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 $2,296 per month in Lisbon vs $646 in La Romana, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,376 per month in Lisbon vs $1,050 in La Romana, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,457 per month in Lisbon vs $1,454 in La Romana, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 255% more than La Romana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 68% above the global median, while La Romana is 53% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$8.35 DOP 490

110.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$43.03 DOP 2,528

46.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$7.32 DOP 430

58.20%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$1.89 DOP 111

64.02%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$0.74 DOP 43.32

236.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.35 DOP 20.74

397.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$2.61 DOP 153

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$4.08 DOP 240

-15.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.11 DOP 65.4

3.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$1.79 DOP 105

6.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.60 DOP 94.0

-6.25%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$1.50 DOP 87.9

165.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$6.43 DOP 378

106.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$3.73 DOP 219

114.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$4.72 DOP 277

282.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$3.71 DOP 218

-36.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.47 DOP 86.2

19.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$3.42 DOP 201

-45.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$2.27 DOP 133

12.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$3.54 DOP 208

-48.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$3.05 DOP 179

-31.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$0.95 DOP 55.8

56.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.71 DOP 100

-52.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$4.96 DOP 292

43.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$16.72 DOP 983

-64.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$3.13 DOP 184

-58.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$3.56 DOP 209

-40.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$2.52 DOP 148

61.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$3.45 DOP 202

-66.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.43 DOP 84.1

61.54%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$15.0K DOP 879.1K

128.12%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$26.0K DOP 1.5M

58.97%

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

$169 €147

$95.8 DOP 5,631

75.87%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$10.21 DOP 600

89.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$38.84 DOP 2,282

-13.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$5.16 DOP 303

85.47%

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

$696 €607

$149 DOP 8,780

365.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$5,568 DOP 327.2K

211.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$27.41 DOP 1,611

284.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$46.66 DOP 2,742

2.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$64.8 DOP 3,806

55.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$66.5 DOP 3,905

87.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

-65.64%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for La Romana: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $43.00 in La Romana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $243 – 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 255%, 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 $3,444 per month in Lisbon and $969 in La Romana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,296 in Lisbon and $646 in La Romana. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $696 per month in Lisbon and $149 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 $646, than in Lisbon at $2,296. 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.