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 $646 per month in La Romana vs $1,139 in Santo Domingo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,050 per month in La Romana vs $1,775 in Santo Domingo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,454 per month in La Romana vs $2,410 in Santo Domingo, rent included.

La Romana is about 43% cheaper than Santo Domingo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both La Romana and Santo Domingo are more affordable than the global median – La Romana 53% lower, Santo Domingo 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.35 DOP 490

$10.24 DOP 601

-18.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.03 DOP 2,528

$51.7 DOP 3,036

-16.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 DOP 430

$7.58 DOP 445

-3.43%

Cappuccino

$1.89 DOP 111

$2.46 DOP 144

-23.17%

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

$0.74 DOP 43.32

$1.12 DOP 66.0

-33.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 DOP 20.74

$0.63 DOP 37.29

-44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 DOP 153

$2.47 DOP 145

5.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 DOP 240

$3.46 DOP 204

17.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 DOP 65.4

$1.39 DOP 81.8

-20.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 DOP 105

$1.56 DOP 91.9

14.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 DOP 94.0

$1.67 DOP 98.0

-4.19%

Eggs

$1.50 DOP 87.9

$2.41 DOP 142

-37.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.43 DOP 378

$7.61 DOP 447

-15.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.73 DOP 219

$5.55 DOP 326

-32.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.72 DOP 277

$6.63 DOP 390

-28.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 DOP 218

$3.24 DOP 190

14.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 DOP 86.2

$0.81 DOP 47.34

81.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 DOP 201

$2.82 DOP 166

21.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 DOP 133

$1.84 DOP 108

23.37%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 DOP 208

$2.02 DOP 119

75.25%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 DOP 179

$2.29 DOP 134

33.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 DOP 55.8

$1.06 DOP 62.0

-10.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 DOP 100

$1.02 DOP 59.7

67.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.96 DOP 292

$5.37 DOP 315

-7.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.72 DOP 983

$10.49 DOP 616

59.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 DOP 184

$2.60 DOP 153

20.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 DOP 209

$3.08 DOP 181

15.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 DOP 36.10

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.37 DOP 1,080

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 DOP 148

$3.30 DOP 194

-23.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.45 DOP 202

$2.35 DOP 138

46.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 DOP 340

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 DOP 84.1

$1.36 DOP 80.1

5.15%

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

$15.0K DOP 879.1K

$24.1K DOP 1.4M

-37.91%

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

$26.0K DOP 1.5M

$34.5K DOP 2.0M

-24.54%

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

$95.8 DOP 5,631

$95.1 DOP 5,591

0.74%

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

$10.21 DOP 600

$32.26 DOP 1,896

-68.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.84 DOP 2,282

$36.76 DOP 2,160

5.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.52 DOP 1,793

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.61 DOP 1,446

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 DOP 303

$7.72 DOP 454

-33.16%

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

$149 DOP 8,780

$263 DOP 15.4K

-43.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,568 DOP 327.2K

$7,446 DOP 437.5K

-25.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.41 DOP 1,611

$46.94 DOP 2,758

-41.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.66 DOP 2,742

$48.16 DOP 2,830

-3.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.8 DOP 3,806

$87.4 DOP 5,133

-25.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.5 DOP 3,905

$128 DOP 7,534

-48.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 DOP 42.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 DOP 21.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,460 DOP 85.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 DOP 37.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,204 DOP 129.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,204 DOP 70.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$606 DOP 35.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.56

-18.88%

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

Last update for La Romana: September 14, 2026

Last update for Santo Domingo: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in La Romana versus $52.0 in Santo Domingo. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in La Romana vs $225 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

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

Yes – Santo Domingo is pricier by about 76%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $969 per month in La Romana and $1,709 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 $646 in La Romana and $1,139 in Santo Domingo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $149 per month in La Romana and $263 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 $646, than in Santo Domingo at $1,139. 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.