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 $2,227 per month in Lisbon vs $804 in La Romana, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,305 per month in Lisbon vs $1,423 in La Romana, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,384 per month in Lisbon vs $2,043 in La Romana, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 177% 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

$16.17 €13.84

$8.45 DOP 499

91.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$50.5 DOP 2,984

27.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$7.25 DOP 429

43.17%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$2.75 DOP 162

0.73%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$1.00 DOP 59.0

125.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.39 DOP 23.11

302.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$2.50 DOP 148

39.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$5.23 DOP 309

-23.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.12 DOP 66.1

-3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.79 DOP 106

-2.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.57 DOP 92.8

10.83%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$2.23 DOP 132

42.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$7.00 DOP 414

91.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$4.98 DOP 294

60.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$4.99 DOP 295

222.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$3.34 DOP 197

-31.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$0.91 DOP 53.6

89.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$2.92 DOP 173

-33.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$1.92 DOP 113

32.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$2.46 DOP 145

-25.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.32 DOP 137

-12.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.12 DOP 66.5

76.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.97 DOP 57.6

-12.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$5.15 DOP 304

33.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$11.61 DOP 686

-50.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.74 DOP 162

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$3.27 DOP 193

-11.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$3.34 DOP 198

22.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$2.17 DOP 128

-62.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$5.84 DOP 345

212.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.34 DOP 78.9

50.00%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$26.6K DOP 1.6M

32.58%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$31.8K DOP 1.9M

21.20%

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

$145 €124

$66.6 DOP 3,938

118.19%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$17.60 DOP 1,040

19.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$34.37 DOP 2,031

16.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$6.89 DOP 407

31.49%

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

$607 €519

$266 DOP 15.7K

127.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$8,181 DOP 483.4K

99.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$59.8 DOP 3,532

75.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$52.1 DOP 3,079

-21.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$96.8 DOP 5,722

-3.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$114 DOP 6,761

3.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$202 DOP 11.9K

695.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$135 DOP 7,952

818.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$420 DOP 24.8K

625.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$494 DOP 29.2K

315.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for La Romana: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,604 in Lisbon versus $202 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 $65.0 in Lisbon versus $50.0 in La Romana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 vs $220 – 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 177%, 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 $3,341 per month in Lisbon and $1,206 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 $2,227 in Lisbon and $804 in La Romana. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $607 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 $804, than in Lisbon at $2,227. 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.