Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandaue and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandaue and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $842 in Mandaue versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,202 in Mandaue versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,562 in Mandaue versus $2,833 in Phuket.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Mandaue 39% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.12 ₱195

$4.56 ฿150

-31.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.01 ₱1,439

$32.62 ฿1,073

-29.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.90 ₱244

$8.90 ฿293

-56.18%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₱157

$2.80 ฿92.2

-10.36%

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

$0.59 ₱36.76

$0.88 ฿28.94

-32.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱31.03

$0.49 ฿16.08

2.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₱111

$2.39 ฿78.5

-25.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 ₱138

$3.71 ฿122

-40.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₱122

$1.79 ฿58.8

8.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ₱74.4

$1.44 ฿47.40

-17.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 ₱57.7

$1.58 ฿52.1

-41.77%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

$2.13 ฿69.9

-3.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.95 ₱622

$19.92 ฿655

-50.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.46 ₱279

$3.43 ฿113

30.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.39 ₱462

$11.33 ฿372

-34.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱207

$2.95 ฿97.0

12.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ₱91.9

$1.72 ฿56.6

-14.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.42 ₱151

$2.32 ฿76.5

4.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ₱97.0

$2.08 ฿68.4

-25.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱147

$1.47 ฿48.34

60.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 ₱118

$1.36 ฿44.65

38.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 ₱74.9

$1.10 ฿36.13

9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱39.13

$0.57 ฿18.89

10.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.47 ₱154

$4.27 ฿140

-42.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.37 ₱399

$18.42 ฿606

-65.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 ₱77.3

$1.87 ฿61.5

-33.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 ₱105

$2.92 ฿96.1

-42.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₱14.86

$2.22 ฿73.0

-89.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.58 ₱661

$22.90 ฿753

-53.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱49.01

$3.03 ฿99.6

-74.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.09

$1.07 ฿35.32

-80.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 ₱121

$3.93 ฿129

-50.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ₱79.2

$1.49 ฿49.06

-14.77%

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

$21.3K ₱1.3M

$27.1K ฿892.0K

-21.63%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$27.5K ฿902.6K

-28.11%

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

$99.6 ₱6,229

$103 ฿3,380

-3.10%

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

$14.83 ₱927

$10.99 ฿361

34.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.47 ₱1,781

$17.51 ฿576

62.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.87 ₱1,993

$53.5 ฿1,760

-40.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.02 ₱314

$11.20 ฿368

-55.18%

Cinema Ticket

$5.69 ₱356

$7.48 ฿246

-23.93%

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

$136 ₱8,512

$557 ฿18.3K

-75.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,067 ₱504.5K

$11.9K ฿389.7K

-31.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.04 ₱2,004

$64.1 ฿2,107

-49.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.34 ₱1,210

$29.07 ฿956

-33.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 ₱4,911

$96.0 ฿3,155

-18.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.8 ₱3,674

$90.3 ฿2,970

-34.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 ₱27.5K

$730 ฿24.0K

-39.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 ₱15.8K

$500 ฿16.4K

-49.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 ₱47.1K

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-63.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 ₱22.2K

$1,209 ฿39.8K

-70.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,943 ₱184.0K

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-18.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,157 ₱72.4K

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-53.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$244 ₱15.3K

$503 ฿16.6K

-51.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

5.57

29.26%

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

Last update for Mandaue: August 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $440 in Mandaue and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 106% 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 $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $273 per month, with Mandaue 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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mandaue wins on cost – living expenses run 49% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mandaue the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 106% lower in Phuket. 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: $440 in Mandaue versus $730 in Phuket. 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 $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $842 per month in Mandaue versus $1,253 in Phuket – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $842 in Mandaue versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mandaue but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Mandaue the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mandaue delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $842 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mandaue hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mandaue 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 Mandaue 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.