Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandaue and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Mandaue: $825 a month against $1,207 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

40

Cost of Living Index in Mandaue
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Mandaue Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Mandaue

🇵🇭 Philippines

$825

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,207

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mandaue and in Phuket

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 Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $825 in Mandaue versus $1,207 in Phuket.

Mandaue $825
Phuket $1,207

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,203 in Mandaue versus $2,037 in Phuket.

Mandaue $1,203
Phuket $2,037

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,581 in Mandaue versus $2,867 in Phuket.

Mandaue $1,581
Phuket $2,867

Living in Mandaue costs roughly 32% less than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mandaue 39% lower, Phuket 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.96 ₱187

$4.58 ฿153

-35.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.45 ₱1,476

$32.48 ฿1,086

-27.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.99 ₱251

$8.55 ฿286

-53.33%

Cappuccino

$2.58 ₱162

$2.72 ฿91.0

-5.15%

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

$1.54 ₱97.0

$0.94 ฿31.25

63.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.05

$0.49 ฿16.39

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 ₱108

$2.59 ฿86.6

-33.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₱144

$3.83 ฿128

-40.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱123

$1.74 ฿58.1

12.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 ₱68.7

$1.43 ฿47.82

-23.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ₱58.7

$1.53 ฿51.0

-39.22%

Eggs

$1.97 ₱124

$2.17 ฿72.7

-9.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 ₱624

$19.15 ฿640

-48.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 ₱275

$3.30 ฿110

32.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.63 ₱481

$11.14 ฿372

-31.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 ₱219

$2.95 ฿98.5

17.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 ₱90.0

$1.68 ฿56.1

-14.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 ₱144

$2.30 ฿76.8

-0.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 ₱92.5

$2.13 ฿71.3

-30.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 ₱147

$1.53 ฿51.1

52.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 ₱124

$1.36 ฿45.55

44.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.9

$1.12 ฿37.44

6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.41

$0.55 ฿18.24

21.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₱149

$4.26 ฿142

-44.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.29 ₱396

$18.19 ฿608

-65.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.4

$1.74 ฿58.2

-29.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₱108

$2.79 ฿93.3

-38.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₱14.97

$2.22 ฿74.1

-89.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.67 ₱609

$22.06 ฿737

-56.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.69

$2.91 ฿97.3

-74.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.19

$1.01 ฿33.79

-79.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₱119

$3.83 ฿128

-50.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ₱83.3

$1.49 ฿49.85

-11.41%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$26.7K ฿891.6K

-20.45%

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

$26.7K ฿892.7K

-28.40%

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

$98.3 ₱6,187

$99.4 ฿3,321

-1.11%

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

$14.07 ₱886

$11.28 ฿377

24.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.93 ₱1,758

$17.36 ฿580

60.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.01 ₱2,078

$52.3 ฿1,747

-36.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.27 ₱332

$10.85 ฿362

-51.43%

Cinema Ticket

$5.69 ₱358

$7.57 ฿253

-24.83%

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

$130 ₱8,204

$558 ฿18.7K

-76.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,979 ₱502.4K

$11.5K ฿383.9K

-30.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.91 ₱2,072

$62.9 ฿2,102

-47.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.62 ₱1,235

$28.58 ฿955

-31.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ₱4,790

$96.1 ฿3,213

-20.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.7 ₱3,632

$88.1 ฿2,943

-34.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₱27.0K

$729 ฿24.4K

-41.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 ₱15.8K

$460 ฿15.4K

-45.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$747 ₱47.1K

$2,096 ฿70.0K

-64.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 ₱22.2K

$1,222 ฿40.8K

-71.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,174 ₱136.9K

$3,459 ฿115.6K

-37.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$902 ₱56.8K

$2,489 ฿83.2K

-63.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$234 ₱14.8K

$493 ฿16.5K

-52.45%

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: October 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mandaue

$251 30.5%

Phuket

$460 38.1% 83.1% $209

Groceries & Markets

Mandaue

$205 24.8%

Phuket

$268 22.2% 30.6% $63

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mandaue

$140 17%

Phuket

$128 10.6% 8.7% $12

Eating Out

Mandaue

$88 10.7%

Phuket

$121 10.1% 38% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Mandaue

$84 10.2%

Phuket

$124 10.3% 48% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Mandaue

$44 5.4%

Phuket

$67 5.6% 51.9% $23

Getting Around

Mandaue

$12 1.5%

Phuket

$39 3.2% 213% $26

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $429 in Mandaue and $729 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 110% 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 $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $268 per month, with Mandaue cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Mandaue

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

08:40 8:40 AM

07:40 7:40 AM

1 h behind Mandaue

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

364,116

79,308

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mandaue Phuket 2,820 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Mandaue
Phuket

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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mandaue wins on cost – living expenses run 46% 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 110% 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: $429 in Mandaue versus $729 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 $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $825 per month in Mandaue versus $1,207 in Phuket – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $825 in Mandaue versus $1,207 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 $825 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 46% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.