Best Place for Expat

There communities with expats all over the country,  It is a big country and you need to spend some time here exploring the different areas before deciding on what is good for you.  We live on the north coast which probably had the largest number of expats from all over the world.

With your budget you should do just fine.

Yes you can buy/rent villas both furnished and unfurnished.

Bob K

Hello Jredman

Give a shot to Casa de Campo or Cap Cana.

Both of those are quite expensive, you would be looking at 1500 to 2000 a month minimum to rent a villa there. 

There are plenty of less expensive options on the north coast.

He is talking about 2700 American Dollars /month, not Canadian Pesos.

Gee really???  Of course I know that and I know what a villa costs here too!!!

Canadian peso?? exactly what the conversion rate on that???? :

Bob K

Canadian pesos are used in newfoundland

we have rented a nice 3 bedroom with no AC. large apartment for 330.00 a month (USD) in Puerto Plata when we were building home. , no pool but you can go sit on roof and see ocean Many nice places can be found

Yes but NOT in casa de campo at anywhere near that price honey.  Casa de campo and  Punta Cana are specifically expensive - a furnished house with a pool  -  will cost you!

he never specified the city HONEY!!! he asked a question. I was not talking about that town that you thought I was.. Anyone can find a high priced town. I have lived here since 1991 and I know the expensive areas , he was not looking for high dollar

I was responding to drtuttle honey,  not referring to you.....LOL 

and you are right he was not looking for high dollar which is why I commented on the recommendations of Casa de Campo and Punta Cana / cap cana.....  they are both wayyyyy too expensive I think......

So we are on the same page....

Glad that is cleared up

Bob K

For this description, all that comes to my mind are these two places. Very secure, villas w/ pools, marinas, beaches close by, and other attractions like golf etc.

Of course there are many affordable choices, but we cannot pretend that everyone think the same way as us in terms of affordability and live on a tight budget. In this country one thing is for sure, cheap can be expensive.

Yes cheap if you are not careful can become very expensive and in a  hurry.

Bob K

Great point!  Cheap  or expensive -  you need to look at a number of items before renting!  Check out the entire neighborhood for security, you are only as safe as your neighbors.   For example: they have lots of parties, flaunt money,  fancy cars and bring "guests" home often.  Now the whole area is at risk!   

Save a few dollars by living in a "risky" area and you have saved nothing at all.

Hi everybody,

I have removed some inappropriate posts from this thread.

Thanks

Priscilla 

good I am done with this forum because of these dummies that post. you can delete my account

Bye

Bob K

bye Bob

Where is the dummy post? Dang, did I miss it? Can you put it back so I can see? Just for a moment so I can get a laugh. PLEASE!!!

Ok, lets get back to the  topic........

I am planning on extended visits using air b n b before making a decision for a permanent move...any suggestions on 3-4 areas to stay during my "test runs"?

Marcvon welcome to the forum.  This can be a good plan before making any decisions.  If you are multiple trips then I would look at the Sosua/Cabarete area (largest Expat community and good mix of locals, tourists and EXpats). On the same trip or another head out to the Samana are in the east (3-4 hours from Cabarete).
Two other places to check out are Jarabacoa (in the mountains) and the Bavaro area.  Not so say that you should not also look at Santiago and Santo Domingo (both large cities but no real beaches around).

Please read the hundreds of posts on various topics in this forum and feel free to ask questions....lots of questions.  The DR is not for everyone.

Bob K

Welcome to the forums. Before making suggestions, tell us a bit about you?  What lifestyle are you looking for?  Family? Kids?  House / Apartment?  Near the beach or you like the mountains? Big city?  Rural?   

Tell us more and we can help!

The best place for an Ex-pat or anyone else is in their own head.   what truly gives you the most pleasure? I'm always saying look for a challenge, some adventure, what lies outside your personal "box".  A decent safe home. a source of soft toilet paper, healthy organic food, access to real people, a walk or short ride to enough cheap stores, prette single ladies if that is your bent?   excellent health care?  what will give you the most pleasure?   Your income level will afford you an close to opulent lifestyle if you don't pay too much for a place to live. Pay no attenttion to the more qffluent ex-pats. They wish you to join their relativalty sedentary way of life.  .A   most important thing to remember is that tthis ticket we hold on life is a one way ticket,.. there is no return flight.      Do it now before the ticket booth closes.     Be sure to explore & take you time. Having spent 8 years in the Sosua area, living a full life with an income of around $600  a month, just think of your possibilities.   Bless you and stride forth with confidence.      Truth from the  Tinker

Gypsy your "version" of  life here is but one of the OPTIONS.  No one holds the truth for anyone else.  There is a full variety of possibilities here and each person, couple or group will find their own way.

