Cost of Living Comparison Between Tuguegarao and Sambalpur Cost of Living Comparison Between Tuguegarao and Sambalpur

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $631 in Tuguegarao versus $322 in Sambalpur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,012 in Tuguegarao versus $530 in Sambalpur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,393 in Tuguegarao versus $738 in Sambalpur.

Living in Tuguegarao is roughly 96% more expensive than Sambalpur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tuguegarao 53% lower, Sambalpur 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.74 ₱107

$2.35 ₹224

-25.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.16 ₱811

$8.88 ₹846

48.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.60 ₱160

$2.39 ₹227

8.79%

Cappuccino

$2.34 ₱144

$1.51 ₹144

54.97%

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

$0.51 ₱31.65

$0.24 ₹23.00

112.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₱20.47

$0.17 ₹15.96

94.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.38 ₱85.2

$1.38 ₹131

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₱119

$3.47 ₹330

-44.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ₱112

$0.61 ₹57.9

198.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ₱77.1

$0.48 ₹45.96

160.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 ₱50.1

$0.57 ₹53.9

42.11%

Eggs

$2.27 ₱140

$1.01 ₹95.9

124.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.43 ₱397

$3.67 ₹349

75.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ₱232

$1.77 ₹169

112.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.62 ₱531

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 ₱169

$2.19 ₹208

25.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ₱110

$0.55 ₹52.7

225.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ₱147

$0.89 ₹84.7

168.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ₱72.0

$0.30 ₹28.64

290.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 ₱112

$0.36 ₹34.05

402.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 ₱141

$0.28 ₹26.29

717.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ₱44.68

$0.43 ₹41.03

67.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₱43.70

$0.30 ₹28.67

136.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 ₱134

$4.04 ₹385

-46.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.81 ₱543

$8.01 ₹763

9.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 ₱66.2

$1.44 ₹137

-25.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₱138

$2.93 ₹279

-23.21%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$7.03 ₹669

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.93

$0.39 ₹37.34

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.95 ₹566

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 ₱57.3

$1.19 ₹114

-21.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.89

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ₱145

$2.36 ₹225

-0.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₱70.6

$0.91 ₹86.5

25.27%

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

$31.8K ₱2.0M

$9,257 ₹881.8K

243.99%

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

$20.4K ₱1.3M

$19.5K ₹1.9M

4.57%

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

$35.99 ₱2,219

$37.67 ₹3,588

-4.46%

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

$17.56 ₱1,083

$3.22 ₹307

445.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.12 ₱1,611

$5.67 ₹540

360.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.28 ₱2,052

$17.30 ₹1,648

92.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.46 ₱275

$5.79 ₹551

-22.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.89 ₱363

$3.53 ₹336

66.86%

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

$150 ₱9,263

$28.98 ₹2,761

418.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,809 ₱296.5K

$2,004 ₹190.9K

139.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.65 ₱3,062

$22.95 ₹2,186

116.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.18 ₱1,676

$29.28 ₹2,789

-7.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.03 ₱2,777

$52.3 ₹4,983

-13.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.05 ₱1,668

$19.26 ₹1,834

40.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 ₱16.1K

$64.3 ₹6,120

306.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₱11.0K

$40.03 ₹3,813

346.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$578 ₱35.7K

$177 ₹16.9K

226.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$399 ₱24.6K

$124 ₹11.8K

221.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$598 ₹57.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$199 ₹19.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$212 ₱13.1K

$364 ₹34.7K

-41.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

8.33

-45.98%

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

Last update for Tuguegarao: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sambalpur: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $261 in Tuguegarao and $64.3 in Sambalpur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sambalpur pays 72% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $13.00 in Tuguegarao vs $9.00 in Sambalpur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $92.0 per month, with Sambalpur 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

Tuguegarao vs Sambalpur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sambalpur is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 96% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Sambalpur earns 72% less. 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: $261 in Tuguegarao versus $64.3 in Sambalpur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $150 in Tuguegarao versus $28.98 in Sambalpur. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Sambalpur – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $13.00 in Tuguegarao. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Sambalpur 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, Tuguegarao and Sambalpur 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 Sambalpur gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Tuguegarao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.