😐A single person spends $846 per month in San Pablo vs $812 in Samut Prakan, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,261 per month in San Pablo vs $1,421 in Samut Prakan, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,675 per month in San Pablo vs $2,030 in Samut Prakan, rent included.
😐San Pablo costs about 4% more than Samut Prakan, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊Both San Pablo and Samut Prakan are more affordable than the global median – San Pablo37% lower, Samut Prakan39% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
San Pablo
Samut Prakan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.92₱304
$3.05฿99.6
61.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$14.03₱865
$15.28฿499
-8.18%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.15₱194
$7.72฿252
-59.20%
Cappuccino
$2.86₱176
$1.31฿42.87
118.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46₱28.18
$0.62฿20.36
-25.81%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.28₱17.29
$0.29฿9.62
-3.45%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.69₱42.69
$1.84฿60.1
-62.50%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09₱129
$3.81฿124
-45.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
San Pablo
Samut Prakan
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.73₱106
$1.43฿46.84
20.98%
White Bread(500g)
$0.89₱54.9
$1.01฿33.04
-11.88%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.68₱41.83
$1.12฿36.49
-39.29%
Eggs
$2.02₱124
$1.80฿58.8
12.22%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$5.12₱316
$13.43฿439
-61.88%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.81₱235
$2.83฿92.4
34.63%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.28₱449
$10.76฿351
-32.34%
Apples(1kg)
$4.36₱269
$1.83฿59.9
138.25%
Banana(1kg)
$1.03₱63.7
$0.75฿24.63
37.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.24₱138
$1.81฿59.1
23.76%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.72₱106
$1.37฿44.85
25.55%
Potato(1kg)
$1.45₱89.2
$1.63฿53.3
-11.04%
Onion(1kg)
$1.03₱63.6
$1.10฿35.96
-6.36%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.88₱54.2
$0.78฿25.59
12.82%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.64₱39.65
$0.43฿13.92
48.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.55₱158
$4.76฿155
-46.43%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.60₱407
$12.09฿395
-45.41%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.18₱72.9
$1.51฿49.38
-21.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02₱124
$2.21฿72.3
-8.60%
🚌 Getting Around
San Pablo
Samut Prakan
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.28₱17.36
$0.52฿16.89
-46.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$31.10฿1,016
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.77₱47.69
$1.11฿36.26
-30.63%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.24₱14.88
$0.71฿23.16
-66.20%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.10₱130
$5.26฿172
-60.08%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.09₱67.3
$1.29฿42.15
-15.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.9K₱1.6M
$12.3K฿402.5K
110.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.5K₱1.3M
$21.1K฿688.9K
-2.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Pablo
Samut Prakan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$162₱9,960
$73.2฿2,390
120.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.55₱2,068
$10.91฿356
207.52%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.44₱1,877
$17.11฿559
77.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
San Pablo
Samut Prakan
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$34.19₱2,108
$46.92฿1,532
-27.13%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$12.05฿393
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.18₱443
$6.07฿198
18.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
San Pablo
Samut Prakan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$82.4₱5,084
$383฿12.5K
-78.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,784₱171.7K
$6,856฿223.9K
-59.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
San Pablo
Samut Prakan
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$17.32₱1,068
$19.33฿631
-10.40%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.70₱1,831
$34.17฿1,116
-13.08%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$97.3₱6,000
$61.4฿2,004
58.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.9₱5,728
$58.0฿1,894
60.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
San Pablo
Samut Prakan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$126₱7,768
$486฿15.9K
-74.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$180₱11.1K
$245฿8,005
-26.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$577₱35.6K
$803฿26.2K
-28.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$397₱24.5K
$832฿27.2K
-52.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$1,755฿57.3K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,487฿48.6K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
San Pablo
Samut Prakan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$290₱17.9K
$651฿21.3K
-55.39%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.13
3
171.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for San Pablo: May 30, 2026
Last update for Samut Prakan: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $126 in San Pablo versus $486 in Samut Prakan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 124% higher in Samut Prakan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in San Pablo versus $15.00 in Samut Prakan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $180 vs $202 – making San Pablo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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
San Pablo vs Samut Prakan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in San Pablo and Samut Prakan compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $846 in San Pablo, $812 in Samut Prakan – roughly 4% apart. San Pablo costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in San Pablo compared to Samut Prakan?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,269 per month in San Pablo and $1,218 in Samut Prakan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between San Pablo and Samut Prakan?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Samut Prakan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: San Pablo or Samut Prakan?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $846 in San Pablo and $812 in Samut Prakan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
What is the difference in childcare costs between San Pablo and Samut Prakan?
Kindergarten costs $82.4 per month in San Pablo and $383 in Samut Prakan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Samut Prakan, where all-in costs run around $812, than in San Pablo at $846. In Samut Prakan it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Pablo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: San Pablo or Samut Prakan?
Families tend to lean toward Samut Prakan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is San Pablo or Samut Prakan safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between San Pablo and Samut Prakan?
If budget matters most, go with Samut Prakan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Pablo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.