Cost of Living Comparison Between Azua and Santo Domingo Este Cost of Living Comparison Between Azua and Santo Domingo Este

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $897 in Azua versus $773 in Santo Domingo Este.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,259 in Azua versus $1,361 in Santo Domingo Este.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,621 in Azua versus $1,949 in Santo Domingo Este.

Living in Azua is roughly 16% more expensive than Santo Domingo Este, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Azua 33% lower, Santo Domingo Este 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.58 DOP 498

$8.44 DOP 490

1.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 DOP 2,956

$42.63 DOP 2,472

19.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.24 DOP 420

$7.29 DOP 423

-0.69%

Cappuccino

$1.40 DOP 81.1

$1.27 DOP 73.6

10.24%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 DOP 60.2

$1.02 DOP 59.2

1.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 DOP 45.61

$0.50 DOP 28.99

58.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 DOP 150

$2.60 DOP 151

-0.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.12 DOP 297

$3.37 DOP 195

51.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 DOP 72.0

$1.24 DOP 72.2

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 DOP 100

$1.74 DOP 101

-0.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 DOP 60.7

$1.57 DOP 90.9

-33.12%

Eggs

$1.70 DOP 98.5

$1.72 DOP 99.7

-1.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.34 DOP 426

$7.10 DOP 412

3.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 DOP 369

$3.67 DOP 213

73.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.13 DOP 646

$6.93 DOP 402

60.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 DOP 189

$3.18 DOP 185

2.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 DOP 49.86

$0.74 DOP 42.90

16.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 DOP 168

$1.94 DOP 112

48.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 DOP 117

$1.33 DOP 77.3

51.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 DOP 141

$0.95 DOP 54.8

155.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 DOP 135

$1.82 DOP 106

27.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 DOP 66.3

$1.08 DOP 62.7

5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 DOP 56.3

$0.90 DOP 52.2

7.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.67 DOP 329

$5.61 DOP 326

1.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.53 DOP 611

$10.77 DOP 625

-2.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 DOP 154

$1.68 DOP 97.5

57.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 DOP 186

$2.22 DOP 129

44.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 DOP 51.0

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.86 DOP 1,964

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 DOP 192

$3.35 DOP 194

-1.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.18 DOP 127

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.11 DOP 354

$5.99 DOP 347

2.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 DOP 76.9

$1.21 DOP 70.4

9.92%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.8K DOP 1.6M

$26.4K DOP 1.5M

1.41%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$29.6K DOP 1.7M

$31.8K DOP 1.8M

-6.78%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$76.2 DOP 4,421

$40.82 DOP 2,367

86.72%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$25.83 DOP 1,498

$17.70 DOP 1,026

45.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.41 DOP 2,112

$36.13 DOP 2,096

0.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.68 DOP 1,664

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.65 DOP 501

Cinema Ticket

$6.86 DOP 398

$5.80 DOP 337

18.28%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$266 DOP 15.5K

$264 DOP 15.3K

0.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,174 DOP 474.1K

$5,885 DOP 341.3K

38.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 DOP 3,487

$42.91 DOP 2,489

40.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 DOP 2,958

$50.8 DOP 2,946

0.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 DOP 5,549

$65.5 DOP 3,799

46.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 DOP 6,821

$58.9 DOP 3,413

99.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$456 DOP 26.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 DOP 11.8K

$170 DOP 9,874

19.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,059 DOP 61.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$481 DOP 27.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,709 DOP 215.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$609 DOP 35.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.9

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Azua: June 1, 2026

Last update for Santo Domingo Este: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $51.0 in Azua vs $43.00 in Santo Domingo Este for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $194 per month, with Santo Domingo Este cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Azua vs Santo Domingo Este: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santo Domingo Este is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,345 in Azua and $1,160 in Santo Domingo Este to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Azua. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $897 per month in Azua versus $773 in Santo Domingo Este – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $773 in Santo Domingo Este versus $897 in Azua, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Santo Domingo Este but tight or insufficient in Azua. The gap between the two cities makes Santo Domingo Este the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Azua and Santo Domingo Este are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Santo Domingo Este gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Azua. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.