Has the DR changed?

I was thinking of a question the other day similar to just ADD to this post....what would you say the cost of living has gone up since you arrived? For those of us that will be living in on SS and savings. (Hopefully things don't go up as fast as in the US).

Oh wow. Interesting question. Sept 7th is my 15th anniversary.

Changes - hell yes. So very very many.

Start with a tightening of the rules. It used to be you could show up and just go to work. Not anymore.  Now rules are enforced.

Much better infrastructure. 

Way better system of education here. Still lacking but better than it was.

Tougher banking rules.

Much more tourism.

That is a start.

Cost of living increases are probably higher than USA at times. Depends how you live.

Well let's hope they never catch up to the US in Housing prices, Property Tax, Car Insurance and Health Ins. Those are the big ones making us want to get out....and cable, we pay $160 and don't have any special channels its gotten ridiculous.  I'm okay paying more for imported stuff when needed....

Sales tax from 4% to 18%.  Traveling to DR much more complicated. since 911. Had a friend who used to come here using a library card for entry ID!  Will write more later.

I agree with what Planner has said for the most part.  Next week we start our 13th year full time here.
I am not sure the infrastructure has improved all that much.  Electricity is still spotty, roads are still in disrepair in many areas, you still cannot drink the water to name a few.

In actual dollars not nearly the increase in prices that has been the experience in the US. Remember the value of the peso has gone from 26 or so to the dollar to now 50 to the dollar so almost a doubling.  Costs have gone much over doubling so my bang for my buck is about the same, maybe 10% more of so but that is not bad for over 13 years.

Bob K

Hey Bob those two years makes a huge difference. When I moved here the dollar was 54 to 1

Then it was brought back to "normal" . Prices had risen dramatically due to import costs on the exchange rate. You moved here at a good point!

Some improvements :

highway from SD to Punta Cana
Bypass road Santiago
Highway SD to Samana
Metro - now 2 full lines in SD
Major improvements and overpasses in SD
New power plants online
Teleferico SD
10,000 new classrooms

I know there is so much more to be done and many are in process -  Puerto Plata to Navarete highway widening for one.

Yes, when Majiea (sp) was pres, it was 54 to 1 & Sosua had power for only 4 hours a day!  When I first came here it was 12 to 13 peso to the dollar. The overall diet for locals has changed.  It was rare  to see fat people, especially young people. The average shape of the women has changed from slim to a bit more than Ruebenesque. Perhaps the addition of more imported chemically enhanced GMO from the US or new methods introduced here.   The public transport costs haven't increased that much; a Presidente still costs the equivalent of two bucks.  More larger supermarkets have appeared. Better roads, & here on the Noth Shore, less petty crime & with the departure of most of the two cycle motos, a bit less noise rom the motos. Lots of changes, however not living in a major city, I don't experience as much as others.

I hear often that the North Coast is ignored in favor of PC development...but, most of us agree here that PC differs greatly from NC.  Still it seems that some development is diverted toward the North...am I understanding this all correctly? Or is the NC just developing at the basic pace as everything outside PC??  Did the hurricane season last year give pause to this arrangement?  Just thoughts/questions bouncing around my head...thanks for the responses so far...

My 2 cents is that the North Coast is treated as the poor cousin,  the real money is in the east in terms of tourism.

The capital gets most of the non tourism  development.  It holds more than half the population.

I believe the North Coast is coming into its own again.  Once upon a time it was the place to go. It fell out of favor to its more glamorous and more expensive cousin, the east.

Now with the cruise ship terminal,  hotels now investing money and maybe a second cruise ship terminal  the North Coast is well positioned for growth.

We can review this in like  10 years to see if I am on track.....