😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $726 in San Francisco de Macoris.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,193 in San Francisco de Macoris.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,660 in San Francisco de Macoris.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 70% more expensive than in San Francisco de Macoris, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket10% lower, San Francisco de Macoris47% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41฿147
$10.20DOP 599
-56.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26฿1,077
$51.1DOP 3,004
-36.89%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.93฿298
$7.80DOP 459
14.49%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿96.6
$2.40DOP 141
20.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿29.38
$1.09DOP 63.9
-19.27%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.06
$0.68DOP 39.74
-29.41%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.35฿78.5
$2.49DOP 147
-5.62%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿124
$3.66DOP 215
1.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.87฿62.3
$1.47DOP 86.3
27.21%
White Bread(500g)
$1.47฿48.94
$1.59DOP 93.5
-7.55%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55฿51.8
$1.61DOP 94.7
-3.73%
Eggs
$2.10฿70.1
$2.44DOP 144
-13.93%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.59฿654
$7.46DOP 439
162.60%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.42฿114
$5.52DOP 325
-38.04%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.38฿380
$6.68DOP 392
70.36%
Apples(1kg)
$2.98฿99.6
$3.16DOP 186
-5.70%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68฿56.2
$0.81DOP 47.78
107.41%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.21฿73.7
$2.77DOP 162
-20.22%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16฿72.1
$1.90DOP 111
13.68%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52฿50.9
$2.04DOP 120
-25.49%
Onion(1kg)
$1.34฿44.67
$2.23DOP 131
-39.91%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13฿37.67
$1.06DOP 62.4
6.60%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55฿18.24
$0.97DOP 57.2
-43.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26฿142
$5.43DOP 319
-21.55%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.09฿637
$10.45DOP 614
82.68%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿59.4
$2.69DOP 158
-33.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78฿92.9
$3.05DOP 179
-8.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.23฿74.4
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.74฿759
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿101
$3.30DOP 194
-8.18%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02฿34.15
$2.24DOP 132
-54.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.89฿130
$6.05DOP 356
-35.70%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.77
$1.36DOP 80.2
9.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K฿887.3K
$23.3KDOP 1.4M
13.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿902.2K
$33.4KDOP 2.0M
-19.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102฿3,420
$95.0DOP 5,582
7.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33฿378
$32.66DOP 1,919
-65.31%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40฿581
$36.47DOP 2,143
-52.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.1฿1,738
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07฿370
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.69฿257
$7.73DOP 454
-0.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$561฿18.7K
$258DOP 15.2K
117.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K฿384.1K
$7,675DOP 451.0K
49.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0฿2,104
$45.98DOP 2,702
37.08%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52฿986
$48.59DOP 2,855
-39.25%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.0฿3,272
$90.4DOP 5,310
8.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5฿2,954
$129DOP 7,565
-31.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$738฿24.6K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$482฿16.1K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,107฿70.3K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,226฿40.9K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,617฿120.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,603฿86.9K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
13.56
-58.92%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Last update for San Francisco de Macoris: September 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $51.0 in San Francisco de Macoris. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $225, with San Francisco de Macoris cheaper for home cooking.
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 San Francisco de Macoris: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is San Francisco de Macoris cheaper than Phuket?
San Francisco de Macoris is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 70% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,089 in San Francisco de Macoris to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $258 in San Francisco de Macoris. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in San Francisco de Macoris?
Dining out is cheaper in San Francisco de Macoris – a meal for two runs $51.0 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in San Francisco de Macoris?
At $726 in San Francisco de Macoris versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Francisco de Macoris but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes San Francisco de Macoris the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or San Francisco de Macoris more family-friendly?
For families, San Francisco de Macoris is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or San Francisco de Macoris?
Safety-wise, Phuket and San Francisco de Macoris are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find San Francisco de Macoris gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.