Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and La Romana

For one person, living is cheaper in La Romana: $627 a month against $4,906 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $51,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

New York, NY, United States
La Romana, Dominican Republic
New York, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$4,906
/mo nomad
La Romana
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
$627
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in La Romana

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in New York, NY and in La Romana actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,906 per month in New York, NY vs $627 in La Romana, rent included.

  • New York, NY $4,906
  • La Romana $627

A couple spends around $7,273 per month in New York, NY vs $1,011 in La Romana, rent included.

  • New York, NY $7,273
  • La Romana $1,011

A family of three spends $9,641 per month in New York, NY vs $1,395 in La Romana, rent included.

  • New York, NY $9,641
  • La Romana $1,395

New York, NY costs about 682% more than La Romana, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

New York, NY sits 263% above the global median, while La Romana is 54% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
New York, NY
La Romana
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$26.93 $26.93
$8.32 DOP 497
223.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$117 $117
$41.07 DOP 2,455
184.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.60 $14.60
$6.93 DOP 415
110.68%
Cappuccino
$6.54 $6.54
$1.82 DOP 109
259.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.86 $3.86
$0.72 DOP 43.21
436.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.95 $2.95
$0.32 DOP 19.12
821.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.08 $8.08
$2.38 DOP 142
239.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.85 $9.85
$3.84 DOP 230
156.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
New York, NY
La Romana
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.31 $1.31
$1.07 DOP 64.0
22.43%
White Bread (500g)
$4.97 $4.97
$1.78 DOP 107
179.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$7.70 $7.70
$1.53 DOP 91.4
403.27%
Eggs
$6.09 $6.09
$1.48 DOP 88.3
311.49%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.55 $19.55
$6.36 DOP 380
207.39%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$17.59 $17.59
$3.47 DOP 207
406.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.26 $20.26
$4.75 DOP 284
326.53%
Apples (1kg)
$6.99 $6.99
$3.74 DOP 224
86.90%
Banana (1kg)
$2.21 $2.21
$1.38 DOP 82.4
60.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.72 $6.72
$3.34 DOP 199
101.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$7.12 $7.12
$2.17 DOP 130
228.11%
Potato (1kg)
$4.61 $4.61
$3.51 DOP 210
31.34%
Onion (1kg)
$4.78 $4.78
$2.95 DOP 177
62.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.87 $2.87
$0.94 DOP 56.0
205.32%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.69 $2.69
$1.60 DOP 95.5
68.12%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$19.14 $19.14
$4.69 DOP 280
308.10%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.63 $19.63
$16.13 DOP 964
21.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.32 $3.32
$3.01 DOP 180
10.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.19 $4.19
$3.33 DOP 199
25.83%
🚌 Getting Around
New York, NY
La Romana
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.02 $3.02
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$139 $139
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.04 $3.04
$2.41 DOP 144
26.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.20 $2.20
$3.34 DOP 199
-34.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.33 $41.33
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.13 $1.13
$1.37 DOP 82.1
-17.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K $34.5K
$14.5K DOP 868.7K
137.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K $25.8K
$25.3K DOP 1.5M
2.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
New York, NY
La Romana
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$232 $232
$92.3 DOP 5,520
151.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$71.0 $71.0
$9.95 DOP 595
613.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$67.7 $67.7
$38.80 DOP 2,320
74.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
New York, NY
La Romana
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$115 $115
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$76.8 $76.8
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$22.41 $22.41
$4.93 DOP 295
354.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
New York, NY
La Romana
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$3,606 $3,606
$145 DOP 8,682
2383.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$68.7K $68.7K
$5,443 DOP 325.4K
1162.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
New York, NY
La Romana
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$79.3 $79.3
$25.87 DOP 1,547
206.34%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.4 $51.4
$45.03 DOP 2,692
14.15%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$121 $121
$60.9 DOP 3,641
98.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$140 $140
$65.0 DOP 3,888
115.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
New York, NY
La Romana
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,555 $4,555
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,040 $3,040
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$9,742 $9,742
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$5,331 $5,331
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$18.2K $18.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,685 $6,685
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
New York, NY
La Romana
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,096 $5,096
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.89
11
-37.36%

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

Last update for New York, NY: November 1, 2026

Last update for La Romana: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
New York, NY
$3K
La Romana
–
Groceries & Markets
New York, NY
$567
La Romana
–
Eating Out
New York, NY
$425
La Romana
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
New York, NY
$371
La Romana
–
Clothing & Footwear
New York, NY
$176
La Romana
–
Getting Around
New York, NY
$165
La Romana
–
Sport & Entertainment
New York, NY
$160
La Romana
–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $117 in New York, NY versus $41 in La Romana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $567 vs $236 – making La Romana the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 New York, NY
🇩🇴 La Romana
🕒 Local time
02:50 2:50 AM
03:50 3:50 AM
1 h ahead of New York, NY
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,804,190
567,431
Exchange rates and currency converter

DOP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Dominican Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 59.79 DOP (100 DOP = 1.67 USD). 1 EUR = 67.15 DOP (100 DOP = 1.49 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • New York, NY La Romana 2,520 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • New York, NY
  • La Romana

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
New York, NY vs La Romana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is La Romana cheaper than New York, NY?
Yes – New York, NY is pricier by about 682%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,358 per month in New York, NY and $941 in La Romana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in New York, NY and in La Romana?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $4,906 in New York, NY and $627 in La Romana. That makes La Romana about 87% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $3,606 per month in New York, NY and $145 in La Romana. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in New York, NY or in La Romana?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in La Romana, where all-in costs run around $627, than in New York, NY at $4,906. In La Romana it covers expenses comfortably, while in New York, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in New York, NY or in La Romana?
It depends on your priorities. New York, NY has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $627 in La Romana to $4,906 in New York, NY. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

New York, NY vs other spots: cost of living compared

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