Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandaue and Dhaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $406 a month against $825 in Mandaue, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

40

Cost of Living Index in Mandaue
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Mandaue Living Index
20

Cost of Living Index in Dhaka
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Dhaka Living Index

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Mandaue

🇵🇭 Philippines

$825

/mo nomad

Dhaka

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$406

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mandaue and in Dhaka

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mandaue and in Dhaka actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $825 in Mandaue versus $406 in Dhaka.

Mandaue $825
Dhaka $406

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,203 in Mandaue versus $687 in Dhaka.

Mandaue $1,203
Dhaka $687

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,581 in Mandaue versus $969 in Dhaka.

Mandaue $1,581
Dhaka $969

Living in Mandaue is roughly 103% more expensive than in Dhaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mandaue 39% lower, Dhaka 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.96 ₱187

$2.28 ৳282

29.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.45 ₱1,476

$12.33 ৳1,523

90.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.99 ₱251

$3.95 ৳488

1.01%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.48 ৳554

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 ৳510

Cappuccino

$2.58 ₱162

$2.28 ৳281

13.16%

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

$1.54 ₱97.0

$0.33 ৳40.88

366.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.05

$0.16 ৳19.86

206.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 ₱108

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₱144

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱123

$0.85 ৳104

129.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 ₱68.7

$0.60 ৳74.5

81.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ₱58.7

$0.69 ৳85.4

34.78%

Eggs

$1.97 ₱124

$1.23 ৳152

60.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 ₱624

$8.80 ৳1,087

12.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 ₱275

$3.33 ৳412

30.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.63 ₱481

$6.63 ৳819

15.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 ₱219

$2.85 ৳352

21.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 ₱90.0

$0.90 ৳111

58.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 ₱144

$2.34 ৳289

-2.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 ₱92.5

$0.63 ৳78.4

133.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 ₱147

$0.24 ৳29.59

875.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 ₱124

$0.46 ৳57.3

328.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

$0.35 ৳42.79

240.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.41

$0.28 ৳34.24

139.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.11 ৳1,496

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.31 ৳656

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.42 ৳794

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₱149

$3.28 ৳405

-27.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.29 ₱396

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₱108

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₱14.97

$0.42 ৳52.3

-42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.67 ₱609

$22.43 ৳2,772

-56.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.69

$1.19 ৳147

-37.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.19

$0.39 ৳48.71

-46.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₱119

$3.28 ৳406

-42.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ₱83.3

$1.10 ৳136

20.00%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$29.4K ৳3.6M

-27.89%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$32.2K ৳4.0M

-40.54%

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

$98.3 ₱6,187

$38.28 ৳4,729

156.71%

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

$14.07 ₱886

$4.09 ৳506

244.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.93 ₱1,758

$9.02 ৳1,114

209.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.01 ₱2,078

$13.66 ৳1,688

141.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.27 ₱332

$10.21 ৳1,261

-48.38%

Cinema Ticket

$5.69 ₱358

$4.11 ৳508

38.44%

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

$130 ₱8,204

$90.7 ৳11.2K

43.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,979 ₱502.4K

$2,591 ৳320.2K

207.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.91 ₱2,072

$17.06 ৳2,108

92.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.62 ₱1,235

$21.38 ৳2,641

-8.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ₱4,790

$51.4 ৳6,355

47.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.7 ₱3,632

$36.78 ৳4,545

56.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱27.0K

$133 ৳16.4K

222.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 ₱15.8K

$65.1 ৳8,041

286.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$747 ₱47.1K

$377 ৳46.6K

98.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 ₱22.2K

$192 ৳23.8K

83.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,174 ₱136.9K

$1,621 ৳200.3K

34.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$902 ₱56.8K

$760 ৳93.9K

18.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$234 ₱14.8K

$246 ৳30.4K

-4.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

10.48

-31.30%

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

Last update for Mandaue: October 11, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mandaue

$251 30.5%

Dhaka

$65 16% 74.1% $186

Groceries & Markets

Mandaue

$205 24.8%

Dhaka

$124 30.5% 39.6% $81

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mandaue

$140 17%

Dhaka

$51 12.7% 63.4% $89

Eating Out

Mandaue

$88 10.7%

Dhaka

$59 14.6% 32.4% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Mandaue

$84 10.2%

Dhaka

$57 14.1% 32% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Mandaue

$44 5.4%

Dhaka

$22 5.4% 50.7% $22

Getting Around

Mandaue

$12 1.5%

Dhaka

$27 6.7% 120% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $429 in Mandaue and $133 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dhaka pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23.00 in Mandaue vs $12.00 in Dhaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $124 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Mandaue

🇧🇩 Dhaka

🕒 Local time

06:41 6:41 AM

04:41 4:41 AM

2 h behind Mandaue

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

364,116

21,741,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BDT, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 124 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD). 1 EUR = 139 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mandaue Dhaka 3,850 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Mandaue
Dhaka

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Mandaue vs Dhaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 103% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Dhaka. 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: $429 in Mandaue versus $133 in Dhaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $825 per month in Mandaue versus $406 in Dhaka – a 103% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dhaka runs roughly 132% less than in Mandaue. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Dhaka 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, Mandaue and Dhaka 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 Dhaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 103% less than in Mandaue. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.