😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,719 in Italy versus $742 in Dominican Republic.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,625 in Italy versus $1,190 in Dominican Republic.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,531 in Italy versus $1,637 in Dominican Republic.
😐Living in Italy is roughly 132% more expensive than Dominican Republic on average.
📊Italy (28% above) and Dominican Republic (45% below) straddle the global median.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.02€14.66
$6.83DOP 400
149.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$82.3€71.0
$50.5DOP 2,958
63.05%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.62€10.01
$6.92DOP 405
67.92%
Cappuccino
$1.91€1.64
$2.10DOP 123
-9.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.02€2.60
$1.04DOP 61.0
190.38%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31€1.13
$0.82DOP 48.02
59.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.81€5.01
$2.54DOP 149
128.74%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.12€4.41
$4.36DOP 255
17.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.64€1.42
$1.24DOP 72.7
32.26%
White Bread(500g)
$2.42€2.09
$1.62DOP 94.6
49.38%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.92€2.52
$1.24DOP 72.9
135.48%
Eggs
$4.12€3.55
$1.75DOP 103
135.43%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.70€14.39
$7.34DOP 430
127.52%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.60€10.86
$5.27DOP 309
139.09%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.61€17.76
$8.58DOP 503
140.21%
Apples(1kg)
$2.48€2.14
$3.06DOP 179
-18.95%
Banana(1kg)
$2.15€1.85
$0.96DOP 56.0
123.96%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.72€2.35
$2.43DOP 143
11.93%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.25€2.80
$1.65DOP 96.5
96.97%
Potato(1kg)
$1.94€1.67
$1.52DOP 89.2
27.63%
Onion(1kg)
$1.81€1.56
$2.22DOP 130
-18.47%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.48€1.27
$0.89DOP 52.0
66.29%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54€0.47
$0.82DOP 48.32
-34.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.82€5.87
$5.03DOP 295
35.59%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.33€6.32
$10.40DOP 610
-29.52%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80€1.55
$2.53DOP 148
-28.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54€2.19
$3.31DOP 194
-23.26%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.01€1.73
$0.66DOP 38.82
204.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.70€35.93
$33.99DOP 1,991
22.68%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.90€5.09
$3.34DOP 196
76.65%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.52€1.31
$2.37DOP 139
-35.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$34.23€29.50
$5.46DOP 320
526.92%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.13€1.83
$1.32DOP 77.2
61.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.8K€28.3K
$26.3KDOP 1.5M
24.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.5K€28.9K
$31.9KDOP 1.9M
4.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$226€194
$68.2DOP 3,997
230.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.32€11.48
$20.38DOP 1,194
-34.64%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.26€26.94
$38.61DOP 2,262
-19.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$56.9€49.02
$25.91DOP 1,518
119.57%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.71€22.15
$13.40DOP 785
91.87%
Cinema Ticket
$10.35€8.92
$6.28DOP 368
64.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$579€499
$239DOP 14.0K
142.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.5K€9,076
$5,936DOP 347.7K
77.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.2€77.7
$43.08DOP 2,523
109.31%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.79€35.15
$51.7DOP 3,031
-21.16%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.7€85.1
$80.0DOP 4,685
23.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133€115
$93.4DOP 5,473
42.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$853€735
$458DOP 26.9K
86.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$667€575
$248DOP 14.5K
169.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,517€1,307
$873DOP 51.1K
73.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,083€933
$467DOP 27.4K
131.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,767€3,245
$2,146DOP 125.7K
75.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,403€2,071
$1,179DOP 69.1K
103.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,986€1,711
$618DOP 36.2K
221.07%
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: June 9, 2026
Last update for Dominican Republic: June 9, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $742 in Italy, $229 in Dominican Republic. Capital cities: $1,368 in Rome vs $560 in Santo Domingo.
💰National salary averages: $1,931 in Italy, $601 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 221% 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
Italy vs Dominican Republic: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Dominican Republic or Italy?
At $695 per month in Dominican Republic and $1,804 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?
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.