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: $773 in Santo Domingo Este versus $1,090 in Santo Domingo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,361 in Santo Domingo Este versus $1,825 in Santo Domingo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,949 in Santo Domingo Este versus $2,559 in Santo Domingo.

Living in Santo Domingo Este costs roughly 29% less than in Santo Domingo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santo Domingo Este 42% lower, Santo Domingo 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.44 DOP 490

$8.65 DOP 502

-2.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.63 DOP 2,472

$50.1 DOP 2,905

-14.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.29 DOP 423

$7.18 DOP 416

1.53%

Cappuccino

$1.27 DOP 73.6

$2.73 DOP 158

-53.48%

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

$1.02 DOP 59.2

$0.99 DOP 57.6

3.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 DOP 28.99

$0.83 DOP 48.03

-39.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 DOP 151

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 DOP 195

$5.10 DOP 296

-33.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 DOP 72.2

$1.40 DOP 81.0

-11.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 DOP 101

$1.80 DOP 104

-3.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 DOP 90.9

$1.52 DOP 88.1

3.29%

Eggs

$1.72 DOP 99.7

$2.26 DOP 131

-23.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.10 DOP 412

$7.33 DOP 425

-3.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.67 DOP 213

$6.43 DOP 373

-42.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.93 DOP 402

$10.86 DOP 630

-36.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 DOP 185

$3.34 DOP 194

-4.79%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 DOP 42.90

$0.91 DOP 52.7

-18.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 DOP 112

$2.96 DOP 172

-34.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 DOP 77.3

$1.99 DOP 115

-33.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 DOP 54.8

$2.43 DOP 141

-60.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 DOP 106

$2.33 DOP 135

-21.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 DOP 62.7

$1.13 DOP 65.6

-4.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 DOP 52.2

$0.89 DOP 51.5

1.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.61 DOP 326

$5.74 DOP 333

-2.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.77 DOP 625

$10.80 DOP 626

-0.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 DOP 97.5

$2.66 DOP 155

-36.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 DOP 129

$3.23 DOP 188

-31.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 DOP 51.0

$0.57 DOP 33.04

54.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.86 DOP 1,964

$67.9 DOP 3,940

-50.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 DOP 194

$3.33 DOP 193

0.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.18 DOP 127

$2.13 DOP 124

2.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.99 DOP 347

$5.79 DOP 336

3.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 DOP 70.4

$1.33 DOP 77.3

-9.02%

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

$26.4K DOP 1.5M

$26.2K DOP 1.5M

0.81%

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

$31.8K DOP 1.8M

$31.2K DOP 1.8M

1.88%

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

$40.82 DOP 2,367

$77.6 DOP 4,501

-47.40%

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

$17.70 DOP 1,026

$25.52 DOP 1,480

-30.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.13 DOP 2,096

$35.50 DOP 2,059

1.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.68 DOP 1,664

$35.44 DOP 2,056

-19.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.65 DOP 501

$14.29 DOP 829

-39.47%

Cinema Ticket

$5.80 DOP 337

$6.88 DOP 399

-15.70%

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

$264 DOP 15.3K

$271 DOP 15.7K

-2.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,885 DOP 341.3K

$8,089 DOP 469.2K

-27.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.91 DOP 2,489

$60.3 DOP 3,499

-28.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 DOP 2,946

$52.0 DOP 3,014

-2.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.5 DOP 3,799

$96.0 DOP 5,568

-31.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.9 DOP 3,413

$115 DOP 6,690

-48.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$456 DOP 26.4K

$562 DOP 32.6K

-18.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 DOP 9,874

$289 DOP 16.8K

-41.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,059 DOP 61.4K

$1,192 DOP 69.1K

-11.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$481 DOP 27.9K

$676 DOP 39.2K

-28.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,192 DOP 127.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,219 DOP 70.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$609 DOP 35.3K

$638 DOP 37.0K

-4.48%

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 Santo Domingo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $456 in Santo Domingo Este and $562 in Santo Domingo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santo Domingo pays 5% 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 $50.0 in Santo Domingo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $246 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 41% in total monthly costs ($773 vs $1,090 including rent). Santo Domingo Este is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Santo Domingo earns 5% less. 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: $456 in Santo Domingo Este versus $562 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 $50.0 in Santo Domingo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $773 per month in Santo Domingo Este versus $1,090 in Santo Domingo – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $773 in Santo Domingo Este versus $1,090 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 41% less than in Santo Domingo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.