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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,217 per month in Lisbon vs $797 in La Romana, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,245 per month in Lisbon vs $1,431 in La Romana, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,272 per month in Lisbon vs $2,064 in La Romana, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 178% more than La Romana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 66% above the global median, while La Romana is 40% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 €13.59

$8.33 DOP 485

89.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €53.8

$50.3 DOP 2,932

24.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.07

$7.35 DOP 429

43.40%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.38

$2.74 DOP 160

1.09%

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

$2.28 €1.97

$1.04 DOP 60.5

119.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.33

$0.36 DOP 21.24

330.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.05

$2.48 DOP 145

43.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.43

$5.07 DOP 295

-21.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.08 DOP 62.9

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.79 DOP 104

-1.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.56 DOP 91.2

13.46%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.69

$2.19 DOP 128

42.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.49

$7.12 DOP 415

87.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.88

$5.19 DOP 302

53.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.70

$5.02 DOP 293

217.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$3.21 DOP 187

-28.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.42

$0.88 DOP 51.2

86.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.70

$2.87 DOP 167

-31.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.01 DOP 117

21.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$2.44 DOP 142

-27.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$2.36 DOP 138

-16.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.08 DOP 63.2

82.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.89 DOP 52.1

-10.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.63

$5.33 DOP 310

22.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €4.95

$16.74 DOP 976

-65.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.13

$2.63 DOP 153

-49.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.57

$3.27 DOP 191

-8.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.01

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €39.48

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.66

$3.33 DOP 194

27.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.73

$2.21 DOP 129

-61.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.24

$6.03 DOP 351

212.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.33 DOP 77.7

55.64%

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

$35.2K €30.3K

$26.7K DOP 1.6M

31.77%

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

$38.6K €33.2K

$31.7K DOP 1.8M

21.95%

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

$151 €130

$67.0 DOP 3,904

125.57%

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

$20.91 €18.00

$18.05 DOP 1,052

15.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.05

$34.02 DOP 1,982

16.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €41.67

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.02

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.79

$6.85 DOP 399

31.97%

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

$610 €525

$272 DOP 15.9K

124.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$8,176 DOP 476.4K

99.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.2

$60.8 DOP 3,544

66.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €34.94

$52.3 DOP 3,048

-22.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €80.1

$98.1 DOP 5,713

-5.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$114 DOP 6,669

3.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,380

$207 DOP 12.1K

674.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,067

$134 DOP 7,806

824.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,599

$433 DOP 25.2K

597.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,775

$495 DOP 28.9K

316.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,872

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,903

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,402

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

11.5

-66.87%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 15, 2026

Last update for La Romana: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,603 in Lisbon versus $207 in La Romana. 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 $62.0 in Lisbon versus $50.0 in La Romana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $229 – making La Romana 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

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

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 178%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,325 per month in Lisbon and $1,196 in La Romana. 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 $2,217 in Lisbon and $797 in La Romana. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $610 per month in Lisbon and $272 in La Romana. 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 $797, than in Lisbon at $2,217. In La Romana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon 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, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.