Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Higuey Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Higuey

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $666 in Higuey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,063 in Higuey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,461 in Higuey.

Living in Phuket is roughly 89% more expensive than Higuey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Higuey 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$4.60 DOP 270

-0.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$28.81 DOP 1,687

61.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$5.00 DOP 293

69.40%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.24 DOP 131

35.27%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.49 DOP 28.71

40.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.43 DOP 25.31

-13.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.89 DOP 110

31.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.92 DOP 171

25.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.05 DOP 61.2

107.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.06 DOP 61.8

79.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$0.81 DOP 47.48

171.60%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.51 DOP 88.5

47.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$2.51 DOP 147

696.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.34 DOP 196

9.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$4.98 DOP 292

166.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$3.18 DOP 186

1.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$0.85 DOP 49.76

100.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$3.02 DOP 177

-20.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.93 DOP 113

7.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.90 DOP 52.8

76.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$2.38 DOP 139

-37.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.09 DOP 63.6

-5.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.87 DOP 51.1

-40.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$4.20 DOP 246

1.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$10.75 DOP 630

74.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.74 DOP 102

1.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.62 DOP 154

5.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$1.04 DOP 60.9

30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$3.45 DOP 202

-8.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$2.19 DOP 128

-52.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$5.80 DOP 340

137.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.28 DOP 74.8

4.69%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$27.0K DOP 1.6M

2.60%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$31.5K DOP 1.8M

7.41%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$51.2 DOP 2,996

141.62%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$25.39 DOP 1,487

-46.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$26.20 DOP 1,535

-28.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$14.60 DOP 855

323.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$4.22 DOP 247

116.59%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$268 DOP 15.7K

162.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$8,089 DOP 473.9K

96.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$59.9 DOP 3,507

-0.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$51.0 DOP 2,986

-31.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$96.4 DOP 5,650

19.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$116 DOP 6,809

-27.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$159 DOP 9,295

289.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$109 DOP 6,370

297.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$281 DOP 16.5K

632.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$213 DOP 12.5K

609.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

12.25

-56.49%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Higuey: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $159 in Higuey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $29.00 in Higuey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $170 per month, with Higuey cheaper across the board.

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

Phuket vs Higuey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Higuey is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 89% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $999 in Higuey to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $159 in Higuey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 72% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $666 in Higuey – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $666 in Higuey versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Higuey but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Higuey the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Higuey is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Higuey are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Higuey gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.