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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $801 in Samut Prakan versus $1,046 in Bangkok.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,419 in Samut Prakan versus $1,754 in Bangkok.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,036 in Samut Prakan versus $2,461 in Bangkok.

Living in Samut Prakan costs roughly 23% less than in Bangkok, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Samut Prakan 40% lower, Bangkok 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.11 ฿104

$3.02 ฿101

2.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.44 ฿518

$31.34 ฿1,052

-50.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.73 ฿259

$6.15 ฿206

25.69%

Cappuccino

$1.35 ฿45.29

$2.47 ฿82.8

-45.34%

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

$0.63 ฿21.09

$0.69 ฿23.09

-8.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.03

$0.27 ฿8.99

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.87 ฿62.7

$2.52 ฿84.6

-25.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 ฿126

$4.07 ฿137

-7.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 ฿47.77

$1.87 ฿62.9

-24.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ฿34.32

$1.34 ฿44.98

-23.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ฿36.06

$1.46 ฿48.98

-26.71%

Eggs

$1.89 ฿63.4

$2.19 ฿73.5

-13.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 ฿445

$18.12 ฿608

-26.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.81 ฿94.5

$3.06 ฿103

-8.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿362

$9.62 ฿323

11.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 ฿63.6

$3.53 ฿119

-46.46%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 ฿26.35

$1.76 ฿59.1

-55.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 ฿60.7

$2.27 ฿76.2

-20.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 ฿47.58

$1.86 ฿62.5

-23.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.5

$1.64 ฿55.1

2.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.43

$1.48 ฿49.84

-28.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 ฿26.86

$1.34 ฿45.12

-40.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 ฿14.41

$0.50 ฿16.66

-14.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿157

$4.43 ฿149

5.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.79 ฿396

$18.10 ฿608

-34.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ฿52.0

$1.77 ฿59.3

-12.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ฿75.9

$3.40 ฿114

-33.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ฿17.67

$1.19 ฿40.09

-55.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.62 ฿1,028

$36.61 ฿1,229

-16.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ฿35.40

$1.06 ฿35.74

-0.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ฿23.32

$1.19 ฿39.91

-42.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 ฿182

$6.03 ฿202

-10.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ฿41.66

$1.25 ฿42.07

-0.80%

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

$12.1K ฿406.8K

$37.2K ฿1.2M

-67.42%

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

$20.7K ฿695.1K

$28.3K ฿949.6K

-26.80%

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

$74.5 ฿2,501

$91.6 ฿3,073

-18.62%

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

$11.24 ฿377

$12.61 ฿423

-10.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.29 ฿580

$17.20 ฿577

0.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.01 ฿1,545

$52.1 ฿1,749

-11.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.13 ฿407

$10.49 ฿352

15.63%

Cinema Ticket

$6.32 ฿212

$7.88 ฿265

-19.80%

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

$382 ฿12.8K

$603 ฿20.2K

-36.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,913 ฿232.1K

$13.4K ฿449.3K

-48.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.70 ฿661

$58.5 ฿1,964

-66.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.42 ฿1,156

$38.64 ฿1,297

-10.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.4 ฿2,094

$105 ฿3,519

-40.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.8 ฿1,907

$93.7 ฿3,147

-39.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$684 ฿23.0K

-28.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,122

$324 ฿10.9K

-25.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 ฿27.4K

$1,905 ฿63.9K

-57.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$853 ฿28.6K

$829 ฿27.8K

2.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,832 ฿61.5K

$6,056 ฿203.3K

-69.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 ฿49.1K

$3,313 ฿111.2K

-55.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 ฿21.6K

$622 ฿20.9K

3.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

-48.63%

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

Last update for Samut Prakan: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bangkok: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Samut Prakan and $684 in Bangkok. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Samut Prakan pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $15.00 in Samut Prakan vs $31.00 in Bangkok for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $202 vs $263 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

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

Samut Prakan and Bangkok differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($801 vs $1,046 including rent). Samut Prakan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 4% higher in Samut Prakan, 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: $490 in Samut Prakan versus $684 in Bangkok. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Samut Prakan – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $31.00 in Bangkok. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $801 per month in Samut Prakan versus $1,046 in Bangkok – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $801 in Samut Prakan versus $1,046 in Bangkok, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Samut Prakan but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Samut Prakan 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, Samut Prakan and Bangkok 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 Prakan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.