😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $678 in San Pedro de Macoris.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,127 in San Pedro de Macoris.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,577 in San Pedro de Macoris.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 85% more expensive than in San Pedro de Macoris, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, San Pedro de Macoris49% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
San Pedro de Macoris
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.55฿153
$3.22DOP 188
41.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.18฿1,554
$51.0DOP 2,971
-9.38%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿298
$6.75DOP 394
30.96%
Cappuccino
$3.06฿103
$1.00DOP 58.1
206.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73฿24.42
$1.00DOP 58.2
-27.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40฿13.40
$0.84DOP 49.26
-52.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿81.8
$2.59DOP 151
-6.18%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿127
$2.83DOP 165
33.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
San Pedro de Macoris
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿76.0
$1.40DOP 81.6
61.43%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿60.9
$1.72DOP 100
5.23%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.25฿75.8
$1.50DOP 87.7
50.00%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.6
$2.30DOP 134
-2.17%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.51฿656
$7.26DOP 423
168.73%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿123
$6.19DOP 361
-41.03%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.05฿439
$11.11DOP 648
17.46%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿109
$3.31DOP 193
-2.42%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿54.4
$0.86DOP 50.3
88.37%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.38฿80.2
$2.97DOP 173
-19.87%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿68.2
$1.94DOP 113
4.64%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿51.6
$2.54DOP 148
-39.76%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿50.5
$2.32DOP 135
-35.34%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.93
$1.13DOP 65.8
-13.27%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.40
$0.91DOP 53.2
-42.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44฿149
$5.75DOP 335
-22.78%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.32฿616
$17.31DOP 1,010
5.83%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿62.7
$2.70DOP 158
-31.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿90.2
$3.14DOP 183
-14.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
San Pedro de Macoris
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.41฿47.49
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿394
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.11฿105
$3.42DOP 200
-9.06%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿35.08
$2.18DOP 127
-52.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.11฿475
$5.99DOP 350
135.56%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31฿44.13
$1.29DOP 75.1
1.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿936.0K
$26.4KDOP 1.5M
5.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K฿1.1M
$32.0KDOP 1.9M
3.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
San Pedro de Macoris
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿4,120
$77.2DOP 4,500
58.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.59฿457
$22.50DOP 1,312
-39.60%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.70฿629
$35.66DOP 2,079
-47.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
San Pedro de Macoris
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.5฿2,035
$25.84DOP 1,507
134.09%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98฿572
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.07฿305
$6.96DOP 406
30.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
San Pedro de Macoris
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$706฿23.8K
$272DOP 15.9K
159.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿531.8K
$7,958DOP 464.0K
98.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
San Pedro de Macoris
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.6฿1,970
$59.4DOP 3,466
-1.50%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36฿1,190
$52.7DOP 3,072
-32.89%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,885
$94.6DOP 5,517
22.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7฿2,818
$115DOP 6,722
-27.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
San Pedro de Macoris
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$626฿21.1K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$445฿15.0K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,040฿68.7K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿50.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,483฿117.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,577฿86.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
San Pedro de Macoris
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$500฿16.8K
-
-
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: July 12, 2026
Last update for San Pedro de Macoris: July 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $51.0 in San Pedro de Macoris. Groceries flip the comparison at $289 vs $258, with San Pedro 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 Pedro de Macoris: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is San Pedro de Macoris cheaper than Phuket?
San Pedro de Macoris is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 85% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $1,016 in San Pedro 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 $706 in Phuket versus $272 in San Pedro 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 Pedro de Macoris?
Dining out is cheaper in San Pedro de Macoris – a meal for two runs $51.0 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in San Pedro de Macoris?
At $678 in San Pedro de Macoris versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in San Pedro de Macoris but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes San Pedro de Macoris the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or San Pedro de Macoris more family-friendly?
For families, San Pedro 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 Pedro de Macoris?
Safety-wise, Phuket and San Pedro 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 Pedro de Macoris gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.