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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,270 per month in Phuket vs $717 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,304 per month in Phuket vs $1,218 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,339 per month in Phuket vs $1,718 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

Phuket costs about 77% more than Jarabacoa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Jarabacoa are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Jarabacoa 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿150

$8.56 DOP 516

-45.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.44 ฿1,496

$51.9 DOP 3,126

-10.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿280

$7.57 DOP 456

14.66%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ฿95.0

$2.65 DOP 160

11.32%

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

$0.70 ฿22.52

$1.00 DOP 60.1

-30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.70

$0.84 DOP 50.4

-53.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿81.6

$2.49 DOP 150

1.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿122

$5.04 DOP 304

-25.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ฿71.5

$1.39 DOP 83.7

59.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ฿57.8

$1.81 DOP 109

-0.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ฿70.4

$1.49 DOP 89.7

46.98%

Eggs

$2.31 ฿74.5

$2.20 DOP 133

5.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 ฿623

$7.04 DOP 424

174.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿121

$6.43 DOP 387

-41.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ฿426

$11.11 DOP 669

18.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 ฿107

$3.22 DOP 194

3.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.1

$0.92 DOP 55.6

79.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿73.7

$2.89 DOP 174

-20.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.1

$1.92 DOP 115

3.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.24

$2.55 DOP 153

-40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿48.77

$2.32 DOP 140

-34.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.12

$1.13 DOP 67.8

-8.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.57

$0.98 DOP 58.7

-47.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿142

$5.67 DOP 341

-22.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 ฿625

$11.51 DOP 693

68.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.0

$2.70 DOP 163

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿86.4

$3.13 DOP 188

-14.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿46.11

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿97.9

$3.39 DOP 204

-10.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.37

$2.22 DOP 134

-53.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 ฿441

$6.08 DOP 366

125.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.85

$1.27 DOP 76.4

2.36%

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

$27.9K ฿898.9K

$26.8K DOP 1.6M

3.94%

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$31.4K DOP 1.9M

5.24%

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

$123 ฿3,962

$76.2 DOP 4,591

61.31%

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

$13.82 ฿445

$25.02 DOP 1,507

-44.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.86 ฿608

$35.51 DOP 2,139

-46.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 ฿1,970

$20.68 DOP 1,245

195.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿286

$6.69 DOP 403

32.59%

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

$696 ฿22.4K

$271 DOP 16.3K

157.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿517.4K

$8,209 DOP 494.5K

95.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,910

$61.0 DOP 3,672

-2.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ฿1,123

$52.4 DOP 3,156

-33.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,646

$95.5 DOP 5,751

18.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 ฿2,740

$114 DOP 6,837

-25.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ฿19.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿48.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,734 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ฿85.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Jarabacoa: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $615 in Phuket versus $0 in Jarabacoa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46 in Phuket versus $52 in Jarabacoa. Groceries tell a different story – $291 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 77%, 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 $1,904 per month in Phuket and $1,075 in Jarabacoa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,270 in Phuket and $717 in Jarabacoa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $696 per month in Phuket and $271 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 $717, than in Phuket at $1,270. 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.