Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Samut Sakhon Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Samut Sakhon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,159 in Bangkok versus $923 in Samut Sakhon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,862 in Bangkok versus $1,513 in Samut Sakhon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,564 in Bangkok versus $2,103 in Samut Sakhon.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 26% more expensive than in Samut Sakhon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 16% lower, Samut Sakhon 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.01 ฿99.4

$1.78 ฿59.0

69.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.47 ฿1,206

$18.52 ฿612

96.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.59 ฿251

$5.79 ฿191

31.09%

Cappuccino

$2.89 ฿95.5

$1.20 ฿39.66

140.83%

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

$0.69 ฿22.98

$0.38 ฿12.72

81.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ฿12.44

$0.29 ฿9.57

31.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 ฿88.8

$1.95 ฿64.4

37.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 ฿155

$2.81 ฿92.9

66.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ฿66.0

$1.84 ฿60.7

8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿51.9

$1.44 ฿47.77

9.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 ฿50.9

$1.43 ฿47.45

7.69%

Eggs

$2.55 ฿84.3

$2.25 ฿74.4

13.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.38 ฿575

$15.46 ฿511

12.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.69 ฿122

$2.64 ฿87.3

39.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.13 ฿467

$10.23 ฿338

38.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.27 ฿141

$3.60 ฿119

18.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 ฿63.9

$1.29 ฿42.71

49.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 ฿95.2

$1.96 ฿64.8

46.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 ฿65.5

$1.99 ฿65.8

-0.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.8

$1.26 ฿41.66

36.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.4

$1.09 ฿36.21

47.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 ฿41.71

$1.26 ฿41.65

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.69

$0.49 ฿16.14

16.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿147

$4.53 ฿150

-1.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.31 ฿506

$18.09 ฿598

-15.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.9

$1.79 ฿59.3

2.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 ฿112

$3.05 ฿101

10.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ฿35.73

$0.40 ฿13.15

170.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.43 ฿1,205

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 ฿35.50

$1.04 ฿34.48

2.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 ฿41.23

$1.15 ฿37.87

8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.96 ฿197

$3.69 ฿122

61.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ฿48.15

$1.19 ฿39.26

22.69%

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

$32.0K ฿1.1M

$46.7K ฿1.5M

-31.47%

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

$28.0K ฿926.3K

$26.8K ฿886.6K

4.47%

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

$107 ฿3,550

$95.5 ฿3,159

12.39%

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

$14.75 ฿488

$12.00 ฿397

22.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿613

$19.69 ฿651

-5.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,006

$48.77 ฿1,613

24.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.82 ฿622

$14.37 ฿475

30.97%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ฿259

$7.65 ฿253

2.48%

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

$553 ฿18.3K

$644 ฿21.3K

-14.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K ฿570.8K

$14.8K ฿490.5K

16.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.6 ฿2,468

$51.1 ฿1,688

46.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.46 ฿1,470

$30.22 ฿999

47.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 ฿3,253

$98.3 ฿3,251

0.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ฿3,810

$76.4 ฿2,528

50.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 ฿23.1K

$407 ฿13.4K

71.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 ฿12.0K

$303 ฿10.0K

19.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,043 ฿67.6K

$1,583 ฿52.3K

29.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$742 ฿24.5K

$728 ฿24.1K

1.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,019 ฿199.0K

$2,235 ฿73.9K

169.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,238 ฿107.1K

$1,700 ฿56.2K

90.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$638 ฿21.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

5.96

-9.73%

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

Last update for Bangkok: September 6, 2026

Last update for Samut Sakhon: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $699 in Bangkok and $407 in Samut Sakhon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Bangkok vs $19.00 in Samut Sakhon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $249 per month, with Samut Sakhon 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

Bangkok vs Samut Sakhon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Samut Sakhon differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($1,159 vs $923 including rent). Samut Sakhon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,739 in Bangkok and $1,384 in Samut Sakhon to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $699 in Bangkok versus $407 in Samut Sakhon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Bangkok. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,159 per month in Bangkok versus $923 in Samut Sakhon – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $923 in Samut Sakhon versus $1,159 in Bangkok, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Samut Sakhon but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Samut Sakhon 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, Bangkok and Samut Sakhon 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 Samut Sakhon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.