😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,720 in Italy versus $745 in Dominican Republic.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,626 in Italy versus $1,188 in Dominican Republic.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,531 in Italy versus $1,630 in Dominican Republic.
🌍Living in Italy is roughly 131% more expensive than in Dominican Republic on average.
📊Italy (29% above) and Dominican Republic (44% below) straddle the global median.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.16€14.96
$6.83DOP 396
151.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.4€70.9
$51.1DOP 2,962
59.38%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.60€10.11
$6.62DOP 384
75.23%
Cappuccino
$1.98€1.73
$2.20DOP 127
-10.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00€2.62
$1.06DOP 61.5
183.02%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36€1.18
$0.80DOP 46.49
70.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.92€5.16
$2.54DOP 147
133.07%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.25€4.58
$4.32DOP 251
21.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.70€1.49
$1.29DOP 74.7
31.78%
White Bread(500g)
$2.37€2.07
$1.60DOP 93.0
48.13%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.03€2.65
$1.31DOP 76.2
131.30%
Eggs
$3.95€3.44
$1.69DOP 98.2
133.73%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.66€14.53
$7.42DOP 430
124.53%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.26€10.68
$5.24DOP 304
133.97%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.06€17.49
$8.91DOP 517
125.14%
Apples(1kg)
$2.55€2.23
$2.93DOP 170
-12.97%
Banana(1kg)
$2.20€1.92
$0.89DOP 51.6
147.19%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.75€2.40
$2.45DOP 142
12.24%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.22€2.81
$1.59DOP 92.4
102.52%
Potato(1kg)
$1.94€1.69
$1.54DOP 89.1
25.97%
Onion(1kg)
$1.82€1.59
$2.20DOP 128
-17.27%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.48€1.29
$0.89DOP 51.5
66.29%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.50€0.43
$0.84DOP 48.64
-40.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.13€6.21
$5.15DOP 299
38.45%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.37€6.43
$10.67DOP 619
-30.93%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76€1.53
$2.53DOP 147
-30.43%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53€2.20
$3.18DOP 184
-20.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.99€1.73
$0.66DOP 38.08
201.52%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$42.32€36.90
$33.64DOP 1,952
25.80%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.67€4.94
$3.41DOP 198
66.28%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.52€1.32
$2.41DOP 140
-36.93%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$34.94€30.46
$5.64DOP 327
519.50%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.09€1.83
$1.28DOP 74.2
63.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.7K€28.5K
$26.4KDOP 1.5M
23.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K€28.7K
$31.5KDOP 1.8M
4.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$227€198
$66.2DOP 3,839
242.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.58€11.84
$20.65DOP 1,198
-34.24%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.57€27.52
$37.89DOP 2,198
-16.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$57.7€50.3
$26.11DOP 1,515
120.83%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.23€22.00
$13.54DOP 786
86.34%
Cinema Ticket
$10.59€9.24
$6.23DOP 361
69.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$568€495
$241DOP 14.0K
135.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.5K€9,187
$5,961DOP 345.8K
76.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.7€79.0
$43.30DOP 2,512
109.38%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.49€35.30
$51.3DOP 2,973
-21.01%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.8€87.0
$80.9DOP 4,695
23.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130€113
$91.3DOP 5,299
41.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$865€754
$457DOP 26.5K
89.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$672€586
$248DOP 14.4K
170.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,523€1,328
$870DOP 50.4K
75.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,078€940
$473DOP 27.5K
127.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,767€3,284
$2,141DOP 124.2K
75.99%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,360€2,058
$1,165DOP 67.6K
102.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,949€1,699
$588DOP 34.1K
231.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.41
13.16
-66.49%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Italy: July 27, 2026
Last update for Dominican Republic: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $743 in Italy, $229 in Dominican Republic. Capital cities: $1,334 in Rome vs $564 in Santo Domingo.
💰National salary averages: $1,912 in Italy, $559 in Dominican Republic. 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 242% higher in Italy, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Italy.
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
Italy vs Dominican Republic: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Dominican Republic or Italy?
At $700 per month in Dominican Republic and $1,817 in Italy, there's a 160% 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?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Dominican Republic: 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 is consistently higher than in 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 compared to Italy?
In Dominican Republic, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Italy it stretches only to regional areas and 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 in 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.