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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $801 in Samut Prakan versus $776 in Pagadian.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,419 in Samut Prakan versus $1,092 in Pagadian.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,036 in Samut Prakan versus $1,408 in Pagadian.

Living in Samut Prakan is roughly 3% more expensive than in Pagadian, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Samut Prakan 40% lower, Pagadian 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.11 ฿105

$3.49 ₱215

-10.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.44 ฿520

$17.85 ₱1,099

-13.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.73 ฿260

$3.22 ₱198

140.06%

Cappuccino

$1.35 ฿45.40

$2.90 ₱178

-53.45%

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

$0.63 ฿21.14

$0.96 ₱58.8

-34.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.05

$0.46 ₱28.18

-34.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.87 ฿62.8

$1.08 ₱66.5

73.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 ฿126

$1.73 ₱107

117.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 ฿47.88

$1.72 ₱106

-17.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ฿34.40

$1.07 ₱66.0

-4.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ฿36.15

$1.03 ₱63.3

3.88%

Eggs

$1.89 ฿63.6

$2.05 ₱126

-7.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 ฿446

$8.19 ₱504

61.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.81 ฿94.7

$4.87 ₱300

-42.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿363

$5.85 ₱360

84.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 ฿63.8

$3.46 ₱213

-45.38%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 ฿26.41

$1.12 ₱68.9

-30.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$3.36 ₱207

-46.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 ฿47.69

$1.38 ₱85.1

2.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.6

$2.65 ₱163

-36.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.52

$3.41 ₱210

-68.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 ฿26.93

$1.10 ₱67.9

-27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 ฿14.44

$0.75 ₱46.39

-42.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿158

$2.60 ₱160

80.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.79 ฿397

$8.31 ₱511

41.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ฿52.1

$1.04 ₱64.3

49.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ฿76.1

$1.47 ₱90.4

53.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ฿17.71

$0.28 ₱17.29

89.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.62 ฿1,030

$7.15 ₱440

328.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ฿35.49

$0.77 ₱47.55

36.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ฿23.37

$0.22 ₱13.53

213.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 ฿182

$2.10 ₱129

158.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ฿41.76

$1.25 ₱76.9

-0.80%

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

$12.1K ฿407.8K

$26.7K ₱1.6M

-54.64%

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

$20.7K ฿696.8K

$20.6K ₱1.3M

0.45%

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

$74.5 ฿2,507

$93.9 ₱5,784

-20.69%

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

$11.24 ฿378

$32.31 ₱1,989

-65.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.29 ฿582

$26.98 ₱1,661

-35.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.01 ฿1,548

$33.52 ₱2,064

37.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.13 ฿408

$4.31 ₱265

181.44%

Cinema Ticket

$6.32 ฿213

$5.79 ₱356

9.15%

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

$382 ฿12.9K

$154 ₱9,480

148.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,913 ฿232.6K

$4,303 ₱264.9K

60.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.70 ฿663

$46.08 ₱2,837

-57.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.42 ฿1,158

$26.28 ₱1,618

30.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.4 ฿2,099

$74.2 ₱4,569

-15.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.8 ฿1,911

$52.2 ₱3,213

8.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.5K

$112 ₱6,883

338.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,142

$176 ₱10.8K

37.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 ฿27.4K

$245 ₱15.1K

232.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$853 ฿28.7K

$153 ₱9,426

456.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,832 ฿61.6K

$2,755 ₱169.6K

-33.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 ฿49.2K

$908 ₱55.9K

61.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 ฿21.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

-55.02%

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

Last update for Samut Prakan: July 13, 2026

Last update for Pagadian: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Samut Prakan and $112 in Pagadian. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $15.00 in Samut Prakan vs $18.00 in Pagadian for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $202 vs $204 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 Pagadian: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Samut Prakan and Pagadian differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($801 vs $776 including rent). Pagadian is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,202 in Samut Prakan and $1,165 in Pagadian 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: $490 in Samut Prakan versus $112 in Pagadian. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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.

All in, you'll spend $801 per month in Samut Prakan versus $776 in Pagadian – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Pagadian 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, Samut Prakan and Pagadian 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 Pagadian gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Samut Prakan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.