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: $706 in Bonao versus $1,116 in Santo Domingo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,099 in Bonao versus $1,815 in Santo Domingo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,492 in Bonao versus $2,514 in Santo Domingo.

Living in Bonao costs roughly 37% less than in Santo Domingo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bonao 47% lower, Santo Domingo 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.59 DOP 325

$8.45 DOP 491

-33.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.06 DOP 1,572

$51.4 DOP 2,987

-47.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 DOP 291

$7.43 DOP 432

-32.71%

Cappuccino

$2.00 DOP 116

$2.63 DOP 153

-23.95%

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

$1.02 DOP 59.4

$0.99 DOP 57.6

3.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 DOP 48.08

$0.77 DOP 44.90

7.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 DOP 140

$2.51 DOP 146

-4.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 DOP 181

$5.13 DOP 298

-39.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 DOP 78.4

$1.33 DOP 77.1

1.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 DOP 82.4

$1.79 DOP 104

-20.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 DOP 55.5

$1.48 DOP 86.3

-35.14%

Eggs

$1.57 DOP 91.5

$2.19 DOP 127

-28.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.03 DOP 408

$7.23 DOP 420

-2.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.56 DOP 323

$6.26 DOP 364

-11.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 DOP 643

$10.85 DOP 631

2.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 DOP 131

$3.34 DOP 194

-32.34%

Banana (1kg)

$0.65 DOP 37.82

$0.93 DOP 53.9

-30.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 DOP 132

$3.00 DOP 175

-24.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 DOP 77.3

$2.01 DOP 117

-33.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 DOP 128

$2.48 DOP 144

-11.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 DOP 66.3

$2.40 DOP 139

-52.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 DOP 44.38

$1.09 DOP 63.6

-30.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 DOP 33.37

$0.97 DOP 56.4

-41.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.61 DOP 326

$5.72 DOP 332

-1.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.23 DOP 420

$10.84 DOP 630

-33.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 DOP 137

$2.77 DOP 161

-14.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 DOP 189

$3.12 DOP 181

4.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 DOP 31.06

$0.57 DOP 32.87

-7.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.16 DOP 1,578

$67.3 DOP 3,912

-59.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 DOP 192

$3.34 DOP 194

-1.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 DOP 122

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 DOP 140

$5.99 DOP 348

-59.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 DOP 69.9

$1.34 DOP 77.7

-10.45%

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

$26.5K DOP 1.5M

$26.6K DOP 1.5M

-0.14%

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

$32.3K DOP 1.9M

$31.8K DOP 1.8M

1.83%

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

$76.8 DOP 4,460

$77.2 DOP 4,483

-0.52%

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

$25.53 DOP 1,484

$25.62 DOP 1,489

-0.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.39 DOP 1,998

$36.56 DOP 2,125

-5.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.13 DOP 995

$36.14 DOP 2,100

-52.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.08 DOP 818

Cinema Ticket

$2.58 DOP 150

$6.67 DOP 388

-61.32%

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

$268 DOP 15.6K

$272 DOP 15.8K

-1.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,993 DOP 464.4K

$8,123 DOP 472.0K

-1.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 DOP 3,514

$59.2 DOP 3,442

2.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 DOP 2,964

$52.3 DOP 3,041

-2.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.22 DOP 1,989

$96.1 DOP 5,584

-64.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.36 DOP 1,938

$115 DOP 6,676

-70.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$142 DOP 8,231

$564 DOP 32.8K

-74.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 DOP 5,866

$286 DOP 16.6K

-64.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$289 DOP 16.8K

$1,189 DOP 69.1K

-75.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 DOP 12.5K

$666 DOP 38.7K

-67.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,172 DOP 126.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,180 DOP 68.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 DOP 35.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.9

-6.98%

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

Last update for Bonao: July 27, 2026

Last update for Santo Domingo: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $142 in Bonao and $564 in Santo Domingo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Bonao vs $51.0 in Santo Domingo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $202 vs $246 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 58% in total monthly costs ($706 vs $1,116 including rent). Bonao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,059 in Bonao and $1,674 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $142 in Bonao versus $564 in Santo Domingo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Bonao runs roughly 148% less than in Santo Domingo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $268 in Bonao versus $272 in Santo Domingo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $706 in Bonao versus $1,116 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 58% less than in Santo Domingo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.