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 $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $811 in La Romana, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,441 in La Romana, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $2,070 in La Romana, rent included.

Phuket costs about 56% more than La Romana, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and La Romana are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, La Romana 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$8.66 DOP 503

-48.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$51.8 DOP 3,013

-12.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$7.32 DOP 425

19.67%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.70 DOP 157

10.00%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.03 DOP 59.9

-33.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.39 DOP 22.89

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.53 DOP 147

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$5.16 DOP 300

-27.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.08 DOP 62.9

99.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.74 DOP 101

4.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.57 DOP 91.1

38.85%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.19 DOP 127

2.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$7.09 DOP 412

182.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$5.13 DOP 298

-29.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$5.07 DOP 295

167.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$3.30 DOP 192

-1.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$0.87 DOP 50.7

88.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$2.87 DOP 167

-18.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$2.01 DOP 117

2.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$2.45 DOP 142

-36.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$2.29 DOP 133

-36.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.09 DOP 63.1

-10.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.95 DOP 55.4

-49.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$5.18 DOP 301

-16.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$17.16 DOP 997

8.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$2.71 DOP 157

-31.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$3.24 DOP 189

-18.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$3.32 DOP 193

-4.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$2.18 DOP 127

-52.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$5.78 DOP 336

140.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.32 DOP 76.7

1.52%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

3.37%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$32.1K DOP 1.9M

4.09%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$68.9 DOP 4,005

78.57%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$17.98 DOP 1,045

-23.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$34.46 DOP 2,002

-46.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$6.83 DOP 397

29.87%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$266 DOP 15.4K

159.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$8,155 DOP 473.9K

93.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$59.0 DOP 3,428

0.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$51.0 DOP 2,963

-31.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$95.6 DOP 5,555

20.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$115 DOP 6,662

-26.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$205 DOP 11.9K

203.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$138 DOP 7,994

224.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$429 DOP 25.0K

373.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$501 DOP 29.1K

198.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for La Romana: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $205 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $52.0 in La Romana. Groceries tell a different story – $291 in Phuket vs $231 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 56%, 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 $1,896 per month in Phuket and $1,217 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 $1,264 in Phuket and $811 in La Romana. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $688 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 $811, than in Phuket at $1,264. 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.