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

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

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

Living in Mandaue costs roughly 21% less than in Johor Bahru, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.01 ₱189

$3.64 MYR 14.81

-17.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.14 ₱1,451

$21.40 MYR 87.1

8.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.95 ₱248

$4.95 MYR 20.14

-20.20%

Cappuccino

$2.47 ₱155

$3.03 MYR 12.31

-18.48%

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

$0.58 ₱36.29

$0.84 MYR 3.43

-30.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.37

$0.52 MYR 2.11

1.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 ₱109

$4.40 MYR 17.91

-60.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₱139

$6.13 MYR 24.95

-63.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ₱117

$1.75 MYR 7.13

6.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 ₱70.1

$1.11 MYR 4.51

0.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 ₱57.4

$1.46 MYR 5.95

-36.99%

Eggs

$1.96 ₱123

$1.76 MYR 7.16

11.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.95 ₱624

$18.53 MYR 75.4

-46.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 ₱291

$4.64 MYR 18.86

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.72 ₱484

$10.85 MYR 44.12

-28.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 ₱216

$3.47 MYR 14.11

-0.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱90.7

$1.69 MYR 6.86

-14.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 ₱147

$3.96 MYR 16.09

-40.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ₱92.6

$1.63 MYR 6.64

-9.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 ₱149

$1.47 MYR 5.98

61.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 ₱123

$1.74 MYR 7.08

12.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₱78.1

$1.33 MYR 5.43

-6.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₱42.58

$0.55 MYR 2.25

23.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₱148

$4.28 MYR 17.41

-44.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 ₱390

$14.41 MYR 58.6

-56.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₱80.9

$2.87 MYR 11.66

-55.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₱105

$3.04 MYR 12.35

-45.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₱14.95

$0.77 MYR 3.13

-68.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.12 ₱697

$12.45 MYR 50.6

-10.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.6

$1.44 MYR 5.85

-43.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.42

$0.71 MYR 2.89

-67.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ₱117

$9.69 MYR 39.44

-80.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.4

$0.78 MYR 3.19

70.51%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$42.9K MYR 174.6K

-49.92%

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

$19.3K ₱1.2M

$36.1K MYR 146.9K

-46.47%

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

$97.2 ₱6,093

$53.3 MYR 217

82.31%

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

$14.99 ₱939

$11.37 MYR 46.27

31.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.45 ₱1,721

$29.26 MYR 119

-6.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.14 ₱2,015

$40.41 MYR 164

-20.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.76 ₱298

$5.62 MYR 22.86

-15.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.73 ₱359

$4.86 MYR 19.75

17.90%

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

$133 ₱8,306

$167 MYR 679

-20.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,013 ₱502.3K

$4,463 MYR 18.2K

79.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.29 ₱2,024

$66.5 MYR 271

-51.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.38 ₱1,215

$16.90 MYR 68.8

14.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 ₱4,842

$81.7 MYR 332

-5.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.4 ₱3,536

$40.29 MYR 164

39.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 ₱16.4K

$518 MYR 2,108

-49.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 ₱16.0K

$395 MYR 1,606

-35.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$770 ₱48.3K

$903 MYR 3,673

-14.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 ₱22.5K

$631 MYR 2,567

-43.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,560 ₱160.5K

$2,032 MYR 8,266

26.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,054 ₱66.1K

$1,176 MYR 4,784

-10.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$242 ₱15.2K

$1,090 MYR 4,434

-77.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

4.06

77.34%

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

Last update for Mandaue: September 7, 2026

Last update for Johor Bahru: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $262 in Mandaue and $518 in Johor Bahru. 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: $23.00 in Mandaue vs $21.00 in Johor Bahru. Groceries flip the comparison at $207 vs $273, 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

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

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

On paper, salaries run 350% lower in Johor Bahru. 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: $262 in Mandaue versus $518 in Johor Bahru. 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 $834 per month in Mandaue versus $1,061 in Johor Bahru – 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, 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 27% less than in Johor Bahru. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.