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 $1,112 in Santo Domingo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,089 in Bonao versus $1,831 in Santo Domingo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,472 in Bonao versus $2,550 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 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.63 DOP 333

$8.51 DOP 503

-33.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.24 DOP 1,609

$51.4 DOP 3,040

-47.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.03 DOP 297

$7.39 DOP 437

-31.94%

Cappuccino

$1.96 DOP 116

$2.67 DOP 158

-26.59%

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

$0.99 DOP 58.5

$0.99 DOP 58.4

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 DOP 46.97

$0.84 DOP 49.53

-5.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 DOP 142

$2.50 DOP 147

-3.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 DOP 179

$4.95 DOP 293

-38.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 DOP 81.2

$1.40 DOP 82.6

-2.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 DOP 84.1

$1.81 DOP 107

-21.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 DOP 55.8

$1.49 DOP 87.9

-36.91%

Eggs

$1.60 DOP 94.5

$2.29 DOP 135

-30.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 DOP 432

$7.21 DOP 426

1.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.68 DOP 336

$6.18 DOP 365

-8.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 DOP 641

$11.20 DOP 662

-3.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 DOP 139

$3.21 DOP 190

-27.10%

Banana (1kg)

$0.64 DOP 37.65

$0.87 DOP 51.3

-26.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 DOP 134

$2.92 DOP 173

-22.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 DOP 78.3

$1.98 DOP 117

-33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 DOP 128

$2.54 DOP 150

-14.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 DOP 66.7

$2.37 DOP 140

-52.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 DOP 44.64

$1.09 DOP 64.5

-30.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 DOP 31.64

$0.92 DOP 54.2

-41.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.75 DOP 340

$5.65 DOP 334

1.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.24 DOP 428

$11.49 DOP 679

-36.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 DOP 146

$2.61 DOP 154

-5.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 DOP 191

$3.21 DOP 189

0.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 DOP 33.90

$0.61 DOP 35.94

-6.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.60 DOP 1,631

$68.4 DOP 4,039

-59.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 DOP 199

$3.30 DOP 195

1.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 DOP 130

$2.14 DOP 127

2.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 DOP 144

$6.02 DOP 356

-59.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 DOP 71.7

$1.28 DOP 75.6

-5.47%

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

$26.1K DOP 1.5M

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

-2.87%

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

$32.3K DOP 1.9M

$32.1K DOP 1.9M

0.80%

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

$75.4 DOP 4,453

$74.8 DOP 4,421

0.74%

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

$25.18 DOP 1,488

$25.08 DOP 1,482

0.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.52 DOP 2,040

$35.59 DOP 2,103

-3.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.85 DOP 996

$35.79 DOP 2,115

-52.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.55 DOP 860

Cinema Ticket

$2.48 DOP 147

$6.84 DOP 404

-63.74%

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

$265 DOP 15.7K

$273 DOP 16.1K

-2.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,245 DOP 487.2K

$8,074 DOP 477.1K

2.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.7 DOP 3,584

$60.6 DOP 3,579

0.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 DOP 3,029

$52.7 DOP 3,114

-2.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$33.37 DOP 1,972

$94.4 DOP 5,576

-64.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.79 DOP 1,997

$118 DOP 6,944

-71.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$142 DOP 8,395

$572 DOP 33.8K

-75.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$103 DOP 6,092

$287 DOP 17.0K

-64.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$288 DOP 17.0K

$1,164 DOP 68.8K

-75.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$216 DOP 12.8K

$662 DOP 39.1K

-67.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,167 DOP 128.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,205 DOP 71.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$629 DOP 37.2K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Santo Domingo: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $142 in Bonao and $572 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 $204 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 $1,112 including rent). Bonao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,058 in Bonao and $1,668 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 $572 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 $265 in Bonao versus $273 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 $1,112 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.