Looking to retire in the DR

Hey joe, I'm actually moving there at the end of the month, will try and give some feedback on my trip when the move happens

Welcome Joe.

You probably know more about DR than many who choose to retire here having visited the country since 1996. Where have you been and where did you like?

It is most commendable that you are sponsoring two children here and I do wonder if they are  from Santo Domingo where you state is ruled out? If so, it might be best to consider locations close to where they live so you can easily visit them from time to time. Can you tell us where they reside? DR is a bigger country than you think and has so many possibilities so keep an open mind to suit what you want.

For sure decent conversational Spanish is essential if you plan to live away from tourist zones but probably more so in your case with your sponsored children. You have time to learn basis Spanish.

DKapp,

Thanks, I look forward to your observations.


JLL

Hi Joe, the best thing to do is to continue visiting and renting at different places to see what suits you. 3 places I know that you won't HAVE to learn spanish is Punta Cana, Las Terrenas, and Sosua. These places are tourist areas and most dominicans/business speak English.

I stayed for a while in Las Terrenas and it was beautiful but the infrastructure was lacking for me. I ended up moving to Punta Cana inside a residential complex and it is great, it's like living in Boca Raton/Ft Lauderdale US. I also considered Cabrera as they also have nice residential complexes, but you will need to learn basic spanish to live there.

As Lennoxnev pointed out, this is a big island and there are many different places, each region has it's own pros and cons, for example, in El Valle the temperature can dip below 40 degrees Fahrenheit some nights, and Jarabacoa has spring weather all year long, just depends what you're looking for.

If you provide more info on what you're looking for you will get some great feedback on this forum. Good luck!

I respectfully disagree with your assertion that most Dominicans and businesses in Las Terrenas speak English. That might be true for the hotels and the more touristy restaurants, but that is not the case overall.

We have certainly been able to get by with the little Spanish we speak, but we rely heavily on google translator, a Dominican American friend who has been extremely helpful, and sometimes just the kindness of strangers!

I was thinking that Las Terrenas must have changed a lot. My experience a few years back was that without decent Spanish or a knowledge of French you were facing a daily challenge.

To be blunt, not grasping Spanish or at least gaining knowledge of Spanish will restrict your living a lot outside Sosua, Cabarete, Costumbar and Bavaro/ Punta Cana.

To begin to fully appreciate DR, if that is what you want and some dont, you must learn to be comfortable with Spanish conversation or miss what is happening, and that is hard because of the way Dominicans abbreviate the language with differeng dialects.

You can learn the basics from books, some chat and digital formats but I recommend you read the news media and google translate and add to your vocablary when conversing with locals. Reading and writing Spanish is the best way to start to build your knowledge of the language here

You wont understand fully DR life in the anglophile friendly places mentioned above and that would be a great shame imo.

The geography and its impact on the history and people defines DR not the beach resorts which are 'new kids on the block' .

Alvarez brings many good points.

Everywhere area you will need some Spanish but the degree varies pending on location (tourism).

Depending on area will be how much further your money will go (ie Punta Cana area probably 25% less than in Florida). However other areas will be higher but other issues (infrastructure etc).

Inflation is hitting everywhere regardless of country.

Great posts on this thread!

As someone who just moved to Las Terrenas less than 2 weeks ago, I can confirm that very few people speak English here.  A few speak French but mostly Spanish.  Luckily I have a solid background in French
(being from Canada), so I am picking up the Spanish quickly, but you have to force yourself to speak the words you see in Google translate and read Spanish or you will never learn it.  The people really appreciate you trying.  Also, we had a great experience at Banco Santa Cruz, setting up banks accounts with a lovely lady named Juana, who was very patient and worked with us and Google translate so that we understood everything.  Best of luck!

All,

Thank you for the help.  I am using an app to practice Spanish.  I may have to wait until I actually retire to consider where in the DR I should permanently reside.  Short trips does not allow me to get enough information that I feel comfortable purchasing a Condo.  It probably is good advice to rent first and try the area out before a more serious commitment is made.

JLL

Joe Libbey wrote:

All,

Thank you for the help.  I am using an app to practice Spanish.  I may have to wait until I actually retire to consider where in the DR I should permanently reside.  Short trips does not allow me to get enough information that I feel comfortable purchasing a Condo.  It probably is good advice to rent first and try the area out before a more serious commitment is made.

JLL

Good for you Joe      You are 100% correct. Understand the culture here first before you make any commitments. It is not for everyone. Plenty of time to decide. Good luck to you.....