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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $648 in Santo Domingo Este versus $1,139 in Santo Domingo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,061 in Santo Domingo Este versus $1,775 in Santo Domingo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,474 in Santo Domingo Este versus $2,410 in Santo Domingo.

Living in Santo Domingo Este costs roughly 43% less than in Santo Domingo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santo Domingo Este 53% lower, Santo Domingo 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.10 DOP 300

$10.24 DOP 601

-50.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.40 DOP 2,492

$51.7 DOP 3,036

-17.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.87 DOP 404

$7.58 DOP 445

-9.37%

Cappuccino

$0.99 DOP 58.4

$2.46 DOP 144

-59.76%

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

$1.08 DOP 63.5

$1.12 DOP 66.0

-3.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 DOP 37.44

$0.63 DOP 37.29

1.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 DOP 152

$2.47 DOP 145

4.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 DOP 211

$3.46 DOP 204

3.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 DOP 81.6

$1.39 DOP 81.8

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 DOP 89.3

$1.56 DOP 91.9

-2.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 DOP 96.9

$1.67 DOP 98.0

-1.20%

Eggs

$2.45 DOP 144

$2.41 DOP 142

1.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.48 DOP 439

$7.61 DOP 447

-1.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.77 DOP 339

$5.55 DOP 326

3.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.01 DOP 412

$6.63 DOP 390

5.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 DOP 187

$3.24 DOP 190

-1.85%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 DOP 47.44

$0.81 DOP 47.34

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 DOP 165

$2.82 DOP 166

-0.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 DOP 107

$1.84 DOP 108

-1.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 DOP 122

$2.02 DOP 119

2.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 DOP 131

$2.29 DOP 134

-3.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 DOP 62.9

$1.06 DOP 62.0

0.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 DOP 57.1

$1.02 DOP 59.7

-4.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.30 DOP 311

$5.37 DOP 315

-1.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.61 DOP 623

$10.49 DOP 616

1.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 DOP 157

$2.60 DOP 153

2.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 DOP 181

$3.08 DOP 181

0.32%

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)

$3.45 DOP 203

$3.30 DOP 194

4.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 DOP 137

$2.35 DOP 138

-0.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.90 DOP 347

$5.79 DOP 340

1.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 DOP 75.7

$1.36 DOP 80.1

-5.15%

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

$23.3K DOP 1.4M

$24.1K DOP 1.4M

-3.31%

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

$34.1K DOP 2.0M

$34.5K DOP 2.0M

-1.05%

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

$93.1 DOP 5,472

$95.1 DOP 5,591

-2.11%

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

$32.16 DOP 1,890

$32.26 DOP 1,896

-0.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.97 DOP 2,173

$36.76 DOP 2,160

0.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.52 DOP 1,793

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.61 DOP 1,446

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 DOP 460

$7.72 DOP 454

1.30%

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

$262 DOP 15.4K

$263 DOP 15.4K

-0.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,462 DOP 438.4K

$7,446 DOP 437.5K

0.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.06 DOP 2,765

$46.94 DOP 2,758

0.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.60 DOP 2,856

$48.16 DOP 2,830

0.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 DOP 5,290

$87.4 DOP 5,133

3.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 DOP 7,412

$128 DOP 7,534

-1.61%

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)

$595 DOP 35.0K

$606 DOP 35.6K

-1.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.56

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

Last update for Santo Domingo Este: September 14, 2026

Last update for Santo Domingo: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Santo Domingo pays 2% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Santo Domingo Este vs $52.0 in Santo Domingo. Groceries flip the comparison at $226 vs $225, with Santo Domingo 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

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

Santo Domingo Este and Santo Domingo differ by about 76% in total monthly costs ($648 vs $1,139 including rent). Santo Domingo Este is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Santo Domingo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $262 in Santo Domingo Este versus $263 in Santo Domingo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Santo Domingo Este – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $52.0 in Santo Domingo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $648 in Santo Domingo Este versus $1,139 in Santo Domingo, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Santo Domingo Este but tight or insufficient in Santo Domingo. 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.

Expats usually find Santo Domingo Este gentler on the wallet – expenses run 76% less than in Santo Domingo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.