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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,678 in The Pearl-Qatar versus $840 in Mandaluyong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,985 in The Pearl-Qatar versus $1,407 in Mandaluyong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,292 in The Pearl-Qatar versus $1,973 in Mandaluyong.

Living in The Pearl-Qatar is roughly 219% more expensive than in Mandaluyong, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: The Pearl-Qatar is 94% above, Mandaluyong is 39% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 QAR 29.28

$4.81 ₱301

67.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.1 QAR 262

$17.07 ₱1,070

322.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.38 QAR 30.52

$3.64 ₱228

130.22%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.17 QAR 44.29

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.71 QAR 49.92

Cappuccino

$5.60 QAR 20.39

$2.17 ₱136

158.06%

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

$1.01 QAR 3.68

$1.02 ₱63.8

-0.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 QAR 1.50

$0.53 ₱32.92

-22.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 ₱74.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 ₱165

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 QAR 5.87

$1.64 ₱103

-1.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 QAR 5.05

$1.35 ₱84.6

2.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 QAR 7.07

$0.98 ₱61.2

97.96%

Eggs

$2.55 QAR 9.28

$2.26 ₱142

12.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.80 QAR 24.77

$5.09 ₱319

33.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.33 QAR 30.32

$4.85 ₱304

71.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.17 QAR 40.64

$7.04 ₱441

58.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 QAR 8.22

$3.36 ₱211

-32.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 QAR 6.52

$1.89 ₱118

-5.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 QAR 5.45

$3.05 ₱191

-50.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 QAR 4.59

$1.85 ₱116

-31.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 QAR 3.68

$2.24 ₱140

-54.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 QAR 3.11

$2.63 ₱165

-67.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 QAR 5.23

$0.62 ₱39.03

132.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 QAR 1.99

$0.52 ₱32.78

5.77%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.40 QAR 34.22

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 QAR 6.84

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 QAR 8.17

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.35 QAR 23.10

$2.96 ₱186

114.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.51 ₱534

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₱57.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₱129

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 QAR 2.04

$0.37 ₱23.28

51.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.44 QAR 114

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 QAR 6.90

$0.77 ₱48.07

146.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 QAR 1.91

$0.25 ₱15.75

112.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.50 QAR 34.57

$1.87 ₱117

408.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.55 QAR 2.00

$1.14 ₱71.6

-51.75%

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

$16.0K QAR 58.4K

$21.5K ₱1.3M

-25.40%

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

$14.8K QAR 54.0K

$19.4K ₱1.2M

-23.48%

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

$86.9 QAR 316

$142 ₱8,886

-38.70%

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

$31.78 QAR 116

$17.85 ₱1,119

78.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.6 QAR 272

$23.76 ₱1,489

214.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$175 QAR 638

$31.47 ₱1,973

457.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.80 QAR 138

Cinema Ticket

$11.78 QAR 42.89

$6.11 ₱383

92.80%

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

$682 QAR 2,483

$134 ₱8,424

407.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,892 QAR 36.0K

$9,110 ₱571.1K

8.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 QAR 214

$28.41 ₱1,781

107.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.66 QAR 181

$28.01 ₱1,756

77.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 QAR 287

$70.6 ₱4,424

11.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 QAR 315

$56.8 ₱3,563

52.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,208 QAR 8,037

$614 ₱38.5K

259.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,711 QAR 6,229

$238 ₱14.9K

620.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,276 QAR 15.6K

$1,220 ₱76.5K

250.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,995 QAR 10.9K

$711 ₱44.6K

321.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,369 QAR 26.8K

$2,800 ₱175.5K

163.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,386 QAR 19.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,224 QAR 26.3K

$548 ₱34.3K

1219.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.29

6.75

-36.44%

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

Last update for The Pearl-Qatar: September 5, 2026

Last update for Mandaluyong: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,208 in The Pearl-Qatar and $614 in Mandaluyong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

The Pearl-Qatar pays 1219% 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: $72.0 in The Pearl-Qatar vs $17.00 in Mandaluyong. Groceries flip the comparison at $195 vs $199, 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 Mandaluyong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

The Pearl-Qatar and Mandaluyong differ by about 219% in total monthly costs ($2,678 vs $840 including rent). Mandaluyong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1219% 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: $2,208 in The Pearl-Qatar versus $614 in Mandaluyong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $682 in The Pearl-Qatar versus $134 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 $17.00 versus $72.0 in The Pearl-Qatar. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $840 in Mandaluyong versus $2,678 in The Pearl-Qatar, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mandaluyong but tight or insufficient in The Pearl-Qatar. 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, The Pearl-Qatar 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 219% less than in The Pearl-Qatar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.