Cost of Living 2020 Edition

Thanks for starting this.  I can currently speak for Santo Domingo East.

House rental:. Large 4 bedroom with patio and garage 20,000 Rd.

Maintenance fee in residential 500 Rd

Altice internet 200 down and 30 up with full cable.and.land line 3,800 Rd

Electricity: air conditioner every night, fridge, inverter and 4 batteries automatic washer about 3,500 Rd on average

Water: 220 Rd a month

Food:. Hard to say, only me eating here so my food budget is very low. 

Entertainment: depends what you do. I can go dancing all night on well under 1,000 Rd.

Eating out: Wendy's chicken BBQ salad 350 Rd.  Plato del dia from 110 Rd to 150rd.  Nice restaurant with a glass of wine under 1,000 Rd. Really nice restaurant maybe 3,000 with drinks.

Gas: friggen expensive currently 210rd and this changes regularly. This is regular gasoline.

Brugal XV: 454 Rd this week.

Thanks for that

As a European this is not expensive

As I feel using Uber may be better than owning a car, what would that house be new?
I feel same renting may be cheaper than owning - both big discrepancy.

Do you have a budget for hair, nails, clothes etc?

planner wrote:

Thanks for starting this.  I can currently speak for Santo Domingo East.

SC   Here's my situation in San Cristobal:

House rental:. Large 4 bedroom with patio and garage 20,000 Rd.
SC    3 br/2 bath      12000 DOP
Maintenance fee in residential 500 Rd
SC    No maint. fee

Altice internet 200 down and 30 up with full cable.and.land line 3,800 Rd

SC    Claro wireless  1000 DOP  for 10 Gig per month

Electricity: air conditioner every night, fridge, inverter and 4 batteries automatic washer about 3,500 Rd on average
SC      two A/C, Fridge, microwave, washer/dryer, inverter  1000 DOP per month

Water: 220 Rd a month
SC    Water (Included)

Food:. Hard to say, only me eating here so my food budget is very low. 
SC    Same here. only eat local produced food, nothing processed (expensive)
Entertainment: depends what you do. I can go dancing all night on well under 1,000 Rd.
No dancing for me. Movies tickets are around 600 DOP for VIP seats


Eating out: Wendy's chicken BBQ salad 350 Rd.  Plato del dia from 110 Rd to 150rd.  Nice restaurant with a glass of wine under 1,000 Rd. Really nice restaurant maybe 3,000 with drinks.
SC     Very little eating out unless it's local food

Gas: friggen expensive currently 210rd and this changes regularly. This is regular gasoline.
SC     Big hit here for me. I have 4 jeepetas but don't travel much

Brugal XV: 454 Rd this week.
SC    Don't drink  (major savings)

Purchasing vs renting:. When considering buying vs renting there are two things to consider:

1 is investment or economic value.  So what can my money earn if invested and what is the rental cost.

2 is lifestyle choice.  For some they like to pick up and go and for others it's that stabity factor and home base.

I can only address the economic side.  It's far.better economically to rent.  I can invest my money in better ways.   

Investing property to rent out for cash flow is a whole other discussion.

Hi
You mentioned about Altice am trying to get a number here in Las Terrenas do they have a good price am here for 3 week l have free wifi at my apartment does it worth it to get a Dominican contact number?
Thks

You won't be able to get anything other then a mifi. You have to go to one of their locations in person to get anything

What is the current conversion rate USD per RD?  Google shows $0.01935 per peso or $96.75 per 5,000 pesos.

This is how I converted the prices to USD:

    DR Pesos    USD
House Rental, 4 BR     3800     $73.53
Maintenance fee    500     $9.68
Internet    3800     $73.53
Electricity    3500     $67.73
water    220     $4.26
Wendys BBQ salad    350     $6.77
Plato del dia    150     $2.90
Gasoline     210     $4.06

It is strange that the Internet costs as much as the rent, and electricity almost as much..

jamesj24 wrote:

This is how I converted the prices to USD:

    DR Pesos    USD
House Rental, 4 BR     3800     $73.53
Maintenance fee    500     $9.68
Internet    3800     $73.53
Electricity    3500     $67.73
water    220     $4.26
Wendys BBQ salad    350     $6.77
Plato del dia    150     $2.90
Gasoline     210     $4.06

It is strange that the Internet costs as much as the rent, and electricity almost as much..

The only number you have out of whack on your list is the 3800K DOP for rent. Where did you get that number?

Planner pays 20K DOP; I pay 12K DOP.   

So Planner pays USD375 a month, and I pay USD$250 a month.

Maintenance fees can run anywhere from zero (in my case) while a nice middle class apartment may run anywhere from 2K to 5K.

Everything else on your list is pretty much on the money.

I rent a two bed apartment in Miramar, Santo Domingo, one avenue back from the Malecon  Oeste for 18000rd a month. My electricity runs at 1000rd a month in winter to 2500rd in summer with part time use of 2 ac units (1 and 2 tonne). Gas runs at under 500rd a month. Cable, voi phone and unlimited wi fi costs 3100rd a month. But you can get unlimited wi fi using Viva without contract for 900rd a month plus taxes (5mb) but you buy your modem. Water and maintainence in rent.

Your rent seems off unless I read that wrong for the amount of time

Guys he is in Costanza and has a great deal.   It's possible but unlikely most expats will find that! 

Lennox I lived in Miramar, I really liked.it there!

Hi there ,

New to the forum .. when you mean gas .. do you mean car or cooking gas

Thanks

Yes he is referring to cooking gas, propane.

If you can direct me to the right area . I want to move to Dr in a year . I am a veteran that will have $1900 a month in VA disability.  Looking to move to the Sosúa ..north area . Its 2 adults . How well can we live there .

Thank you

Hi james
DR Pesos    USD
House Rental, 4 BR     3800     $73.53
what is this number for rent per month??