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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $718 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $1,204 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $1,690 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

Phuket costs about 76% more than Jarabacoa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Jarabacoa are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Jarabacoa 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$10.15 DOP 599

-54.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$51.7 DOP 3,046

-37.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$7.99 DOP 471

8.64%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.37 DOP 140

22.36%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$1.14 DOP 67.1

-26.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.69 DOP 40.67

-28.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$2.60 DOP 153

-4.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$3.53 DOP 208

5.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.40 DOP 82.5

35.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.53 DOP 90.1

-7.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.60 DOP 94.1

1.25%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$2.41 DOP 142

-7.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$7.28 DOP 429

172.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$5.86 DOP 345

-40.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$7.00 DOP 413

62.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.24 DOP 191

-10.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$0.81 DOP 47.77

112.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$2.85 DOP 168

-20.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.85 DOP 109

15.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$2.03 DOP 120

-27.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$2.24 DOP 132

-36.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.02 DOP 59.9

7.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$1.03 DOP 60.5

-41.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$5.54 DOP 327

-22.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$10.47 DOP 617

77.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$2.66 DOP 157

-32.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.97 DOP 175

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$3.44 DOP 203

-9.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$2.33 DOP 137

-53.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$6.08 DOP 358

-36.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.42 DOP 83.9

0.70%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$24.0K DOP 1.4M

15.99%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$34.4K DOP 2.0M

-21.66%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$94.0 DOP 5,543

11.47%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$32.17 DOP 1,897

-64.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$37.46 DOP 2,209

-53.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$7.70 DOP 454

1.04%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$258 DOP 15.2K

123.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$6,941 DOP 409.2K

66.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$46.43 DOP 2,737

37.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$47.69 DOP 2,812

-38.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$88.3 DOP 5,204

9.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$126 DOP 7,451

-28.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

13.56

-58.92%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Jarabacoa: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $52.0 in Jarabacoa. Groceries tell a different story – $275 in Phuket vs $226 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 76%, 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,077 in Jarabacoa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $718 in Jarabacoa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $576 per month in Phuket and $258 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 $718, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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.