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 $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $816 in La Romana, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,450 in La Romana, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $2,084 in La Romana, rent included.

Phuket costs about 55% more than La Romana, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and La Romana are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, La Romana 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$8.45 DOP 495

-46.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$51.8 DOP 3,036

-10.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$7.22 DOP 423

17.31%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.63 DOP 154

15.21%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.99 DOP 57.7

-30.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.40 DOP 23.31

-7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$2.52 DOP 148

-1.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$5.17 DOP 303

-29.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.08 DOP 63.3

101.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.79 DOP 105

6.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.58 DOP 92.3

39.24%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.19 DOP 129

1.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$7.23 DOP 423

176.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$5.11 DOP 299

-28.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$5.11 DOP 300

159.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$3.32 DOP 194

-2.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$0.92 DOP 53.8

84.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.96 DOP 173

-19.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.95 DOP 114

6.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.55 DOP 149

-37.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$2.37 DOP 139

-37.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.14 DOP 66.7

-9.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.89 DOP 52.0

-41.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$5.28 DOP 309

-19.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$16.84 DOP 986

11.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$2.64 DOP 155

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$3.09 DOP 181

-10.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$3.50 DOP 205

-10.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$2.21 DOP 130

-52.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$6.02 DOP 353

128.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.26 DOP 74.0

6.35%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$26.1K DOP 1.5M

6.19%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$32.2K DOP 1.9M

5.19%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$68.9 DOP 4,037

79.32%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$18.00 DOP 1,055

-24.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$34.32 DOP 2,011

-45.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$6.76 DOP 396

35.21%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$263 DOP 15.4K

167.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$8,092 DOP 474.0K

96.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$59.7 DOP 3,496

-0.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$51.4 DOP 3,010

-31.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$96.5 DOP 5,650

19.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$115 DOP 6,708

-26.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$207 DOP 12.1K

198.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$137 DOP 8,015

216.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$425 DOP 24.9K

385.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$512 DOP 30.0K

195.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿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: June 7, 2026

Last update for La Romana: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $207 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 $52.0 in La Romana. Groceries tell a different story – $293 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 55%, 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 $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,224 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 $1,261 in Phuket and $816 in La Romana. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $703 per month in Phuket and $263 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 $816, than in Phuket at $1,261. 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.