Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between La Romana and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in La Romana: $627 a month against $1,674 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $12,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

La Romana, Dominican Republic
Mexico City, Mexico
La Romana
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
$627
/mo nomad
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,674
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in La Romana and in Mexico City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in La Romana and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $627 per month in La Romana vs $1,674 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • La Romana $627
  • Mexico City $1,674

A couple spends around $1,011 per month in La Romana vs $2,606 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • La Romana $1,011
  • Mexico City $2,606

A family of three spends $1,395 per month in La Romana vs $3,537 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • La Romana $1,395
  • Mexico City $3,537

La Romana is about 63% cheaper than Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

La Romana sits 54% below the global median, while Mexico City is 24% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
La Romana
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.32 DOP 503
$10.59 MX$199
-21.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.07 DOP 2,483
$52.0 MX$978
-20.96%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.93 DOP 419
$10.73 MX$202
-35.41%
Cappuccino
$1.82 DOP 110
$3.80 MX$71.4
-52.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72 DOP 43.69
$1.61 MX$30.35
-55.28%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.32 DOP 19.33
$1.21 MX$22.81
-73.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.38 DOP 144
$3.18 MX$59.8
-25.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.84 DOP 232
$5.44 MX$102
-29.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
La Romana
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.07 DOP 64.8
$1.72 MX$32.32
-37.79%
White Bread (500g)
$1.78 DOP 108
$2.97 MX$55.8
-40.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 DOP 92.4
$1.93 MX$36.24
-20.73%
Eggs
$1.48 DOP 89.3
$2.77 MX$52.2
-46.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.36 DOP 384
$11.67 MX$220
-45.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.47 DOP 210
$9.48 MX$178
-63.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.75 DOP 287
$15.37 MX$289
-69.10%
Apples (1kg)
$3.74 DOP 226
$3.10 MX$58.4
20.65%
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 DOP 83.3
$1.96 MX$36.90
-29.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.34 DOP 202
$1.98 MX$37.30
68.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.17 DOP 131
$2.34 MX$43.95
-7.26%
Potato (1kg)
$3.51 DOP 212
$2.02 MX$38.08
73.76%
Onion (1kg)
$2.95 DOP 179
$1.82 MX$34.34
62.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.94 DOP 56.6
$1.54 MX$29.06
-38.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.60 DOP 96.6
$1.31 MX$24.70
22.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.69 DOP 284
$5.35 MX$101
-12.34%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.13 DOP 975
$16.19 MX$305
-0.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.01 DOP 182
$1.96 MX$36.87
53.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.33 DOP 201
$4.35 MX$81.9
-23.45%
🚌 Getting Around
La Romana
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.30 MX$5.74
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$19.49 MX$367
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.41 DOP 146
$1.92 MX$36.08
25.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.34 DOP 202
$0.47 MX$8.90
610.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$5.41 MX$102
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.37 DOP 83.1
$1.48 MX$27.92
-7.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$14.5K DOP 878.5K
$21.4K MX$402.2K
-32.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.3K DOP 1.5M
$23.8K MX$447.1K
6.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
La Romana
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$92.3 DOP 5,582
$62.0 MX$1,167
48.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.95 DOP 602
$28.47 MX$536
-65.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$38.80 DOP 2,346
$34.11 MX$642
13.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
La Romana
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$58.4 MX$1,099
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$24.50 MX$461
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.93 DOP 298
$6.59 MX$124
-25.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
La Romana
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$145 DOP 8,779
$434 MX$8,172
-66.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,443 DOP 329.1K
$14.0K MX$264.1K
-61.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
La Romana
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.87 DOP 1,564
$68.4 MX$1,286
-62.15%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.03 DOP 2,723
$54.8 MX$1,031
-17.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$60.9 DOP 3,681
$111 MX$2,086
-45.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$65.0 DOP 3,932
$116 MX$2,183
-43.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
La Romana
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,179 MX$22.2K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$771 MX$14.5K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,570 MX$48.4K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,420 MX$26.7K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,586 MX$67.5K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,064 MX$38.8K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
La Romana
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,003 MX$18.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11
11.35
-3.08%

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

Last update for La Romana: November 3, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
La Romana
–
Mexico City
$771
Groceries & Markets
La Romana
–
Mexico City
$324
Eating Out
La Romana
–
Mexico City
$201
Clothing & Footwear
La Romana
–
Mexico City
$158
Monthly Utilities & Internet
La Romana
–
Mexico City
$125
Sport & Entertainment
La Romana
–
Mexico City
$72
Getting Around
La Romana
–
Mexico City
$25

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41 in La Romana versus $52 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $324 – making La Romana the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇩🇴 La Romana
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🕒 Local time
22:42 10:42 PM
20:42 8:42 PM
2 h behind La Romana
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
567,431
9,209,944 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to DOP – Dominican Peso Converter

Dominican Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 60.46 DOP (100 DOP = 1.65 USD). 1 EUR = 67.61 DOP (100 DOP = 1.48 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 18.82 MXN (100 MXN = 5.31 USD). 1 EUR = 21.05 MXN (100 MXN = 4.75 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • La Romana Mexico City 3,170 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • La Romana
  • Mexico City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
La Romana vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is La Romana cheaper than Mexico City?
Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 167%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $941 per month in La Romana and $2,510 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in La Romana and in Mexico City?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $627 in La Romana and $1,674 in Mexico City. That makes La Romana about 63% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $145 per month in La Romana and $434 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in La Romana or in Mexico City?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in La Romana, where all-in costs run around $627, than in Mexico City at $1,674. In La Romana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in La Romana or in Mexico City?
It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $627 in La Romana to $1,674 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

La Romana vs other spots: cost of living compared

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