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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,796 in Italy versus $753 in Dominican Republic.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,739 in Italy versus $1,229 in Dominican Republic.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,682 in Italy versus $1,705 in Dominican Republic.

Living in Italy is roughly 139% more expensive than in Dominican Republic on average.

Italy (30% above) and Dominican Republic (45% below) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.24 €18.31
$8.64 DOP 509
145.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.8 €69.7
$51.7 DOP 3,045
56.50%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.41 €9.84
$7.42 DOP 438
53.77%
Cappuccino
$2.08 €1.79
$2.17 DOP 128
-4.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.05 €2.63
$1.04 DOP 61.5
193.27%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 €1.19
$0.68 DOP 40.04
102.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.79 €4.99
$2.58 DOP 152
124.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 €4.96
$4.31 DOP 254
33.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 €1.46
$1.40 DOP 82.4
21.43%
White Bread (500g)
$2.41 €2.08
$1.86 DOP 110
29.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.01 €2.59
$1.60 DOP 94.6
88.12%
Eggs
$4.32 €3.72
$1.95 DOP 115
121.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.93 €15.45
$7.69 DOP 453
133.16%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.67 €10.92
$5.74 DOP 338
120.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.57 €17.73
$6.92 DOP 408
197.25%
Apples (1kg)
$2.62 €2.26
$3.19 DOP 188
-17.87%
Banana (1kg)
$2.15 €1.85
$0.96 DOP 56.5
123.96%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.80 €2.41
$2.90 DOP 171
-3.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.32 €2.87
$1.68 DOP 98.9
97.62%
Potato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.81
$2.16 DOP 127
-2.78%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 €1.63
$2.20 DOP 130
-14.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.55 €1.33
$0.92 DOP 54.5
68.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 €0.48
$0.94 DOP 55.5
-40.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.16 €6.17
$5.37 DOP 317
33.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.35 €6.33
$10.44 DOP 616
-29.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 €1.55
$2.74 DOP 162
-34.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41 €2.07
$3.19 DOP 188
-24.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.93 €1.66
$0.69 DOP 40.93
179.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$45.24 €39.00
$20.09 DOP 1,185
125.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.74 €4.95
$3.42 DOP 202
67.84%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.70 €1.47
$2.31 DOP 136
-26.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.25 €30.38
$5.95 DOP 351
492.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.04 €1.76
$1.33 DOP 78.6
53.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.5K €32.3K
$23.5K DOP 1.4M
59.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.1K €31.9K
$32.7K DOP 1.9M
13.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$231 €199
$103 DOP 6,090
123.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.34 €10.64
$26.49 DOP 1,562
-53.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.17 €26.87
$37.36 DOP 2,203
-16.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.2 €47.62
$30.81 DOP 1,817
79.29%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.91 €21.47
$22.80 DOP 1,344
9.25%
Cinema Ticket
$11.13 €9.59
$6.67 DOP 393
66.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$568 €490
$216 DOP 12.7K
162.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.5K €10.8K
$5,964 DOP 351.6K
110.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.0 €80.1
$43.86 DOP 2,586
111.95%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.82 €34.32
$46.07 DOP 2,716
-13.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €89.8
$83.7 DOP 4,935
24.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$135 €116
$106 DOP 6,269
27.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$852 €734
$625 DOP 36.8K
36.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$645 €556
$349 DOP 20.6K
84.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,449 €1,249
$1,323 DOP 78.0K
9.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,084 €935
$637 DOP 37.6K
70.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,813 €3,287
$2,191 DOP 129.2K
73.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,357 €2,032
$1,172 DOP 69.1K
101.06%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Dominican Republic
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,933 €1,666
$576 DOP 34.0K
235.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.57
12.99
-72.52%

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

Last update for Italy: September 5, 2026

Last update for Dominican Republic: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $755 in Italy, $214 in Dominican Republic. Capital cities: $1,247 in Rome vs $735 in Santo Domingo.

National salary averages: $1,964 in Italy, $512 in Dominican Republic. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 253% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 85% more in Italy.

Public transport is 760% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 284% 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 $731 per month in Dominican Republic and $1,889 in Italy, there's a 158% 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.

Italy vs other spots: cost of living compared

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