Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Jarabacoa Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Jarabacoa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $735 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,223 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $1,710 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

Phuket costs about 72% more than Jarabacoa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Jarabacoa are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Jarabacoa 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$8.51 DOP 495

-46.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,536

$51.5 DOP 2,998

-9.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿279

$7.41 DOP 431

14.30%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿99.7

$2.63 DOP 153

15.21%

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

$0.69 ฿22.71

$1.04 DOP 60.5

-33.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.05

$0.79 DOP 46.15

-53.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿82.0

$2.50 DOP 146

-0.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿121

$5.17 DOP 301

-29.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.34 DOP 78.2

62.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.7

$1.80 DOP 105

5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿72.4

$1.56 DOP 91.0

41.03%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿73.2

$2.23 DOP 130

-0.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿659

$7.34 DOP 427

172.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿121

$6.43 DOP 374

-43.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿437

$11.07 DOP 644

19.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿107

$3.30 DOP 192

-2.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.9

$0.86 DOP 49.89

97.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.9

$2.98 DOP 173

-19.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.5

$2.02 DOP 117

2.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.5

$2.53 DOP 147

-37.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.87

$2.40 DOP 140

-38.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.93

$1.14 DOP 66.4

-9.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.03

$0.92 DOP 53.5

-43.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿140

$5.94 DOP 345

-28.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿619

$10.64 DOP 619

76.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.9

$2.77 DOP 161

-36.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿90.8

$3.19 DOP 186

-13.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿374

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿104

$3.43 DOP 200

-8.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿34.13

$2.21 DOP 129

-52.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿454

$5.84 DOP 340

135.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.30

$1.32 DOP 76.5

1.52%

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

$27.7K ฿912.0K

$26.2K DOP 1.5M

5.69%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$31.4K DOP 1.8M

7.85%

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

$124 ฿4,072

$77.1 DOP 4,482

60.38%

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

$13.52 ฿446

$25.24 DOP 1,468

-46.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿616

$36.72 DOP 2,136

-49.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,037

$20.20 DOP 1,175

206.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿568

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿301

$6.94 DOP 404

31.70%

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

$703 ฿23.2K

$268 DOP 15.6K

161.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿523.0K

$8,157 DOP 474.5K

94.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,959

$60.7 DOP 3,532

-2.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,156

$52.3 DOP 3,041

-32.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,798

$97.3 DOP 5,660

18.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,769

$113 DOP 6,601

-25.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿120.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

12.9

-58.68%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Jarabacoa: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $52.0 in Jarabacoa. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $247 in Jarabacoa – so Jarabacoa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Jarabacoa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 72%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,103 in Jarabacoa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Phuket and $735 in Jarabacoa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $703 per month in Phuket and $268 in Jarabacoa. 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 Jarabacoa, where all-in costs run around $735, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Jarabacoa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jarabacoa – 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 Jarabacoa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.