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: $446 in Tuguegarao versus $323 in Sambalpur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $735 in Tuguegarao versus $517 in Sambalpur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,024 in Tuguegarao versus $711 in Sambalpur.

Living in Tuguegarao is roughly 38% more expensive than in Sambalpur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tuguegarao 68% lower, Sambalpur 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.57 ₱98.1

$2.16 ₹205

-27.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.93 ₱1,059

$5.28 ₹501

220.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.76 ₱172

$2.42 ₹229

14.05%

Cappuccino

$1.77 ₱111

$1.36 ₹130

30.15%

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

$0.44 ₱27.47

$0.22 ₹20.91

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₱18.95

$0.12 ₹11.61

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 ₱63.3

$1.15 ₹109

-12.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₱97.2

$3.07 ₹292

-49.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 ₱106

$0.54 ₹51.4

214.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 ₱72.3

$0.52 ₹49.64

123.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.70 ₱43.76

$0.60 ₹56.7

16.67%

Eggs

$2.01 ₱126

$0.90 ₹85.5

123.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.06 ₱316

$3.23 ₹307

56.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.38 ₱212

$2.36 ₹224

43.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.04 ₱503

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₱143

$2.04 ₹194

12.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ₱101

$0.69 ₹66.0

134.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 ₱153

$1.35 ₹128

81.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 ₱64.9

$0.48 ₹45.25

116.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 ₱111

$0.30 ₹28.56

490.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 ₱109

$0.41 ₹38.52

324.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ₱40.75

$0.53 ₹50.6

22.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.37

$0.30 ₹28.31

63.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 ₱118

$3.28 ₹312

-42.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.80 ₱550

$8.08 ₹767

8.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ₱59.7

$1.19 ₹113

-20.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 ₱125

$2.56 ₹243

-21.88%

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

$5.88 ₹558

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₹48.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.02 ₹1,236

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.8

$1.08 ₹102

-25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.26

$0.14 ₹12.90

64.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ₱119

$1.02 ₹96.7

86.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱68.4

$0.97 ₹92.6

12.37%

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

$21.6K ₱1.3M

$6,922 ₹657.3K

211.76%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$13.9K ₹1.3M

37.23%

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

$32.28 ₱2,018

$34.15 ₹3,243

-5.48%

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

$17.31 ₱1,083

$3.29 ₹313

426.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.34 ₱1,460

$6.49 ₹616

259.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.80 ₱1,489

$20.97 ₹1,992

13.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.73 ₱296

$3.66 ₹347

29.23%

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 ₱322

$3.12 ₹296

64.74%

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

$131 ₱8,222

$65.1 ₹6,182

101.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ₱658.9K

$2,312 ₹219.6K

355.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.93 ₱1,809

$17.22 ₹1,635

68.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.36 ₱1,210

$24.22 ₹2,300

-20.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.67 ₱2,543

$43.88 ₹4,166

-7.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$23.57 ₱1,474

$22.45 ₹2,132

4.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$130 ₱8,119

$59.7 ₹5,672

117.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.2 ₱4,074

$42.44 ₹4,030

53.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$190 ₱11.9K

$178 ₹16.9K

6.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$129 ₱8,087

$128 ₹12.1K

1.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$584 ₹55.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$504 ₹47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$209 ₱13.1K

$364 ₹34.6K

-42.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

-25.00%

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

Last update for Tuguegarao: August 30, 2026

Last update for Sambalpur: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $130 in Tuguegarao and $59.7 in Sambalpur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sambalpur pays 74% 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 Tuguegarao vs $5.00 in Sambalpur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $175 vs $95.0 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 74% lower in Sambalpur. 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: $130 in Tuguegarao versus $59.7 in Sambalpur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $131 in Tuguegarao versus $65.1 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 $5.00 versus $17.00 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 38% less than in Tuguegarao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.