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: $792 in Santo Domingo Este versus $1,096 in Santo Domingo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Santo Domingo Este versus $1,824 in Santo Domingo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,916 in Santo Domingo Este versus $2,552 in Santo Domingo.

Living in Santo Domingo Este costs roughly 28% less than in Santo Domingo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santo Domingo Este 41% lower, Santo Domingo 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.60 DOP 501

$8.66 DOP 505

-0.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.02 DOP 2,508

$50.9 DOP 2,965

-15.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.59 DOP 442

$7.23 DOP 422

4.98%

Cappuccino

$1.28 DOP 74.4

$2.63 DOP 153

-51.33%

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

$1.00 DOP 58.3

$0.99 DOP 57.5

1.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 DOP 29.15

$0.82 DOP 48.08

-39.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 DOP 150

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 DOP 201

$4.99 DOP 291

-31.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 DOP 71.3

$1.34 DOP 78.1

-8.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 DOP 99.6

$1.71 DOP 99.7

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 DOP 91.8

$1.50 DOP 87.5

4.67%

Eggs

$1.69 DOP 98.8

$2.27 DOP 132

-25.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.28 DOP 425

$7.18 DOP 419

1.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 DOP 211

$6.29 DOP 367

-42.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.66 DOP 389

$11.19 DOP 653

-40.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 DOP 193

$3.21 DOP 187

3.12%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 DOP 42.98

$0.86 DOP 49.90

-13.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 DOP 113

$2.88 DOP 168

-32.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 DOP 77.5

$1.93 DOP 112

-31.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 DOP 54.8

$2.52 DOP 147

-62.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 DOP 102

$2.36 DOP 138

-25.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 DOP 64.0

$1.09 DOP 63.6

0.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 DOP 52.7

$0.90 DOP 52.4

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.70 DOP 332

$5.78 DOP 337

-1.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.80 DOP 630

$10.70 DOP 624

0.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 DOP 97.0

$2.63 DOP 153

-36.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 DOP 137

$3.20 DOP 187

-26.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 DOP 48.05

$0.57 DOP 33.30

43.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.34 DOP 1,944

$68.7 DOP 4,004

-51.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 DOP 199

$3.36 DOP 196

1.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 DOP 123

$2.19 DOP 128

-3.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 DOP 354

$5.98 DOP 349

1.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 DOP 71.6

$1.33 DOP 77.3

-7.52%

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

$27.0K DOP 1.6M

$26.1K DOP 1.5M

3.19%

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

$31.3K DOP 1.8M

$32.3K DOP 1.9M

-3.33%

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

$40.76 DOP 2,377

$75.6 DOP 4,408

-46.08%

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

$17.60 DOP 1,026

$25.29 DOP 1,475

-30.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.67 DOP 2,080

$35.48 DOP 2,069

0.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.03 DOP 1,634

$36.45 DOP 2,125

-23.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.44 DOP 492

$14.32 DOP 835

-41.06%

Cinema Ticket

$5.89 DOP 343

$6.76 DOP 394

-12.87%

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

$268 DOP 15.6K

$263 DOP 15.3K

1.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,898 DOP 343.9K

$8,020 DOP 467.7K

-26.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.90 DOP 2,443

$60.3 DOP 3,517

-30.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.1 DOP 2,980

$52.0 DOP 3,031

-1.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 DOP 3,844

$96.9 DOP 5,648

-31.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.7 DOP 3,424

$114 DOP 6,664

-48.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$454 DOP 26.5K

$564 DOP 32.9K

-19.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 DOP 9,835

$285 DOP 16.6K

-40.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,070 DOP 62.4K

$1,175 DOP 68.5K

-8.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 DOP 27.6K

$685 DOP 39.9K

-30.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,168 DOP 126.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,179 DOP 68.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$599 DOP 34.9K

$621 DOP 36.2K

-3.56%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Santo Domingo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $454 in Santo Domingo Este and $564 in Santo Domingo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santo Domingo pays 4% 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: $43.00 in Santo Domingo Este vs $51.0 in Santo Domingo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $243 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 Santo Domingo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santo Domingo Este and Santo Domingo differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($792 vs $1,096 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 4% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $454 in Santo Domingo Este versus $564 in Santo Domingo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Santo Domingo Este – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $51.0 in Santo Domingo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $792 per month in Santo Domingo Este versus $1,096 in Santo Domingo – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $792 in Santo Domingo Este versus $1,096 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 38% less than in Santo Domingo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.