Cost of Living Comparison Between Santo Domingo Este and Azua Cost of Living Comparison Between Santo Domingo Este and Azua

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $773 in Santo Domingo Este versus $897 in Azua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,361 in Santo Domingo Este versus $1,259 in Azua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,949 in Santo Domingo Este versus $1,621 in Azua.

Living in Santo Domingo Este costs roughly 14% less than in Azua, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santo Domingo Este 42% lower, Azua 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.44 DOP 490

$8.58 DOP 498

-1.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.63 DOP 2,472

$51.0 DOP 2,956

-16.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.29 DOP 423

$7.24 DOP 420

0.69%

Cappuccino

$1.27 DOP 73.6

$1.40 DOP 81.1

-9.29%

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

$1.02 DOP 59.2

$1.04 DOP 60.2

-1.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 DOP 28.99

$0.79 DOP 45.61

-36.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 DOP 151

$2.59 DOP 150

0.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 DOP 195

$5.12 DOP 297

-34.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 DOP 72.2

$1.24 DOP 72.0

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 DOP 101

$1.73 DOP 100

0.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 DOP 90.9

$1.05 DOP 60.7

49.52%

Eggs

$1.72 DOP 99.7

$1.70 DOP 98.5

1.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.10 DOP 412

$7.34 DOP 426

-3.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.67 DOP 213

$6.37 DOP 369

-42.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.93 DOP 402

$11.13 DOP 646

-37.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 DOP 185

$3.27 DOP 189

-2.75%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 DOP 42.90

$0.86 DOP 49.86

-13.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 DOP 112

$2.89 DOP 168

-32.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 DOP 77.3

$2.02 DOP 117

-34.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 DOP 54.8

$2.43 DOP 141

-60.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 DOP 106

$2.32 DOP 135

-21.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 DOP 62.7

$1.14 DOP 66.3

-5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 DOP 52.2

$0.97 DOP 56.3

-7.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.61 DOP 326

$5.67 DOP 329

-1.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.77 DOP 625

$10.53 DOP 611

2.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 DOP 97.5

$2.65 DOP 154

-36.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 DOP 129

$3.21 DOP 186

-30.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 DOP 51.0

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.86 DOP 1,964

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 DOP 194

$3.31 DOP 192

1.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.18 DOP 127

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.99 DOP 347

$6.11 DOP 354

-1.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 DOP 70.4

$1.33 DOP 76.9

-9.02%

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

$26.4K DOP 1.5M

$26.8K DOP 1.6M

-1.39%

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

$31.8K DOP 1.8M

$29.6K DOP 1.7M

7.27%

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

$40.82 DOP 2,367

$76.2 DOP 4,421

-46.44%

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

$17.70 DOP 1,026

$25.83 DOP 1,498

-31.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.13 DOP 2,096

$36.41 DOP 2,112

-0.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.68 DOP 1,664

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.65 DOP 501

Cinema Ticket

$5.80 DOP 337

$6.86 DOP 398

-15.45%

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

$264 DOP 15.3K

$266 DOP 15.5K

-0.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,885 DOP 341.3K

$8,174 DOP 474.1K

-28.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.91 DOP 2,489

$60.1 DOP 3,487

-28.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 DOP 2,946

$51.0 DOP 2,958

-0.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.5 DOP 3,799

$95.7 DOP 5,549

-31.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.9 DOP 3,413

$118 DOP 6,821

-49.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$456 DOP 26.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 DOP 9,874

$204 DOP 11.8K

-16.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,059 DOP 61.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$481 DOP 27.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,709 DOP 215.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$609 DOP 35.3K

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 Santo Domingo Este: May 31, 2026

Last update for Azua: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $43.00 in Santo Domingo Este vs $51.0 in Azua for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $240 per month, with Santo Domingo Este 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

Santo Domingo Este vs Azua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santo Domingo Este is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,160 in Santo Domingo Este and $1,345 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Azua. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $773 per month in Santo Domingo Este versus $897 in Azua – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $773 in Santo Domingo Este versus $897 in Azua, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Santo Domingo Este but tight or insufficient in Azua. The gap between the two cities makes Santo Domingo Este 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, Santo Domingo Este 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 Santo Domingo Este gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Azua. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.