Cost of Living Comparison Between Dominican Republic and Italy Cost of Living Comparison Between Dominican Republic and Italy

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $738 in Dominican Republic versus $1,718 in Italy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,183 in Dominican Republic versus $2,623 in Italy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,628 in Dominican Republic versus $3,528 in Italy.

Living in Dominican Republic costs about 57% less than in Italy on average.

Dominican Republic (45% below) and Italy (28% above) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dominican Republic
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.76 DOP 402
$17.24 €14.72
-60.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$51.8 DOP 3,082
$80.3 €68.6
-35.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.74 DOP 401
$11.44 €9.77
-41.08%
Cappuccino
$2.16 DOP 129
$1.92 €1.64
12.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 DOP 64.5
$2.98 €2.55
-63.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85 DOP 50.6
$1.32 €1.13
-35.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.52 DOP 150
$5.83 €4.98
-56.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.15 DOP 247
$5.16 €4.41
-19.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dominican Republic
Italy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.29 DOP 76.7
$1.69 €1.44
-23.67%
White Bread (500g)
$1.66 DOP 98.9
$2.41 €2.06
-31.12%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.31 DOP 77.9
$3.00 €2.57
-56.33%
Eggs
$1.74 DOP 104
$4.08 €3.49
-57.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.46 DOP 444
$16.21 €13.85
-53.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.41 DOP 322
$12.65 €10.80
-57.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.99 DOP 535
$20.13 €17.19
-55.34%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 DOP 182
$2.60 €2.22
17.31%
Banana (1kg)
$0.94 DOP 55.9
$2.21 €1.89
-57.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.36 DOP 140
$2.61 €2.23
-9.58%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.60 DOP 95.2
$3.28 €2.80
-51.22%
Potato (1kg)
$1.61 DOP 95.6
$1.95 €1.66
-17.44%
Onion (1kg)
$2.23 DOP 133
$1.83 €1.56
21.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.93 DOP 55.6
$1.55 €1.32
-40.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81 DOP 48.34
$0.50 €0.43
62.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.10 DOP 304
$6.88 €5.87
-25.87%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 DOP 603
$6.86 €5.86
47.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.64 DOP 157
$1.80 €1.54
46.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.29 DOP 196
$2.53 €2.16
30.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Dominican Republic
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.62 DOP 36.84
$1.94 €1.65
-68.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$33.67 DOP 2,004
$41.82 €35.71
-19.49%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.35 DOP 199
$5.71 €4.87
-41.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.38 DOP 142
$1.53 €1.31
55.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.66 DOP 337
$35.12 €29.99
-83.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.29 DOP 76.6
$2.03 €1.73
-36.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.2K DOP 1.6M
$31.8K €27.2K
-17.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.6K DOP 1.9M
$33.3K €28.4K
-5.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dominican Republic
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$68.1 DOP 4,053
$224 €191
-69.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.70 DOP 1,232
$13.50 €11.53
53.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$38.37 DOP 2,284
$30.92 €26.41
24.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dominican Republic
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.47 DOP 1,516
$56.3 €48.07
-54.75%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.42 DOP 799
$25.38 €21.68
-47.12%
Cinema Ticket
$6.15 DOP 366
$10.41 €8.89
-40.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dominican Republic
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$240 DOP 14.3K
$575 €491
-58.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,971 DOP 355.4K
$10.6K €9,022
-43.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dominican Republic
Italy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.22 DOP 2,632
$89.4 €76.4
-50.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.5 DOP 3,123
$39.72 €33.92
32.12%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.5 DOP 4,733
$99.5 €85.0
-20.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.2 DOP 5,486
$130 €111
-29.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dominican Republic
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$450 DOP 26.8K
$854 €729
-47.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$253 DOP 15.0K
$651 €556
-61.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$885 DOP 52.7K
$1,478 €1,262
-40.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$457 DOP 27.2K
$1,109 €947
-58.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,194 DOP 130.6K
$3,926 €3,353
-44.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,201 DOP 71.5K
$2,410 €2,058
-50.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dominican Republic
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$622 DOP 37.0K
$1,932 €1,650
-67.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.16
4.41
198.41%

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

Last update for Dominican Republic: April 27, 2026

Last update for Italy: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $229 in Dominican Republic, $742 in Italy. Capital cities: $572 in Santo Domingo vs $1,349 in Rome.

National salary averages: $573 in Dominican Republic, $1,935 in Italy. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 224% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 95% more in Italy.

Public transport is 450% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 238% higher in Italy, giving Italy stronger purchasing power.

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
Dominican Republic vs Italy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Dominican Republic or Italy?
At $682 per month in Dominican Republic and $1,842 in Italy, there's a 170% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Dominican Republic or Italy?
Dominican Republic is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between Dominican Republic and Italy?
Rent in Italy beats Dominican Republic across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $2,000 go in Dominican Republic vs Italy?
In Dominican Republic, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Italy, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Dominican Republic and Italy?
It depends on what you're after. Dominican Republic wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Dominican Republic vs other spots: cost of living compared

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