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 $2,280 per month in Lisbon vs $811 in La Romana, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,294 per month in Lisbon vs $1,441 in La Romana, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,307 per month in Lisbon vs $2,070 in La Romana, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 181% more than La Romana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while La Romana is 39% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$8.66 DOP 503

81.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$51.8 DOP 3,013

22.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

$7.32 DOP 425

42.76%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$2.70 DOP 157

7.78%

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

$2.29 €1.98

$1.03 DOP 59.9

122.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.39 DOP 22.89

284.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$2.53 DOP 147

40.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$5.16 DOP 300

-23.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.08 DOP 62.9

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$1.74 DOP 101

1.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.57 DOP 91.1

8.28%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$2.19 DOP 127

48.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$7.09 DOP 412

86.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$5.13 DOP 298

50.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$5.07 DOP 295

211.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$3.30 DOP 192

-30.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$0.87 DOP 50.7

90.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$2.87 DOP 167

-29.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$2.01 DOP 117

22.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$2.45 DOP 142

-26.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$2.29 DOP 133

-9.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$1.09 DOP 63.1

80.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.95 DOP 55.4

-12.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

$5.18 DOP 301

26.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

$17.16 DOP 997

-67.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$2.71 DOP 157

-50.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$3.24 DOP 189

-7.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

$3.32 DOP 193

27.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$2.18 DOP 127

-61.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

$5.78 DOP 336

225.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.32 DOP 76.7

53.03%

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

$35.0K €30.3K

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

30.03%

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

$39.6K €34.3K

$32.1K DOP 1.9M

23.62%

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

$148 €128

$68.9 DOP 4,005

114.67%

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

$20.52 €17.77

$17.98 DOP 1,045

14.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$34.46 DOP 2,002

14.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

$6.83 DOP 397

33.24%

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

$615 €532

$266 DOP 15.4K

131.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

$8,155 DOP 473.9K

99.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$59.0 DOP 3,428

72.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

$51.0 DOP 2,963

-17.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

$95.6 DOP 5,555

-3.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$115 DOP 6,662

6.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

$205 DOP 11.9K

686.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

$138 DOP 7,994

811.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

$429 DOP 25.0K

614.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

$501 DOP 29.1K

306.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for La Romana: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,612 in Lisbon versus $205 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 $63.0 in Lisbon versus $52.0 in La Romana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $231 – 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 181%, 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 $3,420 per month in Lisbon and $1,217 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 $2,280 in Lisbon and $811 in La Romana. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $615 per month in Lisbon and $266 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 $811, than in Lisbon at $2,280. 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.