Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandaluyong and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandaluyong and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $851 in Mandaluyong versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,297 in Mandaluyong versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,744 in Mandaluyong versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Mandaluyong costs roughly 33% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mandaluyong 36% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.25 ₱324

$4.70 ฿153

11.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.68 ₱1,090

$45.37 ฿1,482

-61.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.29 ₱203

$8.43 ฿275

-60.97%

Cappuccino

$2.35 ₱145

$2.93 ฿95.6

-19.80%

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

$0.92 ₱57.0

$0.69 ฿22.40

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱32.92

$0.37 ฿11.99

43.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 ₱95.4

$2.41 ฿78.6

-35.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ₱166

$3.72 ฿122

-27.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ₱113

$2.23 ฿72.9

-17.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 ₱83.0

$1.83 ฿59.8

-26.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ₱67.9

$2.17 ฿70.8

-49.31%

Eggs

$2.17 ₱134

$2.21 ฿72.3

-1.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.94 ₱551

$19.74 ฿645

-54.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.15 ₱317

$3.63 ฿119

41.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 ₱533

$13.53 ฿442

-36.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ₱209

$3.28 ฿107

3.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₱114

$1.61 ฿52.6

14.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.51 ₱216

$2.41 ฿78.6

45.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.38 ₱147

$2.08 ฿68.1

14.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$1.53 ฿49.93

76.47%

Onion (1kg)

$3.10 ₱191

$1.48 ฿48.36

109.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ₱41.55

$0.99 ฿32.29

-32.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₱39.55

$0.51 ฿16.67

25.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 ₱205

$4.41 ฿144

-24.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.75 ₱540

$19.38 ฿633

-54.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ₱89.0

$1.78 ฿58.1

-19.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₱132

$2.71 ฿88.6

-21.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ₱20.88

$1.37 ฿44.79

-75.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 ₱52.6

$3.02 ฿98.6

-71.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.35

$0.99 ฿32.48

-74.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 ₱130

$14.10 ฿461

-85.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₱70.4

$1.36 ฿44.51

-16.18%

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

$26.9K ₱1.7M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-4.49%

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

$20.3K ₱1.2M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-38.41%

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

$138 ₱8,497

$122 ฿3,975

13.23%

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

$34.72 ₱2,141

$13.57 ฿443

155.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.60 ₱1,640

$18.31 ฿598

45.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.81 ₱2,085

$60.2 ฿1,967

-43.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.52 ₱279

$17.14 ฿560

-73.63%

Cinema Ticket

$6.83 ₱421

$8.69 ฿284

-21.40%

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

$150 ₱9,277

$693 ฿22.6K

-78.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,814 ₱296.9K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-69.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.69 ₱2,879

$59.5 ฿1,944

-21.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.59 ₱2,194

$34.77 ฿1,136

2.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,724

$115 ฿3,743

-33.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.18 ₱2,909

$83.3 ฿2,720

-43.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$534 ₱32.9K

$613 ฿20.0K

-12.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ₱11.1K

$437 ฿14.3K

-58.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 ₱36.0K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-72.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$392 ₱24.1K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-74.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,834 ₱174.7K

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-24.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ₱36.4K

$508 ฿16.6K

16.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

5.33

-15.57%

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

Last update for Mandaluyong: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $534 in Mandaluyong and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mandaluyong pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $18.00 in Mandaluyong vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $293 per month, with Mandaluyong 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

Mandaluyong vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mandaluyong and Phuket differ by about 49% in total monthly costs ($851 vs $1,265 including rent). Mandaluyong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mandaluyong pays 16% more on average, 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: $534 in Mandaluyong versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $150 in Mandaluyong versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mandaluyong – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $851 in Mandaluyong versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mandaluyong but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Mandaluyong 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, Mandaluyong and Phuket 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 Mandaluyong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.