😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $614 in San Francisco de Macoris.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $962 in San Francisco de Macoris.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,310 in San Francisco de Macoris.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 101% more expensive than San Francisco de Macoris, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, San Francisco de Macoris54% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$3.72DOP 220
24.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$13.37DOP 790
250.34%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$6.91DOP 408
27.93%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$2.48DOP 147
20.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$0.62DOP 36.51
19.35%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$0.49DOP 28.94
-24.49%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$2.11DOP 124
15.64%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$2.50DOP 148
44.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$1.20DOP 70.8
88.33%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$1.75DOP 103
5.14%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$1.13DOP 66.8
98.23%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$1.45DOP 85.5
60.00%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$3.97DOP 235
395.47%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$3.39DOP 200
7.67%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$6.75DOP 399
94.07%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$2.63DOP 155
28.90%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$0.80DOP 46.99
105.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$1.24DOP 73.3
94.35%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$0.82DOP 48.44
147.56%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$1.21DOP 71.3
28.93%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$1.24DOP 73.2
20.97%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$0.60DOP 35.57
70.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$0.88DOP 52.3
-44.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$3.38DOP 200
31.66%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$11.55DOP 683
63.46%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$2.66DOP 157
-33.08%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$3.12DOP 184
-11.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$0.57DOP 33.63
145.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$3.32DOP 196
-6.02%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$2.01DOP 119
-50.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$5.79DOP 342
143.35%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$1.16DOP 68.4
16.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$26.3KDOP 1.6M
3.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$31.6KDOP 1.9M
4.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$38.98DOP 2,303
220.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$8.47DOP 500
60.21%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$36.30DOP 2,145
-48.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$17.21DOP 1,017
257.23%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
$8.66DOP 512
94.46%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$4.18DOP 247
119.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$172DOP 10.2K
305.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$2,016DOP 119.1K
673.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$25.03DOP 1,479
130.76%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$51.8DOP 3,062
-32.00%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$66.8DOP 3,948
69.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$68.4DOP 4,042
26.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$159DOP 9,419
286.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$106DOP 6,247
321.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$333DOP 19.7K
514.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$269DOP 15.9K
455.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
-
-
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: April 27, 2026
Last update for San Francisco de Macoris: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $159 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 $292 vs $178 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 101% 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 $921 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: $616 in Phuket versus $159 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 $698 in Phuket versus $172 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 $614 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 101% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.