Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and La Romana Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and La Romana

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $804 in La Romana, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,423 in La Romana, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $2,043 in La Romana, rent included.

Phuket costs about 53% more than La Romana, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and La Romana are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, La Romana 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$8.45 DOP 499

-45.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$50.5 DOP 2,984

-7.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$7.25 DOP 429

21.93%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.75 DOP 162

9.09%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$1.00 DOP 59.0

-26.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.39 DOP 23.11

-5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$2.50 DOP 148

-2.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$5.23 DOP 309

-30.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.12 DOP 66.1

101.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.79 DOP 106

2.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.57 DOP 92.8

42.68%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.23 DOP 132

4.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$7.00 DOP 414

181.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$4.98 DOP 294

-26.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$4.99 DOP 295

162.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$3.34 DOP 197

1.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$0.91 DOP 53.6

80.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$2.92 DOP 173

-17.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.92 DOP 113

5.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$2.46 DOP 145

-36.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$2.32 DOP 137

-35.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.12 DOP 66.5

-8.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.97 DOP 57.6

-49.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$5.15 DOP 304

-13.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$11.61 DOP 686

62.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.74 DOP 162

-35.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$3.27 DOP 193

-15.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.34 DOP 198

-6.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$2.17 DOP 128

-53.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$5.84 DOP 345

141.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.34 DOP 78.9

0.75%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$26.6K DOP 1.6M

2.20%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$31.8K DOP 1.9M

3.67%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$66.6 DOP 3,938

87.55%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$17.60 DOP 1,040

-22.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$34.37 DOP 2,031

-46.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$6.89 DOP 407

33.38%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$266 DOP 15.7K

162.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$8,181 DOP 483.4K

90.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$59.8 DOP 3,532

-3.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$52.1 DOP 3,079

-32.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$96.8 DOP 5,722

16.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$114 DOP 6,761

-24.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$202 DOP 11.9K

205.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$135 DOP 7,952

231.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$420 DOP 24.8K

387.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$494 DOP 29.2K

201.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.5

-53.65%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for La Romana: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $202 in La Romana. 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $50.0 in La Romana. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Phuket vs $220 in La Romana – so La Romana 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 La Romana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 53%, 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 $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,206 in La Romana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in La Romana, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,232 in Phuket and $804 in La Romana. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $698 per month in Phuket and $266 in La Romana. 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 La Romana, where all-in costs run around $804, than in Phuket at $1,232. In La Romana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward La Romana – 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 La Romana. 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.