Cost of Living Comparison Between The Pearl-Qatar and Boracay Cost of Living Comparison Between The Pearl-Qatar and Boracay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,027 in The Pearl-Qatar versus $797 in Boracay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,304 in The Pearl-Qatar versus $1,392 in Boracay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,580 in The Pearl-Qatar versus $1,987 in Boracay.

Living in The Pearl-Qatar is roughly 280% more expensive than in Boracay, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: The Pearl-Qatar is 127% above, Boracay is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.91 QAR 25.17

$3.16 ₱194

118.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.45 QAR 176

$21.07 ₱1,297

129.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.97 QAR 25.39

$4.81 ₱296

44.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.57 QAR 42.11

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.08 QAR 40.35

Cappuccino

$5.14 QAR 18.71

$2.37 ₱146

116.88%

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

$0.83 QAR 3.02

$1.27 ₱78.4

-34.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 QAR 1.21

$0.26 ₱15.86

26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 ₱80.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱134

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 QAR 6.47

$1.80 ₱111

-1.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 QAR 5.83

$1.26 ₱77.4

26.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 QAR 8.11

$0.87 ₱53.8

156.32%

Eggs

$2.58 QAR 9.38

$2.60 ₱160

-0.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.45 QAR 27.13

$7.88 ₱485

-5.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.75 QAR 28.23

$4.13 ₱254

87.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.62 QAR 38.65

$7.83 ₱482

35.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 QAR 7.24

$2.99 ₱184

-33.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 QAR 5.86

$1.48 ₱91.2

8.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 QAR 5.66

$2.58 ₱159

-39.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 QAR 5.23

$1.44 ₱88.6

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 QAR 3.46

$1.79 ₱110

-46.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 QAR 3.56

$2.60 ₱160

-62.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 QAR 4.97

$1.06 ₱65.2

28.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 QAR 1.65

$0.71 ₱43.94

-36.62%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$10.09 QAR 36.72

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 QAR 6.55

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 QAR 10.69

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.24 QAR 22.72

$3.87 ₱238

61.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.26 ₱508

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₱125

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 QAR 2.06

$0.36 ₱22.34

58.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.08 QAR 113

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.15 QAR 7.82

$0.82 ₱50.7

162.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 QAR 1.91

$0.24 ₱14.80

116.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.41 QAR 34.26

$2.07 ₱127

354.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 QAR 2.03

$1.28 ₱78.7

-56.25%

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

$16.0K QAR 58.2K

$26.6K ₱1.6M

-39.91%

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

$14.7K QAR 53.6K

$20.5K ₱1.3M

-28.14%

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

$92.7 QAR 337

$117 ₱7,185

-20.57%

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

$21.89 QAR 79.7

$8.78 ₱540

149.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.0 QAR 266

$39.13 ₱2,409

86.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$256 QAR 931

$53.7 ₱3,306

376.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.51 QAR 133

$4.30 ₱265

749.07%

Cinema Ticket

$12.40 QAR 45.13

$4.23 ₱261

193.14%

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

$781 QAR 2,842

$149 ₱9,180

423.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K QAR 37.9K

$4,041 ₱248.8K

157.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 QAR 220

$46.67 ₱2,873

29.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 QAR 198

$26.65 ₱1,641

104.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 QAR 329

$75.6 ₱4,654

19.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.8 QAR 327

$52.9 ₱3,253

69.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,275 QAR 8,282

$261 ₱16.1K

772.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 QAR 7,454

$179 ₱11.0K

1044.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,789 QAR 17.4K

$581 ₱35.7K

724.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,453 QAR 12.6K

$742 ₱45.7K

365.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,434 QAR 27.1K

$2,397 ₱147.6K

210.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,401 QAR 19.7K

$957 ₱58.9K

464.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,262 QAR 26.4K

$238 ₱14.7K

2948.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.94

6.67

-40.93%

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

Last update for The Pearl-Qatar: July 12, 2026

Last update for Boracay: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,275 in The Pearl-Qatar and $261 in Boracay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

The Pearl-Qatar pays 2948% 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: $48.00 in The Pearl-Qatar vs $21.00 in Boracay. Groceries flip the comparison at $195 vs $204, with The Pearl-Qatar 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

The Pearl-Qatar vs Boracay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

The Pearl-Qatar and Boracay differ by about 280% in total monthly costs ($3,027 vs $797 including rent). Boracay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 2948% higher in The Pearl-Qatar, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,275 in The Pearl-Qatar versus $261 in Boracay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $781 in The Pearl-Qatar versus $149 in Boracay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Boracay – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $48.00 in The Pearl-Qatar. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $797 in Boracay versus $3,027 in The Pearl-Qatar, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Boracay but tight or insufficient in The Pearl-Qatar. The gap between the two cities makes Boracay 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, The Pearl-Qatar and Boracay 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 Boracay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 280% less than in The Pearl-Qatar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.