Cost of Living Comparison Between Calamba and Pathum Thani Cost of Living Comparison Between Calamba and Pathum Thani

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $723 in Calamba versus $821 in Pathum Thani.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,179 in Calamba versus $1,379 in Pathum Thani.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,636 in Calamba versus $1,938 in Pathum Thani.

Living in Calamba costs roughly 12% less than in Pathum Thani, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Calamba 46% lower, Pathum Thani 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.58 ₱221

$3.03 ฿98.8

18.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.48 ₱831

$15.63 ฿511

-13.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.58 ₱159

$6.21 ฿203

-58.45%

Cappuccino

$2.35 ₱145

$1.57 ฿51.2

49.68%

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

$0.69 ₱42.53

$0.47 ฿15.19

46.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₱24.83

$0.29 ฿9.60

37.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.00 ₱61.9

$1.97 ฿64.2

-49.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₱122

$3.59 ฿117

-44.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 ₱114

$1.42 ฿46.46

30.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ₱74.5

$1.20 ฿39.19

0.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.4

$1.08 ฿35.15

Eggs

$2.20 ₱136

$1.86 ฿60.6

18.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.44 ₱582

$13.09 ฿427

-27.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.71 ₱229

$2.47 ฿80.6

50.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.67 ₱535

$11.06 ฿361

-21.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ₱167

$2.57 ฿83.9

5.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 ₱110

$0.74 ฿24.07

140.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱146

$1.10 ฿36.03

114.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 ₱75.2

$1.49 ฿48.81

-18.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 ₱113

$1.62 ฿52.8

12.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 ₱135

$1.26 ฿41.17

73.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ₱42.15

$0.74 ฿24.28

-8.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₱47.33

$0.46 ฿14.99

67.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ₱203

$4.75 ฿155

-30.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.66 ₱534

$14.51 ฿474

-40.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 ₱63.3

$1.50 ฿48.92

-31.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$2.74 ฿89.6

-14.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.98

$0.96 ฿31.26

-72.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 ₱55.8

$1.11 ฿36.15

-18.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.54

$0.72 ฿23.38

-69.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.41 ₱149

$5.25 ฿171

-54.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ₱69.1

$1.36 ฿44.51

-17.65%

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

$31.3K ₱1.9M

$19.7K ฿643.6K

58.79%

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

$20.1K ₱1.2M

$21.3K ฿695.2K

-5.64%

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

$144 ₱8,890

$72.1 ฿2,356

99.86%

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

$34.60 ₱2,134

$13.23 ฿432

161.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.46 ₱1,632

$12.07 ฿394

119.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.99 ₱2,096

$48.85 ฿1,595

-30.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.41 ₱272

$12.40 ฿405

-64.44%

Cinema Ticket

$5.80 ₱358

$7.50 ฿245

-22.67%

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

$153 ₱9,416

$139 ฿4,528

10.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,663 ₱287.5K

$12.5K ฿408.3K

-62.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.35 ₱3,043

$19.32 ฿631

155.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.02 ₱1,728

$24.86 ฿812

12.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 ₱4,718

$61.4 ฿2,004

24.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.46 ₱2,926

$57.8 ฿1,887

-17.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$123 ₱7,577

$463 ฿15.1K

-73.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$79.2 ₱4,882

$273 ฿8,904

-70.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$587 ₱36.2K

$1,554 ฿50.8K

-62.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 ₱24.1K

$767 ฿25.1K

-49.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,695 ₱166.2K

$2,033 ฿66.4K

32.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,000 ₱61.6K

$1,464 ฿47.8K

-31.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$257 ₱15.8K

$406 ฿13.3K

-36.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

12.50%

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

Last update for Calamba: May 31, 2026

Last update for Pathum Thani: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $123 in Calamba and $463 in Pathum Thani. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pathum Thani pays 58% 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: $13.00 in Calamba vs $16.00 in Pathum Thani for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $210 per month, with Calamba 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

Calamba vs Pathum Thani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calamba wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Pathum Thani. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Calamba the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Pathum Thani earns 58% less. 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: $123 in Calamba versus $463 in Pathum Thani. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Pathum Thani. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $723 per month in Calamba versus $821 in Pathum Thani – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Calamba gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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, Calamba and Pathum Thani 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 Calamba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Pathum Thani. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.