Cost of Living Comparison Between Johor Bahru and Mandaue Cost of Living Comparison Between Johor Bahru and Mandaue

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $954 in Johor Bahru versus $901 in Mandaue.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,384 in Johor Bahru versus $1,344 in Mandaue.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,813 in Johor Bahru versus $1,787 in Mandaue.

Living in Johor Bahru is roughly 6% more expensive than in Mandaue, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Johor Bahru 28% lower, Mandaue 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 MYR 14.92

$4.38 ₱265

-17.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.70 MYR 77.0

$24.35 ₱1,474

-23.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 MYR 19.02

$4.48 ₱271

3.12%

Cappuccino

$2.99 MYR 12.31

$2.58 ₱156

15.89%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.31

$0.83 ₱50.5

-3.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 2.02

$0.43 ₱25.86

13.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 MYR 14.40

$1.56 ₱94.6

124.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.63 MYR 27.30

$2.12 ₱128

212.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 MYR 7.66

$2.09 ₱127

-11.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 4.12

$0.77 ₱46.37

29.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 MYR 5.36

$0.93 ₱56.2

39.78%

Eggs

$1.89 MYR 7.77

$2.19 ₱133

-13.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.72 MYR 44.10

$12.94 ₱784

-17.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 MYR 14.64

$5.18 ₱313

-31.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.06 MYR 33.15

$7.70 ₱466

4.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MYR 11.43

$3.60 ₱218

-22.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.98

$1.45 ₱87.7

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 MYR 10.53

$3.33 ₱201

-23.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 5.01

$2.29 ₱139

-46.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.71

$2.59 ₱157

-55.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.46

$2.47 ₱150

-46.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MYR 3.88

$0.98 ₱59.3

-4.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.28

$0.82 ₱49.83

-32.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MYR 17.89

$2.70 ₱163

61.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.43 MYR 59.4

$6.61 ₱400

118.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 MYR 10.92

$1.15 ₱69.5

130.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 MYR 12.45

$2.28 ₱138

32.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.84

$0.28 ₱17.09

146.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.59 MYR 47.71

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.20

$0.87 ₱53.0

17.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.23

$0.23 ₱13.82

347.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.50 MYR 39.10

$2.70 ₱163

251.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.07

$1.11 ₱67.2

-54.95%

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

$35.9K MYR 147.7K

$30.2K ₱1.8M

18.83%

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

$27.8K MYR 114.5K

$27.4K ₱1.7M

1.55%

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

$41.78 MYR 172

$98.9 ₱5,986

-57.74%

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

$9.07 MYR 37.31

$26.32 ₱1,593

-65.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.16 MYR 128

$29.98 ₱1,815

3.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.11 MYR 144

$47.80 ₱2,894

-26.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.93 MYR 24.40

$4.42 ₱267

34.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 MYR 20.05

$5.90 ₱357

-17.46%

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

$189 MYR 777

$234 ₱14.2K

-19.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,837 MYR 28.1K

$3,863 ₱233.8K

77.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.34 MYR 203

$45.14 ₱2,733

9.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.13 MYR 78.7

$23.24 ₱1,407

-17.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.8 MYR 221

$75.9 ₱4,596

-29.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.40 MYR 162

$54.8 ₱3,318

-28.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 MYR 1,892

$258 ₱15.6K

78.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 MYR 1,676

$287 ₱17.4K

41.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$819 MYR 3,370

$851 ₱51.5K

-3.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$599 MYR 2,463

$447 ₱27.0K

33.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,021 MYR 8,316

$2,100 ₱127.1K

-3.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,158 MYR 4,767

$1,108 ₱67.1K

4.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,096 MYR 4,512

$250 ₱15.1K

339.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

-49.13%

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

Last update for Johor Bahru: June 15, 2026

Last update for Mandaue: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $460 in Johor Bahru and $258 in Mandaue. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johor Bahru pays 339% 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: $19.00 in Johor Bahru vs $24.00 in Mandaue for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $230 per month, with Johor Bahru 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

Johor Bahru vs Mandaue: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Johor Bahru and Mandaue differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($954 vs $901 including rent). Mandaue is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 339% higher in Johor Bahru, 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: $460 in Johor Bahru versus $258 in Mandaue. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $189 in Johor Bahru versus $234 in Mandaue. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mandaue – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $19.00 in Johor Bahru. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $901 in Mandaue versus $954 in Johor Bahru, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mandaue but tight or insufficient in Johor Bahru. The gap between the two cities makes Mandaue the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Johor Bahru and Mandaue 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 Mandaue gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Johor Bahru. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.