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: $695 in Bonao versus $1,093 in Santo Domingo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,087 in Bonao versus $1,825 in Santo Domingo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,480 in Bonao versus $2,557 in Santo Domingo.

Living in Bonao costs roughly 36% less than in Santo Domingo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bonao 48% lower, Santo Domingo 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.60 DOP 328

$8.70 DOP 510

-35.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.70 DOP 1,564

$51.3 DOP 3,005

-47.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 DOP 292

$7.39 DOP 433

-32.61%

Cappuccino

$1.97 DOP 116

$2.64 DOP 155

-25.38%

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

$1.00 DOP 58.5

$1.02 DOP 60.0

-1.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 DOP 49.08

$0.82 DOP 48.16

2.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 DOP 143

$2.59 DOP 152

-5.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 DOP 183

$5.24 DOP 307

-40.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 DOP 80.8

$1.40 DOP 81.8

-1.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 DOP 82.8

$1.78 DOP 104

-20.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 DOP 55.4

$1.55 DOP 91.1

-38.71%

Eggs

$1.60 DOP 93.9

$2.21 DOP 130

-27.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.17 DOP 420

$7.26 DOP 425

-1.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.55 DOP 325

$6.48 DOP 380

-14.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.70 DOP 627

$10.82 DOP 634

-1.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 DOP 137

$3.26 DOP 191

-28.22%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 DOP 35.19

$0.92 DOP 53.8

-34.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 DOP 130

$3.01 DOP 176

-26.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 DOP 77.4

$2.01 DOP 118

-34.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 DOP 129

$2.55 DOP 149

-13.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 DOP 67.1

$2.36 DOP 138

-51.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 DOP 47.12

$1.13 DOP 66.2

-29.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 DOP 33.13

$0.96 DOP 56.5

-40.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.67 DOP 332

$5.64 DOP 331

0.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.22 DOP 423

$10.87 DOP 637

-33.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 DOP 145

$2.62 DOP 153

-5.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 DOP 191

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 DOP 32.04

$0.57 DOP 33.11

-3.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.88 DOP 1,574

$67.5 DOP 3,952

-60.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 DOP 198

$3.33 DOP 195

1.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 DOP 129

$2.10 DOP 123

4.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.49 DOP 146

$5.89 DOP 345

-57.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 DOP 74.1

$1.29 DOP 75.5

-1.55%

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

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

$26.3K DOP 1.5M

2.34%

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

$31.1K DOP 1.8M

$31.6K DOP 1.9M

-1.77%

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

$74.8 DOP 4,384

$77.6 DOP 4,547

-3.59%

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

$25.29 DOP 1,482

$25.78 DOP 1,510

-1.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.04 DOP 1,994

$35.34 DOP 2,070

-3.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.29 DOP 1,013

$35.18 DOP 2,061

-50.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.20 DOP 832

Cinema Ticket

$2.59 DOP 152

$6.59 DOP 386

-60.70%

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

$264 DOP 15.5K

$271 DOP 15.9K

-2.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,104 DOP 474.7K

$7,996 DOP 468.4K

1.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.8 DOP 3,564

$58.9 DOP 3,452

3.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 DOP 3,034

$51.7 DOP 3,027

0.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.31 DOP 2,010

$95.3 DOP 5,583

-64.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.16 DOP 2,001

$117 DOP 6,873

-70.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$147 DOP 8,582

$560 DOP 32.8K

-73.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$102 DOP 5,992

$285 DOP 16.7K

-64.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$292 DOP 17.1K

$1,177 DOP 68.9K

-75.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 DOP 12.6K

$669 DOP 39.2K

-67.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,164 DOP 126.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,193 DOP 69.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$651 DOP 38.1K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Santo Domingo: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $147 in Bonao and $560 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 $203 vs $247 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 57% in total monthly costs ($695 vs $1,093 including rent). Bonao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,042 in Bonao and $1,640 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: $147 in Bonao versus $560 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 151% less than in Santo Domingo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $264 in Bonao versus $271 in Santo Domingo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $695 in Bonao versus $1,093 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 57% less than in Santo Domingo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.