😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $600 in San Francisco de Macoris.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $964 in San Francisco de Macoris.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,329 in San Francisco de Macoris.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 110% more expensive than San Francisco de Macoris, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, San Francisco de Macoris55% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿149
$3.91DOP 229
16.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63฿1,519
$13.38DOP 784
248.51%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47฿276
$6.77DOP 397
25.11%
Cappuccino
$3.03฿98.6
$2.60DOP 152
16.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.45
$0.57DOP 33.38
21.05%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.92
$0.53DOP 30.84
-30.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49฿81.0
$2.17DOP 127
14.75%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿119
$2.61DOP 153
40.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿71.0
$1.15DOP 67.7
89.57%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90฿62.0
$1.81DOP 106
4.97%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20฿71.6
$1.09DOP 64.1
101.83%
Eggs
$2.22฿72.4
$1.46DOP 85.7
52.05%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99฿651
$4.01DOP 235
398.50%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66฿119
$3.46DOP 203
5.78%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25฿432
$6.82DOP 400
94.28%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿105
$2.70DOP 158
19.63%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70฿55.3
$0.72DOP 42.35
136.11%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39฿78.0
$1.30DOP 76.2
83.85%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿67.7
$0.86DOP 50.4
141.86%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59฿51.8
$1.19DOP 69.8
33.61%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.31
$1.25DOP 73.5
18.40%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.54
$0.61DOP 35.65
68.85%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿16.83
$0.96DOP 56.2
-45.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25฿138
$3.32DOP 194
28.01%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79฿612
$10.67DOP 625
76.10%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76฿57.2
$2.76DOP 161
-36.23%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76฿89.8
$3.20DOP 187
-13.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36฿44.32
$0.57DOP 33.10
138.60%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36฿370
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14฿102
$3.43DOP 201
-8.45%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.74
$1.94DOP 114
-46.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77฿448
$5.81DOP 340
137.01%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿43.79
$1.15DOP 67.5
16.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K฿901.4K
$26.4KDOP 1.5M
4.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K฿1.1M
$32.2KDOP 1.9M
5.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124฿4,025
$39.30DOP 2,302
214.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52฿440
$8.73DOP 511
54.87%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69฿609
$35.55DOP 2,082
-47.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8฿2,013
$16.90DOP 990
265.80%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25฿562
$8.32DOP 487
107.33%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14฿298
$4.28DOP 250
113.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703฿22.9K
$171DOP 10.0K
311.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9K฿517.0K
$2,050DOP 120.1K
674.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,937
$25.79DOP 1,511
130.55%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07฿1,142
$51.6DOP 3,020
-31.97%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,754
$66.8DOP 3,914
72.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1฿2,737
$66.6DOP 3,902
26.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619฿20.1K
$160DOP 9,394
285.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433฿14.1K
$109DOP 6,383
297.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062฿67.2K
$343DOP 20.1K
500.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511฿49.2K
$270DOP 15.8K
459.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646฿118.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626฿85.5K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507฿16.5K
-
-
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: June 7, 2026
Last update for San Francisco de Macoris: June 9, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $160 in San Francisco de Macoris. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $13.00 in San Francisco de Macoris for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $179 per month, with San Francisco de Macoris cheaper across the board.
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, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 110% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $900 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.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and San Francisco de Macoris?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $160 in San Francisco de Macoris. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $171 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 San Francisco de Macoris?
Dining out is cheaper in San Francisco de Macoris – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Phuket or San Francisco de Macoris?
At $600 in San Francisco de Macoris versus $1,261 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 110% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.