45%

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

$21.5K ₱1.4M

$21.2K ₱1.3M

1.36%

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

$19.2K ₱1.2M

$19.5K ₱1.2M

-1.59%

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

$78.0 ₱4,911

$141 ₱8,908

-44.87%

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

$14.28 ₱899

$17.70 ₱1,114

-19.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.32 ₱1,594

$23.50 ₱1,479

7.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.92 ₱687

$21.59 ₱1,359

-49.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.22 ₱203

$5.31 ₱334

-39.36%

Cinema Ticket

$3.60 ₱227

$5.22 ₱329

-31.03%

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

$280 ₱17.6K

$130 ₱8,180

115.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,908 ₱497.9K

$10.8K ₱682.6K

-27.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.94 ₱2,326

$28.85 ₱1,816

28.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.89 ₱1,126

$19.38 ₱1,220

-7.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 ₱4,094

$72.3 ₱4,551

-10.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.2 ₱3,665

$54.9 ₱3,458

5.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$190 ₱12.0K

$398 ₱25.0K

-52.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 ₱8,524

$192 ₱12.1K

-29.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ₱30.3K

$838 ₱52.7K

-42.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 ₱22.0K

$454 ₱28.6K

-22.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$805 ₱50.7K

$2,660 ₱167.5K

-69.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$476 ₱30.0K

$925 ₱58.2K

-48.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$171 ₱10.8K

$183 ₱11.5K

-6.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

6.75

6.67%

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

Last update for Tagbilaran City: October 19, 2026

Last update for Baguio: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Tagbilaran City

$189 30.5%

Baguio

$173 23.2% 8.3% $16

Accommodation & Living

Tagbilaran City

$135 21.8%

Baguio

$192 25.7% 42% $57

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tagbilaran City

$118 19%

Baguio

$183 24.4% 55.3% $65

Clothing & Footwear

Tagbilaran City

$80 12.9%

Baguio

$79 10.6% 1.5% $1.2

Eating Out

Tagbilaran City

$76 12.3%

Baguio

$72 9.7% 4.6% $3.5

Sport & Entertainment

Tagbilaran City

$18 2.9%

Baguio

$32 4.3% 76.8% $14

Getting Around

Tagbilaran City

$3.8 * 0.6%

Baguio

$16 2.1% 318% $12

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $190 in Tagbilaran City and $398 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baguio pays 7% 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: $17.00 in Tagbilaran City vs $17.00 in Baguio. Groceries flip the comparison at $189 vs $173, with Baguio cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Tagbilaran City

🇵🇭 Baguio

🕒 Local time

15:55 3:55 PM

Same time as Tagbilaran City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

86,411

366,358

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Tagbilaran City Baguio 830 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Tagbilaran City
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

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

Tagbilaran City wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Baguio. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tagbilaran City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 7% lower in Baguio. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $190 in Tagbilaran City versus $398 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Baguio pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $620 per month in Tagbilaran City versus $748 in Baguio – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Tagbilaran City gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

Safety-wise, Tagbilaran 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 Tagbilaran City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Baguio. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.