Thanks Gypsy.   I have worked hard and I am fortunate to live comfortably here in the States being semi-retired...but I prefer a simpler lifestyle.  Eschewing material things...seeking experiences instead.  I would prefer a walking, bicycling culture over one thar demands you use a car for everything.  I do like fresh foods and fish.  Think I would need a more urban existence to keep myself engaged, but acess to the beach, would in my current thinking, would be important.

Thanks for replying.  I am single,  one daughter off to school.  Selling my house and all positions to travel and see the world.  As I noted to Gypsy, I am probably leaning toward a more urban environment, but would be open to someplace that has enough happening to keep me engaged. As far as living, I don't need opulent, but safe is good.  I would like to live in a place where a car is not essential.  I like a healthy lifestyle...here I consume mostly vegetables, fish...some beef.  I like a simple life free of worry about material goods....I've done enough of that.  Thanks all.

i am part-year living in santo domingo but not for the reasons that most members of this blog seem to be here for.  i am still puzzled as to why americans are chosing to live in the dominican republic when it seems to me that everything that people have come here for can be found in the united states, i believe.

you say you want a simpler place to live where you don't have to use your car all the time and you can walk and ride a bicycle.  my first attempt at semi-retirement was in the city of ft. myers florida where i got a condo at a reduced price because it was pre constuction.  ft. myers is totally bike friendly and geographically ideal because it is hill free.  right across the street from my condo is a small shopping center which includes a supermarket and a kmart.  everything i need i can find in that small shopping center.  and if i can't find it i can order it on amazon.com and have it shipped using a mail system that works.
a short bike ride from my condo leads to a bus station with buses running to the beach about 5 minutes from my condo.  so i can go to the beach every day of the week for around 50 cents if i feel like it.
a mile or so from my condo is a brand new public library fully equiped.  i can ride my bike to the library using a six foot wide new sidewalk recently constructed to join the two areas.
the southern fr. myers area appears to be safe.  everything works all the time.  it's a slow pace of life.  the sun shines all year.  the beach is cheap to get to.  i'll rent you my unit if you want and i think you may find that you will be better off than looking for those things in the dominican republic.

Interesting.   Well the reality of many is that a "simpler" life must also come at a lower cost.  Then add in the cultural differences -  meaning so much more freedom here and you may find there is no comparison!

I could not live the life I do here at  a similar cost in the USA, not even close!

if you don't mind going off topic for a moment, can you give me some examples of just what you are getting by living in this country at a "lower cost"?  and what "freedoms" do you find in the dominican republic that are not available to you in the united states? (it especially surprises me that you are a woman talking about freedoms in the dominican republic when in the united states women and other "minorities" enjoy a privileged status in the united states).

your opening comment that the best place to live is in your own head, is brilliant.  i remember as a teenager that i was going through a period of angst and felt i needed to get away from where i was living and away from all the people i knew and to start a new life and my father said to me: "wherever you go, you are there".

So costs are relevant to the topic.  I have a 4 bedroom 4 bathroom  house,  with a yard,  5 minutes from the ocean and I pay the equivalent of  US 450  a month!  You will not find that in  Florida or likely anywhere.  My entire monthly budget is well under US 800 a month including top notch health insurance!

Freedom -  can you walk down the street in the US with a rum and coke in hand?  Have a party at your house and simply shut down the street because it is convenient?   Pull over to the side of a scenic road and create your own picnic ground complete with drinks,  music and dancing?   I can go on and on but others should weigh in on this one.

There is a flip side to all this but lets focus on the positive right now......

you won the argument in your first line.  can you get me a four bedroom apt 5 minutes from the beach for 450 dollars a month?

Hahahahaha   no argument here honey. And yes they are available but not in the typical expat / tourist areas. They cost a bit more there......   I am in La Romana.

is there a hospital and a supermarket and something like a la sirena near where you are?  is la romana a huge place like santo domingo?  where would i go in la romana to find a place like you are talking about?

people on this blog talk about "exploring" places in the dominican republic.  but the dominican republic is as huge as a state in the united states.  how would you go about "exploring" for places in new jersey, for example?  running all over the country looking for an ideal place can wipe out any profit you might be making by finally living in a low cost area.

La Romana is about 200,000 people.  It is a typical mid size place. We have  Jumbo, Plaza Lama, and soon La Sirena.  We have a movie theater,  local beach, tourist beach is 20  minutes away.  Some good restaurants, places to dance etc. 

Here you would likely look in La Romana Oeste for something like what I have.

gracias. te quiero.