Cost of Living Comparison Between La Romana and Santo Domingo Cost of Living Comparison Between La Romana and Santo Domingo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $797 per month in La Romana vs $1,098 in Santo Domingo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,431 per month in La Romana vs $1,815 in Santo Domingo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,064 per month in La Romana vs $2,532 in Santo Domingo, rent included.

La Romana is about 27% cheaper than Santo Domingo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both La Romana and Santo Domingo are more affordable than the global median – La Romana 40% lower, Santo Domingo 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.33 DOP 485

$8.39 DOP 489

-0.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 DOP 2,932

$51.2 DOP 2,980

-1.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.35 DOP 429

$7.27 DOP 423

1.10%

Cappuccino

$2.74 DOP 160

$2.62 DOP 152

4.58%

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

$1.04 DOP 60.5

$0.99 DOP 57.6

5.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 DOP 21.24

$0.79 DOP 46.13

-54.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 DOP 145

$2.57 DOP 150

-3.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 DOP 295

$5.03 DOP 293

0.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 DOP 62.9

$1.37 DOP 80.1

-21.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 DOP 104

$1.72 DOP 100

4.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 DOP 91.2

$1.57 DOP 91.6

-0.64%

Eggs

$2.19 DOP 128

$2.23 DOP 130

-1.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.12 DOP 415

$7.07 DOP 412

0.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.19 DOP 302

$6.38 DOP 372

-18.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.02 DOP 293

$11.16 DOP 651

-55.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 DOP 187

$3.33 DOP 194

-3.60%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 DOP 51.2

$0.91 DOP 52.8

-3.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 DOP 167

$3.02 DOP 176

-4.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 DOP 117

$2.00 DOP 117

0.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 DOP 142

$2.51 DOP 146

-2.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 DOP 138

$2.39 DOP 139

-1.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 DOP 63.2

$1.14 DOP 66.6

-5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 DOP 52.1

$0.96 DOP 56.1

-7.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.33 DOP 310

$5.62 DOP 327

-5.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.74 DOP 976

$10.83 DOP 631

54.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 DOP 153

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 DOP 191

$3.26 DOP 190

0.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 DOP 33.03

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.0 DOP 4,019

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 DOP 194

$3.34 DOP 194

-0.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 DOP 129

$2.11 DOP 123

4.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 DOP 351

$5.92 DOP 345

1.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 DOP 77.7

$1.33 DOP 77.3

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

$26.7K DOP 1.6M

$26.8K DOP 1.6M

-0.22%

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

$31.7K DOP 1.8M

$31.4K DOP 1.8M

0.71%

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

$67.0 DOP 3,904

$74.8 DOP 4,361

-10.48%

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

$18.05 DOP 1,052

$25.09 DOP 1,462

-28.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.02 DOP 1,982

$36.37 DOP 2,119

-6.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.50 DOP 2,068

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.33 DOP 835

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 DOP 399

$6.59 DOP 384

3.95%

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

$272 DOP 15.9K

$266 DOP 15.5K

2.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,176 DOP 476.4K

$8,260 DOP 481.3K

-1.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.8 DOP 3,544

$60.6 DOP 3,532

0.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 DOP 3,048

$52.3 DOP 3,050

-0.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 DOP 5,713

$96.6 DOP 5,631

1.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 DOP 6,669

$117 DOP 6,834

-2.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$207 DOP 12.1K

$571 DOP 33.2K

-63.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$134 DOP 7,806

$280 DOP 16.3K

-52.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 DOP 25.2K

$1,175 DOP 68.5K

-63.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 DOP 28.9K

$669 DOP 39.0K

-25.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,206 DOP 128.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,193 DOP 69.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$643 DOP 37.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

12.9

-10.85%

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

Last update for La Romana: June 14, 2026

Last update for Santo Domingo: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $207 in La Romana versus $571 in Santo Domingo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in La Romana versus $51.0 in Santo Domingo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $229 vs $247 – making La Romana the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

La Romana vs Santo Domingo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Santo Domingo is pricier by about 38%, 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 $1,196 per month in La Romana and $1,647 in Santo Domingo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in La Romana, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $797 in La Romana and $1,098 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 La Romana and $266 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 La Romana, where all-in costs run around $797, than in Santo Domingo at $1,098. In La Romana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santo Domingo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with La Romana. 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.