Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Samut Prakan Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Samut Prakan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $812 in Samut Prakan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,421 in Samut Prakan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $2,030 in Samut Prakan.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 172% more expensive than Samut Prakan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Samut Prakan is 39% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Samut Prakan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.91 €13.70
$3.05 ฿99.7
421.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.8 €55.8
$15.28 ฿499
323.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.51 €9.05
$7.72 ฿252
36.14%
Cappuccino
$2.87 €2.47
$1.31 ฿42.91
119.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 €1.93
$0.62 ฿20.38
261.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50 €1.30
$0.29 ฿9.63
417.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.49 €3.01
$1.84 ฿60.1
89.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.88 €3.34
$3.81 ฿124
1.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Samut Prakan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.14 €0.98
$1.43 ฿46.89
-20.28%
White Bread (500g)
$1.75 €1.51
$1.01 ฿33.07
73.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.76 €1.51
$1.12 ฿36.52
57.14%
Eggs
$3.22 €2.77
$1.80 ฿58.8
78.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.49 €11.62
$13.43 ฿439
0.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.91 €6.81
$2.83 ฿92.5
179.51%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.87 €13.67
$10.76 ฿352
47.49%
Apples (1kg)
$2.31 €1.99
$1.83 ฿60.0
26.23%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 €1.46
$0.75 ฿24.66
126.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.01 €1.73
$1.81 ฿59.2
11.05%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.46 €2.12
$1.37 ฿44.89
79.56%
Potato (1kg)
$1.84 €1.59
$1.63 ฿53.3
12.88%
Onion (1kg)
$2.00 €1.72
$1.10 ฿35.99
81.82%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.93 €1.66
$0.78 ฿25.61
147.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.79 €0.68
$0.43 ฿13.93
83.72%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.61 €5.69
$4.76 ฿155
38.87%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.72 €4.93
$12.09 ฿395
-52.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 €1.18
$1.51 ฿49.42
-9.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 €2.56
$2.21 ฿72.3
34.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Samut Prakan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.37 €2.04
$0.52 ฿16.90
355.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$45.56 €39.23
$31.10 ฿1,017
46.50%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.29 €3.69
$1.11 ฿36.29
286.49%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.82 €0.70
$0.71 ฿23.18
15.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.30 €15.76
$5.26 ฿172
247.91%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.06 €1.78
$1.29 ฿42.19
59.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.3K €29.5K
$12.3K ฿402.9K
178.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.3K €33.8K
$21.1K ฿689.5K
86.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Samut Prakan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$148 €127
$73.2 ฿2,392
102.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.52 €17.67
$10.91 ฿357
88.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.61 €34.11
$17.11 ฿559
131.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Samut Prakan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.85 €41.20
$46.92 ฿1,534
1.98%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.92 €16.29
$12.05 ฿394
57.01%
Cinema Ticket
$9.18 €7.91
$6.07 ฿198
51.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Samut Prakan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$614 €529
$383 ฿12.5K
60.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.0K €13.8K
$6,856 ฿224.1K
134.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Samut Prakan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$105 €90.1
$19.33 ฿632
441.44%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.06 €36.22
$34.17 ฿1,117
23.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.0 €80.9
$61.4 ฿2,006
53.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 €103
$58.0 ฿1,895
106.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Samut Prakan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,628 €1,402
$486 ฿15.9K
234.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,255 €1,081
$245 ฿8,013
412.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,030 €2,609
$803 ฿26.2K
277.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,020 €1,740
$832 ฿27.2K
142.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,800 €6,716
$1,755 ฿57.4K
344.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,273 €3,679
$1,487 ฿48.6K
187.33%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Samut Prakan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,603 €1,381
$651 ฿21.3K
146.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.81
3
27.00%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Samut Prakan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $486 in Samut Prakan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 146% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $15.00 in Samut Prakan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $202 per month, with Samut Prakan 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
Lisbon vs Samut Prakan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and Samut Prakan?
Lisbon and Samut Prakan differ by about 172% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $812 including rent). Samut Prakan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lisbon or Samut Prakan?
Lisbon pays 146% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and Samut Prakan?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $486 in Samut Prakan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Samut Prakan?
Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $383 in Samut Prakan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $812 in Samut Prakan versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Samut Prakan but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Samut Prakan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Samut Prakan?
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.
Is Lisbon or Samut Prakan safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Samut Prakan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Samut Prakan?
Expats usually find Samut Prakan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 172% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Lisbon vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities