Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mandaluyong Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mandaluyong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $836 in Mandaluyong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,310 in Mandaluyong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,785 in Mandaluyong.

Living in Phuket is roughly 50% more expensive than in Mandaluyong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Mandaluyong 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$5.33 ₱329

-14.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$18.08 ₱1,115

155.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$3.39 ₱209

160.77%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.38 ₱147

28.57%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.97 ₱59.6

-24.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.50 ₱30.60

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.50 ₱92.4

62.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.69 ₱166

40.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.84 ₱113

22.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.41 ₱86.7

28.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.07 ₱66.2

110.28%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.21 ₱136

1.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$9.34 ₱576

108.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$5.28 ₱326

-30.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$8.42 ₱520

54.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$3.40 ₱210

-5.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.86 ₱115

-12.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$3.46 ₱214

-31.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$2.42 ₱149

-16.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$2.70 ₱166

-43.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$3.16 ₱195

-52.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.71 ₱44.07

38.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.65 ₱40.38

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$3.24 ₱200

37.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$8.67 ₱535

111.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.44 ₱88.7

29.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.11 ₱130

27.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.33 ₱20.54

327.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.85 ₱52.5

265.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.27 ₱16.82

285.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$2.17 ₱134

550.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.15 ₱71.1

13.91%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$26.5K ₱1.6M

5.12%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$20.6K ₱1.3M

61.09%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$138 ₱8,498

-11.15%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$34.22 ₱2,111

-60.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$26.61 ₱1,641

-29.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$33.84 ₱2,087

78.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$4.33 ₱267

292.15%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$6.61 ₱408

37.22%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$150 ₱9,264

370.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$4,775 ₱294.5K

230.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$46.68 ₱2,879

25.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$34.39 ₱2,121

2.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$74.6 ₱4,603

54.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$45.83 ₱2,826

82.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$541 ₱33.4K

15.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$174 ₱10.7K

156.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$593 ₱36.6K

243.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$387 ₱23.8K

285.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$2,894 ₱178.5K

20.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$603 ₱37.2K

-17.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.5

18.44%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mandaluyong: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $541 in Mandaluyong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mandaluyong pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $18.00 in Mandaluyong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $233 per month, with Mandaluyong 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

Phuket vs Mandaluyong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Mandaluyong differ by about 50% in total monthly costs ($1,250 vs $836 including rent). Mandaluyong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 21% lower in Mandaluyong. 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: $626 in Phuket versus $541 in Mandaluyong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $150 in Mandaluyong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mandaluyong – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $836 in Mandaluyong versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mandaluyong but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Mandaluyong 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, Phuket and Mandaluyong 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 Mandaluyong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.