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: $1,061 in Johor Bahru versus $834 in Mandaue.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,551 in Johor Bahru versus $1,204 in Mandaue.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,042 in Johor Bahru versus $1,575 in Mandaue.

Living in Johor Bahru is roughly 27% more expensive than in Mandaue, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Johor Bahru 23% lower, Mandaue 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.64 MYR 14.81

$3.01 ₱189

20.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.40 MYR 87.1

$23.14 ₱1,451

-7.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 MYR 20.14

$3.95 ₱248

25.32%

Cappuccino

$3.03 MYR 12.31

$2.47 ₱155

22.67%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.43

$0.58 ₱36.29

44.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.11

$0.53 ₱33.37

-1.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.40 MYR 17.91

$1.74 ₱109

152.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.13 MYR 24.95

$2.22 ₱139

176.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 MYR 7.13

$1.87 ₱117

-6.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 MYR 4.51

$1.12 ₱70.1

-0.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.95

$0.92 ₱57.4

58.70%

Eggs

$1.76 MYR 7.16

$1.96 ₱123

-10.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.53 MYR 75.4

$9.95 ₱624

86.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 MYR 18.86

$4.64 ₱291

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 MYR 44.12

$7.72 ₱484

40.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 MYR 14.11

$3.44 ₱216

0.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.86

$1.45 ₱90.7

16.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.96 MYR 16.09

$2.34 ₱147

69.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.64

$1.48 ₱92.6

10.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 5.98

$2.37 ₱149

-37.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 7.08

$1.96 ₱123

-11.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 MYR 5.43

$1.25 ₱78.1

6.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.25

$0.68 ₱42.58

-19.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 MYR 17.41

$2.36 ₱148

81.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.41 MYR 58.6

$6.22 ₱390

131.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 MYR 11.66

$1.29 ₱80.9

122.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 MYR 12.35

$1.67 ₱105

82.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MYR 3.13

$0.24 ₱14.95

220.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.45 MYR 50.6

$11.12 ₱697

11.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 MYR 5.85

$0.81 ₱50.6

77.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 MYR 2.89

$0.23 ₱14.42

208.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.69 MYR 39.44

$1.86 ₱117

420.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 MYR 3.19

$1.33 ₱83.4

-41.35%

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

$42.9K MYR 174.6K

$21.5K ₱1.3M

99.68%

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

$36.1K MYR 146.9K

$19.3K ₱1.2M

86.80%

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

$53.3 MYR 217

$97.2 ₱6,093

-45.15%

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

$11.37 MYR 46.27

$14.99 ₱939

-24.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.26 MYR 119

$27.45 ₱1,721

6.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.41 MYR 164

$32.14 ₱2,015

25.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.62 MYR 22.86

$4.76 ₱298

18.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MYR 19.75

$5.73 ₱359

-15.18%

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

$167 MYR 679

$133 ₱8,306

25.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,463 MYR 18.2K

$8,013 ₱502.3K

-44.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.5 MYR 271

$32.29 ₱2,024

105.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.90 MYR 68.8

$19.38 ₱1,215

-12.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.7 MYR 332

$77.2 ₱4,842

5.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.29 MYR 164

$56.4 ₱3,536

-28.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$518 MYR 2,108

$262 ₱16.4K

97.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 MYR 1,606

$256 ₱16.0K

54.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$903 MYR 3,673

$770 ₱48.3K

17.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MYR 2,567

$358 ₱22.5K

76.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,032 MYR 8,266

$2,560 ₱160.5K

-20.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,176 MYR 4,784

$1,054 ₱66.1K

11.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,090 MYR 4,434

$242 ₱15.2K

349.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

7.2

-43.61%

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

Last update for Johor Bahru: September 6, 2026

Last update for Mandaue: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $518 in Johor Bahru and $262 in Mandaue. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johor Bahru pays 350% 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 Johor Bahru vs $23.00 in Mandaue. Groceries flip the comparison at $273 vs $207, with Mandaue cheaper for home cooking.

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 27% in total monthly costs ($1,061 vs $834 including rent). Mandaue is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 350% 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: $518 in Johor Bahru versus $262 in Mandaue. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mandaue – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $21.00 in Johor Bahru. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,061 per month in Johor Bahru versus $834 in Mandaue – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $834 in Mandaue versus $1,061 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 27% less than in Johor Bahru. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.