Cost of Living Comparison Between Punta Cana and Azua Cost of Living Comparison Between Punta Cana and Azua

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,363 in Punta Cana versus $888 in Azua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,955 in Punta Cana versus $1,247 in Azua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,546 in Punta Cana versus $1,606 in Azua.

Living in Punta Cana is roughly 54% more expensive than Azua, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Punta Cana is 2% above, Azua is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.64 DOP 514

$8.71 DOP 518

-0.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 DOP 3,077

$51.8 DOP 3,082

-0.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.16 DOP 426

$7.25 DOP 432

-1.24%

Cappuccino

$2.61 DOP 156

$1.38 DOP 81.9

89.13%

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

$0.98 DOP 58.4

$1.03 DOP 61.4

-4.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 DOP 49.13

$0.79 DOP 46.76

5.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 DOP 154

$2.52 DOP 150

2.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 DOP 302

$4.95 DOP 295

2.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 DOP 79.5

$1.20 DOP 71.3

11.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 DOP 86.5

$1.74 DOP 104

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 DOP 89.1

$1.08 DOP 64.5

38.89%

Eggs

$2.21 DOP 131

$1.63 DOP 96.8

35.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.10 DOP 423

$7.16 DOP 426

-0.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 DOP 368

$6.14 DOP 366

0.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 DOP 627

$10.81 DOP 643

-2.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 DOP 186

$3.34 DOP 199

-6.59%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 DOP 54.6

$0.85 DOP 50.8

8.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 DOP 133

$3.01 DOP 179

-25.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 DOP 115

$1.95 DOP 116

-1.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 DOP 61.9

$2.55 DOP 152

-59.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 DOP 86.6

$2.36 DOP 140

-38.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 DOP 44.16

$1.12 DOP 66.7

-33.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 DOP 57.3

$0.95 DOP 56.4

1.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.81 DOP 346

$5.91 DOP 352

-1.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 DOP 695

$11.59 DOP 690

0.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 DOP 159

$2.61 DOP 156

2.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 DOP 194

$3.15 DOP 187

3.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 DOP 52.6

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 DOP 207

$3.33 DOP 198

4.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 DOP 125

$2.11 DOP 126

-0.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.99 DOP 356

$5.88 DOP 350

1.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 DOP 76.3

$1.33 DOP 79.1

-3.76%

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

$26.5K DOP 1.6M

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

-1.69%

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

$31.4K DOP 1.9M

$29.7K DOP 1.8M

5.97%

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

$75.6 DOP 4,497

$77.2 DOP 4,596

-2.16%

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

$19.81 DOP 1,179

$25.20 DOP 1,500

-21.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.04 DOP 2,145

$36.27 DOP 2,159

-0.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.4 DOP 3,772

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 DOP 300

$6.83 DOP 406

-26.21%

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

$271 DOP 16.1K

$267 DOP 15.9K

1.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,300 DOP 434.5K

$8,222 DOP 489.4K

-11.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.95 DOP 949

$60.7 DOP 3,613

-73.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 DOP 3,120

$52.7 DOP 3,134

-0.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.3 DOP 3,946

$95.1 DOP 5,661

-30.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 DOP 6,916

$115 DOP 6,825

1.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$853 DOP 50.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 DOP 39.2K

$207 DOP 12.3K

218.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 DOP 76.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$907 DOP 54.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,034 DOP 180.6K

$3,604 DOP 214.5K

-15.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,293 DOP 77.0K

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 Punta Cana: April 28, 2026

Last update for Azua: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $52.0 in Punta Cana vs $52.0 in Azua for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $239 per month, with Punta Cana cheaper across the board.

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

Punta Cana vs Azua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Azua is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 54% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,044 in Punta Cana and $1,332 in Azua to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Punta Cana pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,363 per month in Punta Cana versus $888 in Azua – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $888 in Azua versus $1,363 in Punta Cana, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Azua but tight or insufficient in Punta Cana. The gap between the two cities makes Azua the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Punta Cana and Azua are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Azua gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Punta Cana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.