Cost of Living Comparison Between Jarabacoa and Santo Domingo Cost of Living Comparison Between Jarabacoa and Santo Domingo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $715 per month in Jarabacoa vs $1,092 in Santo Domingo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,196 per month in Jarabacoa vs $1,808 in Santo Domingo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,677 per month in Jarabacoa vs $2,524 in Santo Domingo, rent included.

Jarabacoa is about 35% cheaper than Santo Domingo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Jarabacoa and Santo Domingo are more affordable than the global median – Jarabacoa 47% lower, Santo Domingo 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.26 DOP 479

$8.64 DOP 502

-4.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.96 DOP 2,899

$50.5 DOP 2,933

-1.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.28 DOP 423

$7.36 DOP 427

-1.09%

Cappuccino

$2.74 DOP 159

$2.61 DOP 151

4.98%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 DOP 60.1

$1.03 DOP 60.0

0.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 DOP 46.03

$0.83 DOP 48.08

-4.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 DOP 152

$2.58 DOP 150

1.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.05 DOP 293

$4.95 DOP 287

2.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 DOP 77.6

$1.32 DOP 76.8

1.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 DOP 101

$1.72 DOP 99.6

0.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 DOP 90.1

$1.49 DOP 86.7

4.03%

Eggs

$2.27 DOP 132

$2.22 DOP 129

2.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.30 DOP 423

$7.04 DOP 409

3.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 DOP 363

$6.19 DOP 359

1.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 DOP 639

$10.92 DOP 634

0.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 DOP 183

$3.20 DOP 186

-1.25%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 DOP 53.6

$0.92 DOP 53.2

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 DOP 169

$3.03 DOP 176

-3.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 DOP 113

$2.02 DOP 117

-3.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 DOP 144

$2.54 DOP 147

-2.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 DOP 134

$2.38 DOP 138

-3.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 DOP 63.5

$1.08 DOP 62.8

0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 DOP 56.4

$0.91 DOP 52.6

6.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.71 DOP 331

$5.84 DOP 339

-2.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 DOP 617

$10.73 DOP 622

-0.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 DOP 154

$2.75 DOP 160

-3.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 DOP 188

$3.19 DOP 185

1.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 DOP 35.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.5 DOP 3,916

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 DOP 192

$3.35 DOP 194

-1.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.18 DOP 127

$2.20 DOP 128

-0.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 DOP 340

$5.85 DOP 340

0.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 DOP 76.9

$1.29 DOP 74.8

3.10%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.6K DOP 1.5M

$26.8K DOP 1.6M

-0.70%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$31.8K DOP 1.8M

$31.6K DOP 1.8M

0.68%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$75.7 DOP 4,390

$75.6 DOP 4,387

0.07%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$25.47 DOP 1,478

$25.81 DOP 1,498

-1.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.33 DOP 2,108

$36.72 DOP 2,131

-1.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.72 DOP 1,202

$35.61 DOP 2,066

-41.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.32 DOP 831

Cinema Ticket

$6.64 DOP 385

$6.98 DOP 405

-4.87%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$272 DOP 15.8K

-0.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,974 DOP 462.7K

$8,012 DOP 464.9K

-0.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 DOP 3,450

$60.2 DOP 3,493

-1.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 DOP 2,944

$52.1 DOP 3,025

-2.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 DOP 5,686

$96.3 DOP 5,587

1.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 DOP 6,627

$115 DOP 6,699

-1.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$574 DOP 33.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 DOP 16.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,198 DOP 69.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 DOP 38.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,163 DOP 125.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,184 DOP 68.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 DOP 34.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.9

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

Last update for Jarabacoa: July 21, 2026

Last update for Santo Domingo: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Jarabacoa versus $51.0 in Santo Domingo. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Jarabacoa vs $243 in Santo Domingo – so Santo Domingo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Jarabacoa vs Santo Domingo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Santo Domingo is pricier by about 53%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,072 per month in Jarabacoa and $1,637 in Santo Domingo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $715 in Jarabacoa and $1,092 in Santo Domingo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $272 per month in Jarabacoa and $272 in Santo Domingo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jarabacoa, where all-in costs run around $715, than in Santo Domingo at $1,092. In Jarabacoa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santo Domingo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jarabacoa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Jarabacoa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Santo Domingo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.