😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,718 in Italy versus $738 in Dominican Republic.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,623 in Italy versus $1,183 in Dominican Republic.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,528 in Italy versus $1,628 in Dominican Republic.
😐Living in Italy is roughly 133% 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
$17.24€14.72
$6.76DOP 402
155.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.3€68.6
$51.8DOP 3,082
54.97%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.44€9.77
$6.74DOP 401
69.73%
Cappuccino
$1.92€1.64
$2.16DOP 129
-11.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.98€2.55
$1.08DOP 64.5
175.93%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32€1.13
$0.85DOP 50.6
55.29%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.83€4.98
$2.52DOP 150
131.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.16€4.41
$4.15DOP 247
24.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.69€1.44
$1.29DOP 76.7
31.01%
White Bread(500g)
$2.41€2.06
$1.66DOP 98.9
45.18%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.00€2.57
$1.31DOP 77.9
129.01%
Eggs
$4.08€3.49
$1.74DOP 104
134.48%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.21€13.85
$7.46DOP 444
117.29%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.65€10.80
$5.41DOP 322
133.83%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.13€17.19
$8.99DOP 535
123.92%
Apples(1kg)
$2.60€2.22
$3.05DOP 182
-14.75%
Banana(1kg)
$2.21€1.89
$0.94DOP 55.9
135.11%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.61€2.23
$2.36DOP 140
10.59%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.28€2.80
$1.60DOP 95.2
105.00%
Potato(1kg)
$1.95€1.66
$1.61DOP 95.6
21.12%
Onion(1kg)
$1.83€1.56
$2.23DOP 133
-17.94%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.55€1.32
$0.93DOP 55.6
66.67%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.50€0.43
$0.81DOP 48.34
-38.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.88€5.87
$5.10DOP 304
34.90%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.86€5.86
$10.13DOP 603
-32.28%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80€1.54
$2.64DOP 157
-31.82%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53€2.16
$3.29DOP 196
-23.10%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.94€1.65
$0.62DOP 36.84
212.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.82€35.71
$33.67DOP 2,004
24.21%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.71€4.87
$3.35DOP 199
70.45%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.53€1.31
$2.38DOP 142
-35.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$35.12€29.99
$5.66DOP 337
520.49%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.03€1.73
$1.29DOP 76.6
57.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.8K€27.2K
$26.2KDOP 1.6M
21.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.3K€28.4K
$31.6KDOP 1.9M
5.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$224€191
$68.1DOP 4,053
228.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.50€11.53
$20.70DOP 1,232
-34.78%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.92€26.41
$38.37DOP 2,284
-19.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$56.3€48.07
$25.47DOP 1,516
121.01%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.38€21.68
$13.42DOP 799
89.12%
Cinema Ticket
$10.41€8.89
$6.15DOP 366
69.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$575€491
$240DOP 14.3K
138.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.6K€9,022
$5,971DOP 355.4K
76.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.4€76.4
$44.22DOP 2,632
102.22%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.72€33.92
$52.5DOP 3,123
-24.31%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.5€85.0
$79.5DOP 4,733
25.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130€111
$92.2DOP 5,486
41.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$854€729
$450DOP 26.8K
89.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$651€556
$253DOP 15.0K
157.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,478€1,262
$885DOP 52.7K
67.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,109€947
$457DOP 27.2K
142.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,926€3,353
$2,194DOP 130.6K
78.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,410€2,058
$1,201DOP 71.5K
100.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,932€1,650
$622DOP 37.0K
210.49%
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: April 27, 2026
Last update for Dominican Republic: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $742 in Italy, $229 in Dominican Republic. Capital cities: $1,349 in Rome vs $572 in Santo Domingo.
💰National salary averages: $1,935 in Italy, $573 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 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
Italy vs Dominican Republic: 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.