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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $906 in Mandaue versus $943 in Johor Bahru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,352 in Mandaue versus $1,385 in Johor Bahru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,798 in Mandaue versus $1,826 in Johor Bahru.

Living in Mandaue costs roughly 4% less than in Johor Bahru, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mandaue 33% lower, Johor Bahru 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 ₱264

$3.59 MYR 14.56

21.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.93 ₱1,453

$18.77 MYR 76.1

27.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.38 ₱266

$4.69 MYR 19.02

-6.61%

Cappuccino

$2.57 ₱156

$3.02 MYR 12.23

-14.90%

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

$0.84 ₱51.3

$0.79 MYR 3.22

6.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₱25.86

$0.45 MYR 1.84

-4.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 ₱96.6

$3.64 MYR 14.78

-56.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₱130

$6.63 MYR 26.90

-67.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ₱132

$1.82 MYR 7.37

19.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 ₱45.85

$0.93 MYR 3.76

-18.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ₱56.7

$1.29 MYR 5.25

-27.91%

Eggs

$2.17 ₱132

$1.87 MYR 7.59

16.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 ₱788

$10.72 MYR 43.49

21.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 ₱324

$3.49 MYR 14.17

53.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱464

$8.21 MYR 33.29

-6.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 ₱212

$2.77 MYR 11.21

25.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 ₱92.8

$1.48 MYR 6.00

3.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 ₱200

$2.48 MYR 10.04

33.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 ₱132

$1.26 MYR 5.10

72.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 ₱162

$1.14 MYR 4.61

133.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 ₱150

$1.33 MYR 5.38

85.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₱56.0

$0.94 MYR 3.82

-2.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱47.74

$0.57 MYR 2.30

38.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.64 ₱160

$4.19 MYR 16.98

-36.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.54 ₱397

$14.08 MYR 57.1

-53.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 ₱72.5

$2.64 MYR 10.72

-54.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱136

$2.93 MYR 11.90

-23.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.05

$0.74 MYR 3.02

-62.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.67 MYR 47.34

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 ₱54.2

$1.02 MYR 4.13

-12.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱13.94

$0.99 MYR 4.03

-76.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ₱164

$9.41 MYR 38.15

-71.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₱67.2

$0.46 MYR 1.85

141.30%

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

$30.4K ₱1.8M

$35.8K MYR 145.2K

-15.01%

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

$27.4K ₱1.7M

$27.4K MYR 111.1K

-0.04%

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

$95.8 ₱5,819

$41.08 MYR 167

133.28%

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

$26.19 ₱1,590

$9.14 MYR 37.06

186.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.80 ₱1,810

$30.22 MYR 123

-1.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.98 ₱2,853

$34.97 MYR 142

34.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.41 ₱268

$6.01 MYR 24.37

-26.62%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ₱351

$5.04 MYR 20.42

14.68%

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

$230 ₱14.0K

$184 MYR 746

25.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,841 ₱233.2K

$6,934 MYR 28.1K

-44.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.56 ₱2,827

$49.20 MYR 200

-5.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.20 ₱1,409

$19.06 MYR 77.3

21.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.2 ₱4,625

$54.1 MYR 219

40.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.7 ₱3,320

$40.69 MYR 165

34.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$263 ₱16.0K

$469 MYR 1,901

-43.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ₱17.4K

$397 MYR 1,611

-27.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 ₱51.3K

$816 MYR 3,311

3.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$439 ₱26.6K

$611 MYR 2,478

-28.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,338 ₱142.0K

$2,079 MYR 8,432

12.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$976 ₱59.2K

$1,163 MYR 4,714

-16.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$248 ₱15.0K

$1,108 MYR 4,492

-77.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

96.56%

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

Last update for Mandaue: June 6, 2026

Last update for Johor Bahru: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $263 in Mandaue and $469 in Johor Bahru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johor Bahru pays 347% 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: $24.00 in Mandaue vs $19.00 in Johor Bahru for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $217 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

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

Mandaue and Johor Bahru differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($906 vs $943 including rent). Mandaue is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Johor Bahru earns 347% less. 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: $263 in Mandaue versus $469 in Johor Bahru. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $230 in Mandaue versus $184 in Johor Bahru. 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 $906 in Mandaue versus $943 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, Mandaue and Johor Bahru 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 4% less than in Johor Bahru. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.