Cost of Living Comparison Between Bonao and Santo Domingo Cost of Living Comparison Between Bonao and Santo Domingo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $698 in Bonao versus $1,139 in Santo Domingo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,149 in Bonao versus $1,775 in Santo Domingo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,601 in Bonao versus $2,410 in Santo Domingo.

Living in Bonao costs roughly 39% less than in Santo Domingo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bonao 49% lower, Santo Domingo 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.06 DOP 591

$10.24 DOP 601

-1.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.5 DOP 2,965

$51.7 DOP 3,036

-2.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 DOP 470

$7.58 DOP 445

5.41%

Cappuccino

$2.02 DOP 119

$2.46 DOP 144

-17.89%

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

$1.08 DOP 63.6

$1.12 DOP 66.0

-3.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 DOP 40.44

$0.63 DOP 37.29

9.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 DOP 153

$2.47 DOP 145

5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 DOP 210

$3.46 DOP 204

3.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 DOP 61.7

$1.39 DOP 81.8

-24.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 DOP 61.0

$1.56 DOP 91.9

-33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 DOP 40.47

$1.67 DOP 98.0

-58.68%

Eggs

$1.19 DOP 70.1

$2.41 DOP 142

-50.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.19 DOP 305

$7.61 DOP 447

-31.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 DOP 325

$5.55 DOP 326

-0.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.62 DOP 389

$6.63 DOP 390

-0.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 DOP 135

$3.24 DOP 190

-29.01%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 DOP 39.30

$0.81 DOP 47.34

-17.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 DOP 161

$2.82 DOP 166

-2.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 DOP 82.2

$1.84 DOP 108

-23.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 DOP 122

$2.02 DOP 119

2.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 DOP 93.6

$2.29 DOP 134

-30.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 DOP 60.3

$1.06 DOP 62.0

-2.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 DOP 29.18

$1.02 DOP 59.7

-50.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.41 DOP 318

$5.37 DOP 315

0.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.43 DOP 437

$10.49 DOP 616

-29.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 DOP 126

$2.60 DOP 153

-17.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 DOP 176

$3.08 DOP 181

-2.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 DOP 32.26

$0.61 DOP 36.10

-9.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.22 DOP 2,011

$18.37 DOP 1,080

86.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 DOP 189

$3.30 DOP 194

-2.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 DOP 131

$2.35 DOP 138

-5.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 DOP 141

$5.79 DOP 340

-58.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 DOP 80.5

$1.36 DOP 80.1

0.74%

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

$23.7K DOP 1.4M

$24.1K DOP 1.4M

-1.44%

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

$34.3K DOP 2.0M

$34.5K DOP 2.0M

-0.53%

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

$95.4 DOP 5,603

$95.1 DOP 5,591

0.23%

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

$32.04 DOP 1,883

$32.26 DOP 1,896

-0.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.04 DOP 2,177

$36.76 DOP 2,160

0.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.52 DOP 1,793

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.61 DOP 1,446

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 DOP 452

$7.72 DOP 454

-0.39%

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

$262 DOP 15.4K

$263 DOP 15.4K

-0.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,398 DOP 434.7K

$7,446 DOP 437.5K

-0.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.98 DOP 2,702

$46.94 DOP 2,758

-2.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.44 DOP 2,788

$48.16 DOP 2,830

-1.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 DOP 5,207

$87.4 DOP 5,133

1.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 DOP 7,563

$128 DOP 7,534

0.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 DOP 42.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 DOP 21.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,460 DOP 85.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 DOP 37.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,204 DOP 129.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,204 DOP 70.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$606 DOP 35.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.56

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

Last update for Bonao: September 14, 2026

Last update for Santo Domingo: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $50.0 in Bonao vs $52.0 in Santo Domingo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $176 vs $225 per month, with Bonao 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

Bonao vs Santo Domingo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bonao and Santo Domingo differ by about 63% in total monthly costs ($698 vs $1,139 including rent). Bonao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,046 in Bonao and $1,709 in Santo Domingo 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.

A monthly transit pass in Bonao runs roughly 86% less than in Santo Domingo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $262 in Bonao versus $263 in Santo Domingo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $698 in Bonao versus $1,139 in Santo Domingo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bonao but tight or insufficient in Santo Domingo. The gap between the two cities makes Bonao 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.

Expats usually find Bonao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Santo Domingo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.