My wife is a Dominican citizen, though she hasn't lived there since the age of 16 (she is now 56). Her parents still live there but none of her younger siblings. We had been thinking about retiring to DR, but after a recent visit to Santo Domingo (and several earlier visits over the years) we just see too many disadvantages: high cost of living (we can live cheaper in our present location in Florida), high cost of land/housing, poor infrastructure (bad roads, poor water/electricity availability) and recently increased crime and a much greater drug trade, plus always getting shaken down by the national police on major highways. We've looked at other countries and it appears that DR has a combination of one the highest cost of living/lowest quality of infrastructure of any carribean country. So even though we would like to be closer to her parent as they are getting old we just don't think we can afford it or would really like it. Other parts of the country are nicer, e.g. Samana, but are even more expensive. We thought about the north part of the country but her father told us its dark and wet during the winter months-also housing and living expenses he said would be only slightly cheaper. Any current expats experiences would be welcome.
Dominican Republic
Hi and welcome on board zadits!
Your message was moved to the Dominican Republic forum for better visibility.
I hope you will be giving insights on the life there.
Good luck
Armand
We live on the north coast and love it. Large Expat community here, not dark and dreary in the winter (though lots of rain this week), 24/7 electric (mostly), nice beaches, good restaurants and we live here for about 40% less then what it would cost us in the states.
Bob K
Yeah Bob is right, its not so bad up North.
Nice beaches and weather not too bad, although as Bob said been rather a lot of rain this week.
Housing is not cheap, but reasonable compared to some places. Certainly much cheaper than what we pay in Europe ...or US I expect.
But some things are expensive, food etc, was more expensive than expected, but food prices are rising all over the world. In Europe prices are lower than here, but there is a lot of competition which keeps prices lower, here no such thing.
Like here in Sosua only one big supermarket which has the monopoly and prices are a little higher.
Electricity no great problem,occasional hiccup, but mostly not much of a problem.
Yeah roads are pretty crap, but I seen worse.
As for crime yes there is some, but nothing much to worry about, feel safer here in Sosua than walking round at night in London or some other European cities.
I do need to comment on the crime as well. I also feel safer walking the streets in Sosua then in many places back in the US.
There is petty crime as you will find everywhere but major crime (homicides, shootings and such) are usually limited to:
drug trade
love triangles,quadrangles, penta angles......
vengence
Bob K
You should check-out Puerto Plata...I find housing here much cheaper than in most tourist areas, including Sosua, Bavaro, Las Terrenas, and Cabrera.
There are a number of large supermarkets, including La Sirena, which offer a good variety of everything, and food prices are reasonable.
Your wife would probably feel more at home here and maybe enjoy the Dominican ambiance. Security is probably better than in Sosua because there aren't as many tourists living here, and there isn't as much "sex tourism" in the downtown area.
If you'd like more info about housing in this area, please write to me directly, and I will share my findings with you.
Michele
Are you kidding?? We live much cheaper in the DR! We are a family of 5 and our costs are easily half of what hey would be back home!
Jarachica you are correct. We figure our costs are about 40% then in the US.
Bob K
Dear zadits,
If you want to live in Piantini, which is the center of the capital of Dominican Republic, then the cost is 1000 dollars per square meter. If you live in casa campo (LA ROMANA), then the prices are the same plus 7 dollars per square meter for maintenance, similar story for CAP CANA. If you want to live in places like that, then surely, the cost of living is similar to London's and Hong Kong.
The rest is affordable. Where in Dominican Republic have you though about?
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