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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $783 per month in Santo Domingo vs $891 in Cuenca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,215 per month in Santo Domingo vs $1,325 in Cuenca, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,648 per month in Santo Domingo vs $1,759 in Cuenca, rent included.

Santo Domingo is about 12% cheaper than Cuenca, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Santo Domingo and Cuenca are more affordable than the global median – Santo Domingo 42% lower, Cuenca 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 $3.47

$3.40 $3.40

2.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.34 $48.34

$24.57 $24.57

96.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.01 $8.01

$7.13 $7.13

12.34%

Cappuccino

$2.04 $2.04

$2.48 $2.48

-17.74%

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

$0.90 $0.90

$0.83 $0.83

8.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 $0.66

$0.70 $0.70

-5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.98 $1.98

-1.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 $4.56

$3.58 $3.58

27.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.13 $1.13

-9.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.61 $1.61

5.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.53 $1.53

-15.03%

Eggs

$2.04 $2.04

$2.09 $2.09

-2.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$5.43 $5.43

-17.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$5.48 $5.48

-45.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.46 $3.46

$6.25 $6.25

-44.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.47 $1.47

38.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.05 $1.05

-0.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.23 $1.23

-16.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.06 $1.06

-0.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.53 $1.53

-32.68%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.06 $1.06

-6.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 $0.69

$0.46 $0.46

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.04 $1.04

-6.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.13 $6.13

$5.70 $5.70

7.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.09 $5.09

$10.33 $10.33

-50.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.43 $1.43

12.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$3.30 $3.30

-34.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 $0.34

$0.33 $0.33

3.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.75 $23.75

$26.98 $26.98

-11.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$0.68 $0.68

311.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$0.99 $0.99

54.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.02 $10.02

$13.64 $13.64

-26.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 $0.65

$0.63 $0.63

3.17%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$30.4K $30.4K

-17.91%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$28.3K $28.3K

5.49%

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

$37.88 $37.88

$39.61 $39.61

-4.37%

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

$10.13 $10.13

$13.71 $13.71

-26.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.68 $22.68

$31.29 $31.29

-27.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.47 $30.47

$29.47 $29.47

3.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.35 $14.35

$5.30 $5.30

170.75%

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 $7.55

$7.46 $7.46

1.21%

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

$320 $320

$250 $250

27.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,880 $5,880

$5,599 $5,599

5.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.81 $19.81

$55.2 $55.2

-64.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.34 $30.34

$54.5 $54.5

-44.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.4 $50.4

$99.7 $99.7

-49.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.76 $49.76

$65.6 $65.6

-24.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$345 $345

$370 $370

-6.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$318 $318

$325 $325

-1.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$623 $623

$674 $674

-7.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 $503

0.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,250 $1,250

$1,245 $1,245

0.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$771 $771

$827 $827

-6.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$404 $404

$537 $537

-24.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.35

11.48

-18.55%

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

Last update for Santo Domingo: June 2, 2026

Last update for Cuenca: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $345 in Santo Domingo versus $370 in Cuenca. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 33% higher in Cuenca, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Santo Domingo versus $25.00 in Cuenca. Groceries tell a different story – $147 in Santo Domingo vs $184 in Cuenca – 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

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

Yes – Cuenca is pricier by about 14%, 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 $1,174 per month in Santo Domingo and $1,336 in Cuenca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Santo Domingo and $25.00 in Cuenca. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $783 in Santo Domingo and $891 in Cuenca. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $783 in Santo Domingo and $891 in Cuenca, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Santo Domingo – 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 Santo Domingo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cuenca makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.