🙂A single person spends $718 per month in Jarabacoa vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,204 per month in Jarabacoa vs $2,089 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,690 per month in Jarabacoa vs $2,913 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂Jarabacoa is about 43% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.
📊Both Jarabacoa and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Jarabacoa48% lower, Phuket8% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Jarabacoa
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.15DOP 599
$4.66฿154
117.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$51.7DOP 3,046
$32.22฿1,065
60.37%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.99DOP 471
$8.68฿287
-7.95%
Cappuccino
$2.37DOP 140
$2.90฿95.8
-18.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.14DOP 67.1
$0.84฿27.89
35.71%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69DOP 40.67
$0.49฿16.16
40.82%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.60DOP 153
$2.48฿82.0
4.84%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.53DOP 208
$3.73฿123
-5.36%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Jarabacoa
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.40DOP 82.5
$1.89฿62.3
-25.93%
White Bread(500g)
$1.53DOP 90.1
$1.41฿46.54
8.51%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.60DOP 94.1
$1.62฿53.6
-1.23%
Eggs
$2.41DOP 142
$2.24฿74.1
7.59%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.28DOP 429
$19.84฿656
-63.31%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.86DOP 345
$3.48฿115
68.39%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.00DOP 413
$11.37฿376
-38.43%
Apples(1kg)
$3.24DOP 191
$2.90฿95.8
11.72%
Banana(1kg)
$0.81DOP 47.77
$1.72฿57.0
-52.91%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.85DOP 168
$2.27฿75.1
25.55%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.85DOP 109
$2.13฿70.4
-13.15%
Potato(1kg)
$2.03DOP 120
$1.47฿48.72
38.10%
Onion(1kg)
$2.24DOP 132
$1.42฿46.92
57.75%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02DOP 59.9
$1.10฿36.25
-7.27%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.03DOP 60.5
$0.60฿19.76
71.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.54DOP 327
$4.31฿142
28.54%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.47DOP 617
$18.60฿615
-43.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.66DOP 157
$1.80฿59.5
47.78%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97DOP 175
$2.97฿98.0
-
🚌 Getting Around
Jarabacoa
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$2.25฿74.2
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$23.49฿776
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.44DOP 203
$3.10฿102
10.97%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.33DOP 137
$1.08฿35.56
115.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.08DOP 358
$3.87฿128
57.11%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.42DOP 83.9
$1.43฿47.16
-0.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.0KDOP 1.4M
$27.8K฿918.0K
-13.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.4KDOP 2.0M
$27.0K฿891.5K
27.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jarabacoa
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$94.0DOP 5,543
$105฿3,462
-10.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.17DOP 1,897
$11.39฿376
182.44%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.46DOP 2,209
$17.54฿580
113.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Jarabacoa
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$54.3฿1,795
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.44฿378
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.70DOP 454
$7.78฿257
-1.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Jarabacoa
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$258DOP 15.2K
$576฿19.0K
-55.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,941DOP 409.2K
$11.6K฿382.7K
-40.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Jarabacoa
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.43DOP 2,737
$63.6฿2,103
-27.04%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.69DOP 2,812
$29.10฿961
63.88%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$88.3DOP 5,204
$96.2฿3,179
-8.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$126DOP 7,451
$90.0฿2,974
40.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Jarabacoa
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$733฿24.2K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$501฿16.5K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$2,126฿70.2K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,252฿41.4K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,534฿116.8K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,622฿86.6K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Jarabacoa
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$508฿16.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.56
5.57
143.45%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Jarabacoa: September 5, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Jarabacoa versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $226 in Jarabacoa vs $275 in Phuket – so Jarabacoa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
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
Jarabacoa vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Jarabacoa?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 76%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,077 per month in Jarabacoa and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Jarabacoa and in Phuket?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $718 in Jarabacoa and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $258 per month in Jarabacoa and $576 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Jarabacoa or in Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jarabacoa, where all-in costs run around $718, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Jarabacoa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Jarabacoa or Phuket more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Jarabacoa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Jarabacoa or Phuket?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Jarabacoa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.