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 $715 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,276 per month in Phuket vs $1,196 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,291 per month in Phuket vs $1,677 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

Phuket costs about 76% more than Jarabacoa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Jarabacoa are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Jarabacoa 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.53 ฿152

$8.26 DOP 479

-45.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.36 ฿1,558

$49.96 DOP 2,899

-7.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 ฿291

$7.28 DOP 423

18.82%

Cappuccino

$3.09 ฿104

$2.74 DOP 159

12.77%

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

$0.68 ฿22.79

$1.04 DOP 60.1

-34.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.38

$0.79 DOP 46.03

-53.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.2

$2.62 DOP 152

-7.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿128

$5.05 DOP 293

-24.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿73.2

$1.34 DOP 77.6

62.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿61.1

$1.73 DOP 101

5.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.2

$1.55 DOP 90.1

40.65%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿75.1

$2.27 DOP 132

-1.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.93 ฿670

$7.30 DOP 423

173.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 ฿122

$6.26 DOP 363

-41.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿456

$11.02 DOP 639

23.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ฿111

$3.16 DOP 183

4.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

$0.92 DOP 53.6

83.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.4

$2.91 DOP 169

-19.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.95 DOP 113

4.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.8

$2.48 DOP 144

-35.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.2

$2.30 DOP 134

-35.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿34.02

$1.09 DOP 63.5

-7.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.02

$0.97 DOP 56.4

-50.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿150

$5.71 DOP 331

-22.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.63 ฿626

$10.64 DOP 617

75.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿60.0

$2.65 DOP 154

-32.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿94.0

$3.25 DOP 188

-13.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ฿104

$3.30 DOP 192

-6.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.03

$2.18 DOP 127

-52.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.63 ฿458

$5.86 DOP 340

132.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.03

$1.33 DOP 76.9

-1.50%

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

$27.3K ฿916.6K

$26.6K DOP 1.5M

2.51%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$31.8K DOP 1.8M

4.58%

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

$123 ฿4,138

$75.7 DOP 4,390

62.78%

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

$13.81 ฿464

$25.47 DOP 1,478

-45.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿622

$36.33 DOP 2,108

-49.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 ฿2,028

$20.72 DOP 1,202

191.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿564

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿299

$6.64 DOP 385

33.89%

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

$687 ฿23.1K

$272 DOP 15.8K

152.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿522.5K

$7,974 DOP 462.7K

95.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 ฿1,936

$59.5 DOP 3,450

-3.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.66 ฿1,165

$50.7 DOP 2,944

-31.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,861

$98.0 DOP 5,686

17.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 ฿2,853

$114 DOP 6,627

-25.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 ฿20.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,047 ฿68.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 ฿50.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,568 ฿119.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,511 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.9K

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Jarabacoa: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $50.0 in Jarabacoa. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Phuket vs $244 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 Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,891 per month in Phuket and $1,072 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 $715 in Jarabacoa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $687 per month in Phuket and $272 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 $715, 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.