Cost of Living Comparison Between La Romana and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between La Romana and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $811 per month in La Romana vs $1,264 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,441 per month in La Romana vs $2,256 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,070 per month in La Romana vs $3,248 in Phuket, rent included.

La Romana is about 36% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both La Romana and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – La Romana 39% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.66 DOP 503

$4.48 ฿150

93.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.8 DOP 3,013

$45.59 ฿1,521

13.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 DOP 425

$8.76 ฿292

-16.44%

Cappuccino

$2.70 DOP 157

$2.97 ฿99.0

-9.09%

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

$1.03 DOP 59.9

$0.69 ฿22.90

49.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 DOP 22.89

$0.39 ฿13.04

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 DOP 147

$2.53 ฿84.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 DOP 300

$3.75 ฿125

37.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 DOP 62.9

$2.15 ฿71.6

-49.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 DOP 101

$1.82 ฿60.6

-4.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 DOP 91.1

$2.18 ฿72.9

-27.98%

Eggs

$2.19 DOP 127

$2.25 ฿75.0

-2.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.09 DOP 412

$20.00 ฿667

-64.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.13 DOP 298

$3.63 ฿121

41.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.07 DOP 295

$13.56 ฿452

-62.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 DOP 192

$3.24 ฿108

1.85%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 DOP 50.7

$1.64 ฿54.6

-46.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 DOP 167

$2.33 ฿77.8

23.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 DOP 117

$2.07 ฿69.1

-2.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 DOP 142

$1.55 ฿51.6

58.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 DOP 133

$1.46 ฿48.54

56.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 DOP 63.1

$0.98 ฿32.86

11.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 DOP 55.4

$0.48 ฿16.09

97.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 DOP 301

$4.35 ฿145

19.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.16 DOP 997

$18.57 ฿620

-7.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 DOP 157

$1.86 ฿61.9

45.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 DOP 189

$2.65 ฿88.6

22.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 DOP 193

$3.17 ฿106

4.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.18 DOP 127

$1.03 ฿34.41

111.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 DOP 336

$13.89 ฿463

-58.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 DOP 76.7

$1.34 ฿44.84

-1.49%

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

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

$27.8K ฿927.1K

-3.26%

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

$32.1K DOP 1.9M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-3.93%

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

$68.9 DOP 4,005

$123 ฿4,105

-44.00%

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

$17.98 DOP 1,045

$13.77 ฿459

30.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.46 DOP 2,002

$18.33 ฿611

88.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$6.83 DOP 397

$8.87 ฿296

-23.00%

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

$266 DOP 15.4K

$688 ฿22.9K

-61.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,155 DOP 473.9K

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-48.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 DOP 3,428

$59.3 ฿1,978

-0.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 DOP 2,963

$34.69 ฿1,157

46.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.6 DOP 5,555

$115 ฿3,843

-17.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 DOP 6,662

$83.8 ฿2,794

36.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$205 DOP 11.9K

$621 ฿20.7K

-67.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 DOP 7,994

$446 ฿14.9K

-69.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 DOP 25.0K

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-78.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 DOP 29.1K

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-66.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

5.33

115.76%

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

Last update for La Romana: July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $205 in La Romana versus $621 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in La Romana versus $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $231 in La Romana vs $291 in Phuket – so La Romana 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

La Romana vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 56%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,217 per month in La Romana and $1,896 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in La Romana, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $811 in La Romana and $1,264 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $266 per month in La Romana and $688 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in La Romana, where all-in costs run around $811, than in Phuket at $1,264. In La Romana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward La Romana – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with La Romana. 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.