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: $1,389 in Punta Cana versus $894 in Azua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,986 in Punta Cana versus $1,248 in Azua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,583 in Punta Cana versus $1,602 in Azua.

Living in Punta Cana is roughly 55% more expensive than Azua, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Punta Cana is 3% above, Azua is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.43 DOP 494

$8.24 DOP 483

2.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.8 DOP 3,037

$50.9 DOP 2,979

1.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.21 DOP 422

$7.54 DOP 442

-4.38%

Cappuccino

$2.71 DOP 159

$1.37 DOP 80.3

97.81%

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

$1.02 DOP 59.8

$1.00 DOP 58.4

2.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 DOP 46.09

$0.82 DOP 48.14

-3.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.54 DOP 149

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.05 DOP 296

$5.23 DOP 306

-3.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 DOP 78.9

$1.20 DOP 70.3

12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 DOP 85.0

$1.81 DOP 106

-19.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 DOP 90.6

$1.10 DOP 64.4

40.91%

Eggs

$2.19 DOP 128

$1.65 DOP 96.6

32.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.07 DOP 414

$7.12 DOP 417

-0.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.15 DOP 360

$6.29 DOP 368

-2.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 DOP 617

$11.08 DOP 649

-4.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 DOP 182

$3.31 DOP 194

-6.04%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 DOP 54.0

$0.93 DOP 54.6

-1.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 DOP 132

$3.04 DOP 178

-25.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 DOP 115

$1.92 DOP 113

2.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 DOP 58.8

$2.43 DOP 143

-58.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 DOP 85.5

$2.35 DOP 138

-37.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 DOP 43.57

$1.12 DOP 65.9

-33.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 DOP 56.6

$0.96 DOP 56.0

1.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.62 DOP 329

$5.70 DOP 334

-1.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.07 DOP 1,000

$16.88 DOP 989

1.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 DOP 159

$2.74 DOP 161

-1.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 DOP 187

$3.25 DOP 190

-1.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 DOP 48.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 DOP 203

$3.39 DOP 198

2.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 DOP 123

$2.10 DOP 123

0.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.88 DOP 345

$6.04 DOP 354

-2.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 DOP 74.4

$1.26 DOP 74.1

0.79%

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

$26.2K DOP 1.5M

$26.5K DOP 1.6M

-1.02%

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

$31.1K DOP 1.8M

$29.6K DOP 1.7M

4.88%

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

$75.1 DOP 4,400

$76.1 DOP 4,459

-1.33%

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

$19.54 DOP 1,145

$25.36 DOP 1,485

-22.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.19 DOP 2,062

$35.76 DOP 2,095

-1.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.7 DOP 3,734

Cinema Ticket

$5.17 DOP 303

$6.99 DOP 409

-26.04%

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

$265 DOP 15.5K

$264 DOP 15.5K

0.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,330 DOP 429.4K

$8,141 DOP 476.9K

-9.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.13 DOP 945

$60.7 DOP 3,554

-73.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.1 DOP 2,994

$52.2 DOP 3,059

-2.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.2 DOP 3,878

$94.3 DOP 5,526

-29.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 DOP 6,895

$115 DOP 6,730

2.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$852 DOP 49.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 DOP 38.4K

$206 DOP 12.0K

218.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,282 DOP 75.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$889 DOP 52.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,043 DOP 178.3K

$3,671 DOP 215.1K

-17.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,269 DOP 74.3K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Azua: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $52.0 in Punta Cana vs $51.0 in Azua. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $253, with Punta Cana cheaper for home cooking.

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 55% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,083 in Punta Cana and $1,341 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 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,389 per month in Punta Cana versus $894 in Azua – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $894 in Azua versus $1,389 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 55% less than in Punta Cana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.