Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Santo Domingo Este Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Santo Domingo Este

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $660 in Santo Domingo Este.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,072 in Santo Domingo Este.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $1,484 in Santo Domingo Este.

Living in Phuket is roughly 92% more expensive than in Santo Domingo Este, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Santo Domingo Este 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$5.18 DOP 306

-10.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$42.03 DOP 2,478

-23.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$6.59 DOP 389

31.71%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.05 DOP 61.9

176.19%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$1.13 DOP 66.4

-25.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.63 DOP 36.98

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$2.47 DOP 145

0.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$3.51 DOP 207

6.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.45 DOP 85.4

30.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.54 DOP 90.6

-8.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.61 DOP 95.0

0.62%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$2.36 DOP 139

-5.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$7.61 DOP 448

160.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$5.67 DOP 334

-38.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$6.89 DOP 406

65.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.32 DOP 196

-12.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$0.80 DOP 46.90

115.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$2.76 DOP 163

-17.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.84 DOP 109

15.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$2.11 DOP 124

-30.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$2.22 DOP 131

-36.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.03 DOP 60.5

6.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$1.03 DOP 60.6

-41.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$5.29 DOP 312

-18.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$10.53 DOP 621

76.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$2.57 DOP 152

-29.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$3.01 DOP 177

-1.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$3.34 DOP 197

-7.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$2.31 DOP 136

-53.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$6.04 DOP 356

-35.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.33 DOP 78.6

7.52%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$23.5K DOP 1.4M

18.33%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$34.7K DOP 2.0M

-22.31%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$96.0 DOP 5,662

9.13%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$32.89 DOP 1,939

-65.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$36.71 DOP 2,164

-52.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$7.70 DOP 454

1.04%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$255 DOP 15.0K

126.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$7,169 DOP 422.7K

61.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$47.37 DOP 2,793

34.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$48.07 DOP 2,834

-39.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$90.0 DOP 5,307

6.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$128 DOP 7,571

-29.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$601 DOP 35.4K

-15.57%

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 6, 2026

Last update for Santo Domingo Este: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Santo Domingo Este pays 18% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $42.00 in Santo Domingo Este. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 vs $226, with Santo Domingo Este 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 Santo Domingo Este: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santo Domingo Este is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 92% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 18% lower in Santo Domingo Este. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $576 in Phuket versus $255 in Santo Domingo Este. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Santo Domingo Este – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $660 in Santo Domingo Este versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Santo Domingo Este but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Santo Domingo Este the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Santo Domingo Este 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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Santo Domingo Este are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Santo Domingo Este gentler on the wallet – expenses run 92% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.