Calling all Punta Cana Residents :)

Welcome. 
Lots of questions and before getting specific you should explore this site as many are answered in depth.  There are lots of folks here with good information. 

Before you relocate you really should spend a couple of months here to see if the DR "fits" for you .  Living here is MUCH different than vacationing here.

You should also explore the DR some as there are many areas that you might enjoy more than Punta Cana which is totally tourist driven and does not have much "Dominican Republic" to it.

After doing some exploring of the site please come back with questions

Again  welcome

Bob K

Welcome Lucky,  with a couple exceptions all your questions have answers on the various threads.

Punta Cana is beautiful,  more expensive but full of expats!  Bob is right check out various areas,  come stay for several  months.

Yes, that's exactly what i planned on doing, staying for a while.  I'm just looking for a place to start.

Hello, my name is Angie Cinto and I also considering retire in Punta Cana o arround, if Punta Cana is very expensive,I live in Kissimmee, Florida for the last 25 years

I guess everyone's idea of expensive is different depending on where they are from. I live on Long Island in NY, its very expensive here. From what I'm learning about Punta Cana, it's very inexpensive. I've seen the prices of homes and am in shock. Property taxes are very high here in Nassau County as well.

Yes taxes are much less here.  If  you are careful, buy local products you can live here for 40% less that what it costs you back in the US.  We came from the Denver Colorado area and what we paid in taxes and insurances (home, car and health) spend on 4 months of living expenses.

Bob K

You are correct expensive is relative.  When we say expensive it is in  comparison to other places here in the DR.   

Planner is correct.  I definitely should be cheaper living here than back home in the US.  However there can be a vast difference in expenses here depending on where in the DR you live and how much of the Dominican lifestyle you adopt,.

Bob K

I see. Thank you

What cable company do you have in the D.R. ?

There are multiple cable companies here and it will depend on where you live. Most get their signals from Comcast, Sky, Dish or other companies.  Many are pirated.

Bob K

Ok, great, thanks.a little more advanced in that dept. Than expected.

Property taxes are not just "high" in Nassau county. They are absolutely insane.

Forget cable.  One solution is to get good quality internet, the Roku 3 box, subscriptions to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and any other movie/video channel in the Roku 3 box and you will NEVER be able to watch it all.

I went from $2.1k/mth for a 3/2 townhouse apt. in Miami to $293/mth. for a 2/1 apt. including 10 meg internet. Not only that I don't have to put up with a security guard riding around all night in a golf cart trying to tow my car after midnight.

Lets try to keep this to the DR please.

For tv and cable you  normally have several options.  Which options can literally depend on the block you live on,  For example in  La Romana I could not get Tricom where I lived, but  1 block away they had Tricom services.

So one more thing to look at in terms of where you choose to live -  make sure you understand the options for cable, internet, cell phone service.

Those are on top of electrical company (outages in that area) ,  water service, noise levels ......etc etc

I agree. I have to put away 500. A month to make my taxes.   Then another grand for utilities and car insurance. Not to mention food, gasoline, lawn maintenance, etc.. I've been wanted to leave NY my entire life but trying to get my entire family to agree...wasn't happening. Now, the kids are grown, I'm planning my retirement and I'm so excited to make this happen.

Good for you!!!!

Good luck

My family is still shaking their heads ....

Bob K

I will definitely look into it, thank you planner.

We lived there for 3 years and plan on moving back ASAP.  You will love it, all the small details can be worked out and you will learn as you go along when you get there.  Definitely rent first and learn the areas.  Punta Cana Village is great and there are also alot of nice complexes in Bavaro.  Better off buying a car when you get there.Get with a good realtor in finding a place to live someone who deals with alot of American expats...Scott Medina is good.

Planner: There is a good Veterinarians in any area of Punta Cana?, I have 3 dogs, and I am very concern about them.....

Sorry I really dont know about vets in Punta Cana,  I will assume there is as there are a lot of expats with pets!

Ok and thank you planner.....

There is something to be said about exploring before settling. I just bought a house in a barrio for 8900.00. It is not like my home I sold on Oregon, far from it. I have put improvements into the home. I've been here 2 months in Santiago
and never see or hear North Americans or any other expats. My monthly budget is around 560.00 per month. I have cable, internet, cell phone, electricity with interruptions, air conditioning (warm air and a condition) ha ha, I have a micro, newer gas stove, swimming pool from Ochoa ferraterria. It's 30" x 11 feet. Keeps me cool. I buy from the locals and get freebies on the " motos". I make BBQ dinners and trade for stuff. I do speak Spanish although it is a different dialog than you hear in the states. I drive school bus in the states and don't drive here. Don't want to get my CDL all messed up. I also have a small guttering business the states. I come and go. Got nailed over the weekend by a scorpion. My medical costs were 240.00 after my one night stay and follow ups. I have a fiance, a native Dominican, this gets me good prices on stuff as long as I am not visible. Bought three tablets from a dealer and after 3 days of total failure on all three, they gave my money back.I truly am intrigued by this island. Hope I can promote a positive image.

Welcome Groby,   you present another way of living here,  thank you!    Love your description of "air conditioning".....LOL

Groby let me add my welcoeme.

Please keep us posted on your adventure.  It certainly will add a diferent prespective on living experiences here for Expats.

Bob K

Thank you Planner and Bob K. I have returned state side until December. Its a long flight 3 hrs to NY then 6 more to Portland Ore. To me it's worth it. I wanted to say that living in the barrio is ground zero to living the climate. The constant humidity and never cooler fresh feeling that AC provides can wear you down. The culture is more laid back, this í credit to the warm climate. I suggest if you were planning on building a place or working out side, you make your decision after 2 - 3 weeks of living with absolutely no AC and with the available foods available via local produce. Unfortunately í have met people who started a building project and had made all their decisions without really knowing the culture. From the ferreterías (hardware stores) to purchasing materials to permits, and local protocol, they were not prepared mentally, physically or financially to finish their project. I recommend you sign your contract late in the day after walking downtown with all the nerve racking traffic and sound. Rent a car, with insurance and drive a week also. If you can do these types of things and still feel at peace with yourself and the culture, then you can truly live on as little as 600.00 US per month. I went to PP for a day at Playa Costambar, met some expats from that area and got a feel for how they live. They are back in their rooms by 11:00 most days. The average monthly was from 1800.00 to 3200.00. It just depends on your willingness to adapt or not. The beach and stuff at Costambar is postcard perfect! The locals come by and chop you a coconut then cut a little hole and a straw for 60 pesos. I put ice in mine.☺

Your observations are fascinating!   I spent 23 years on the west coast of Canada so I know Portland as well.   Just no comparison north America to here....LOL

It truly can be culture shock, and some things we never get used to but manage to accept.

Great post.  It is all about adapting and living a "new" lifestyle.  You quickly learn (if you are to survive here) that you are really not going to change things and that you have to assimilate into their culture and not the other way around.  If you cannot do this you will never do well here.

Bob K

In response to Bob and Planner, there is so much I would like to say about the DR. With permission. con permiso, i would like to start another thread regarding life in the DR. This thread is about Punta Cana. I would like to travel inland and share my life in Santiago.

Please do honey!!!!  I look forward to reading it.

My new thread for life in Santiago is called, "It's a Wonderful Life"

PERFECT!!!!!

Just read the first post. Keep it up

We have been here full time on the north coast for over 9 years now.

Bob K