Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandaluyong and The Pearl-Qatar Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandaluyong and The Pearl-Qatar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $840 in Mandaluyong versus $2,678 in The Pearl-Qatar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,407 in Mandaluyong versus $3,985 in The Pearl-Qatar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,973 in Mandaluyong versus $5,292 in The Pearl-Qatar.

Living in Mandaluyong costs roughly 69% less than in The Pearl-Qatar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mandaluyong is 39% below, The Pearl-Qatar is 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.81 ₱301

$8.04 QAR 29.28

-40.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.07 ₱1,070

$72.1 QAR 262

-76.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.64 ₱228

$8.38 QAR 30.52

-56.56%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.17 QAR 44.29

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.71 QAR 49.92

Cappuccino

$2.17 ₱136

$5.60 QAR 20.39

-61.25%

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

$1.02 ₱63.8

$1.01 QAR 3.68

0.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱32.92

$0.41 QAR 1.50

29.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 ₱74.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 ₱165

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ₱103

$1.61 QAR 5.87

1.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 ₱84.6

$1.39 QAR 5.05

-2.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₱61.2

$1.94 QAR 7.07

-49.48%

Eggs

$2.26 ₱142

$2.55 QAR 9.28

-11.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.09 ₱319

$6.80 QAR 24.77

-25.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 ₱304

$8.33 QAR 30.32

-41.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.04 ₱441

$11.17 QAR 40.64

-36.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ₱211

$2.26 QAR 8.22

48.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 ₱118

$1.79 QAR 6.52

5.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 ₱191

$1.50 QAR 5.45

103.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 ₱116

$1.26 QAR 4.59

46.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 ₱140

$1.01 QAR 3.68

121.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.63 ₱165

$0.85 QAR 3.11

209.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ₱39.03

$1.44 QAR 5.23

-56.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₱32.78

$0.55 QAR 1.99

-5.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.40 QAR 34.22

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 QAR 6.84

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 QAR 8.17

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 ₱186

$6.35 QAR 23.10

-53.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.51 ₱534

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₱57.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₱129

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₱23.28

$0.56 QAR 2.04

-33.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.44 QAR 114

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.07

$1.90 QAR 6.90

-59.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.75

$0.53 QAR 1.91

-52.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₱117

$9.50 QAR 34.57

-80.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₱71.6

$0.55 QAR 2.00

107.27%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$16.0K QAR 58.4K

34.04%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$14.8K QAR 54.0K

30.68%

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

$142 ₱8,886

$86.9 QAR 316

63.14%

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

$17.85 ₱1,119

$31.78 QAR 116

-43.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.76 ₱1,489

$74.6 QAR 272

-68.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.47 ₱1,973

$175 QAR 638

-82.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.80 QAR 138

Cinema Ticket

$6.11 ₱383

$11.78 QAR 42.89

-48.13%

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

$134 ₱8,424

$682 QAR 2,483

-80.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,110 ₱571.1K

$9,892 QAR 36.0K

-7.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.41 ₱1,781

$58.9 QAR 214

-51.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.01 ₱1,756

$49.66 QAR 181

-43.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 ₱4,424

$78.8 QAR 287

-10.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.8 ₱3,563

$86.5 QAR 315

-34.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 ₱38.5K

$2,208 QAR 8,037

-72.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ₱14.9K

$1,711 QAR 6,229

-86.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 ₱76.5K

$4,276 QAR 15.6K

-71.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$711 ₱44.6K

$2,995 QAR 10.9K

-76.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,800 ₱175.5K

$7,369 QAR 26.8K

-62.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,386 QAR 19.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 ₱34.3K

$7,224 QAR 26.3K

-92.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

4.29

57.34%

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

Last update for Mandaluyong: September 7, 2026

Last update for The Pearl-Qatar: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $614 in Mandaluyong and $2,208 in The Pearl-Qatar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

The Pearl-Qatar pays 1219% 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: $17.00 in Mandaluyong vs $72.0 in The Pearl-Qatar. Groceries flip the comparison at $199 vs $195, with The Pearl-Qatar 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

Mandaluyong vs The Pearl-Qatar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mandaluyong and The Pearl-Qatar differ by about 219% in total monthly costs ($840 vs $2,678 including rent). Mandaluyong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1219% lower in The Pearl-Qatar. 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: $614 in Mandaluyong versus $2,208 in The Pearl-Qatar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $134 in Mandaluyong versus $682 in The Pearl-Qatar. 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 $17.00 versus $72.0 in The Pearl-Qatar. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $840 in Mandaluyong versus $2,678 in The Pearl-Qatar, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mandaluyong but tight or insufficient in The Pearl-Qatar. 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 The Pearl-Qatar 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 219% less than in The Pearl-Qatar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.