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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $760 in Pagadian versus $812 in Samut Prakan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,074 in Pagadian versus $1,421 in Samut Prakan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,389 in Pagadian versus $2,030 in Samut Prakan.

Living in Pagadian costs roughly 6% less than in Samut Prakan, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pagadian 43% lower, Samut Prakan 39% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pagadian
Samut Prakan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.57 ₱220
$3.05 ฿99.6
17.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.01 ₱1,110
$15.28 ฿499
17.87%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.20 ₱197
$7.72 ฿252
-58.55%
Cappuccino
$2.90 ₱179
$1.31 ฿42.87
121.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 ₱57.1
$0.62 ฿20.36
50.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43 ₱26.38
$0.29 ฿9.62
48.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.08 ₱66.3
$1.84 ฿60.1
-41.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.76 ₱108
$3.81 ฿124
-53.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pagadian
Samut Prakan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.71 ₱106
$1.43 ฿46.84
19.58%
White Bread (500g)
$1.07 ₱66.1
$1.01 ฿33.04
5.94%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.97 ₱59.8
$1.12 ฿36.49
-13.39%
Eggs
$2.03 ₱125
$1.80 ฿58.8
12.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.25 ₱508
$13.43 ฿439
-38.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.98 ₱307
$2.83 ฿92.4
75.97%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.85 ₱361
$10.76 ฿351
-45.63%
Apples (1kg)
$3.64 ₱224
$1.83 ฿59.9
98.91%
Banana (1kg)
$1.12 ₱69.3
$0.75 ฿24.63
49.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.42 ₱211
$1.81 ฿59.1
88.95%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.34 ₱82.4
$1.37 ฿44.85
-2.19%
Potato (1kg)
$2.65 ₱164
$1.63 ฿53.3
62.58%
Onion (1kg)
$3.46 ₱213
$1.10 ฿35.96
214.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ₱66.1
$0.78 ฿25.59
37.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.70 ₱43.42
$0.43 ฿13.92
62.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.71 ₱167
$4.76 ฿155
-43.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.91 ₱488
$12.09 ฿395
-34.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 ₱64.6
$1.51 ฿49.38
-30.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 ₱94.8
$2.21 ฿72.3
-30.32%
🚌 Getting Around
Pagadian
Samut Prakan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.26 ₱16.03
$0.52 ฿16.89
-50.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$7.18 ₱443
$31.10 ฿1,016
-76.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.82 ₱50.9
$1.11 ฿36.26
-26.13%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.24 ₱14.87
$0.71 ฿23.16
-66.20%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.10 ₱129
$5.26 ฿172
-60.08%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.19 ₱73.2
$1.29 ฿42.15
-7.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K ₱1.7M
$12.3K ฿402.5K
117.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.2K ₱1.2M
$21.1K ฿688.9K
-4.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pagadian
Samut Prakan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.0 ₱5,919
$73.2 ฿2,390
31.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.16 ₱2,045
$10.91 ฿356
203.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.38 ₱1,688
$17.11 ฿559
60.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pagadian
Samut Prakan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.61 ₱2,072
$46.92 ฿1,532
-28.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.53 ₱279
$12.05 ฿393
-62.41%
Cinema Ticket
$5.95 ₱367
$6.07 ฿198
-1.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pagadian
Samut Prakan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$149 ₱9,190
$383 ฿12.5K
-61.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,359 ₱268.8K
$6,856 ฿223.9K
-36.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pagadian
Samut Prakan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.37 ₱2,798
$19.33 ฿631
134.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.79 ₱1,652
$34.17 ฿1,116
-21.60%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.5 ₱4,592
$61.4 ฿2,004
21.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$53.1 ₱3,271
$58.0 ฿1,894
-8.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pagadian
Samut Prakan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$113 ₱6,956
$486 ฿15.9K
-76.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$177 ₱10.9K
$245 ฿8,005
-27.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$248 ₱15.3K
$803 ฿26.2K
-69.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$150 ₱9,271
$832 ฿27.2K
-81.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,118 ₱130.6K
$1,755 ฿57.3K
20.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$966 ₱59.6K
$1,487 ฿48.6K
-35.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pagadian
Samut Prakan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$651 ฿21.3K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.67
3
122.33%

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

Last update for Pagadian: May 30, 2026

Last update for Samut Prakan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $113 in Pagadian and $486 in Samut Prakan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $18.00 in Pagadian vs $15.00 in Samut Prakan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 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
Pagadian vs Samut Prakan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Pagadian and Samut Prakan?
Pagadian and Samut Prakan differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($760 vs $812 including rent). Pagadian is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Pagadian compared to Samut Prakan?
You'd need roughly $1,140 in Pagadian and $1,218 in Samut Prakan 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Pagadian and Samut Prakan?
Rent for a central apartment: $113 in Pagadian versus $486 in Samut Prakan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Pagadian – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $15.00 in Samut Prakan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Pagadian or Samut Prakan?
All in, you'll spend $760 per month in Pagadian versus $812 in Samut Prakan – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $760 in Pagadian versus $812 in Samut Prakan, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pagadian but tight or insufficient in Samut Prakan. The gap between the two cities makes Pagadian the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Pagadian 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 Pagadian or Samut Prakan safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Pagadian 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: Pagadian or Samut Prakan?
Expats usually find Pagadian gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Samut Prakan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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