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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,124 in Santo Domingo versus $667 in Azua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,760 in Santo Domingo versus $1,075 in Azua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,395 in Santo Domingo versus $1,482 in Azua.

Living in Santo Domingo is roughly 68% more expensive than in Azua, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santo Domingo 18% lower, Azua 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.21 DOP 598

$8.65 DOP 506

18.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 DOP 3,026

$43.01 DOP 2,519

20.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 DOP 467

$7.05 DOP 413

13.05%

Cappuccino

$2.40 DOP 140

$1.38 DOP 81.1

73.91%

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

$1.13 DOP 66.4

$0.68 DOP 39.80

66.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 DOP 37.46

$0.38 DOP 22.34

68.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 DOP 153

$2.49 DOP 146

4.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 DOP 211

$4.09 DOP 239

-11.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 DOP 84.8

$1.24 DOP 72.5

16.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 DOP 89.5

$1.83 DOP 107

-16.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 DOP 94.3

$1.09 DOP 63.8

47.71%

Eggs

$2.46 DOP 144

$1.47 DOP 86.3

67.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.57 DOP 443

$6.30 DOP 369

20.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.87 DOP 343

$3.73 DOP 218

57.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.76 DOP 396

$4.81 DOP 282

40.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 DOP 197

$3.82 DOP 224

-12.04%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 DOP 47.21

$1.44 DOP 84.3

-43.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 DOP 159

$3.28 DOP 192

-17.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 DOP 112

$2.29 DOP 134

-16.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 DOP 123

$3.67 DOP 215

-42.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 DOP 135

$2.90 DOP 170

-20.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 DOP 59.6

$0.92 DOP 53.8

10.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 DOP 60.1

$1.63 DOP 95.4

-36.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.47 DOP 320

$4.94 DOP 289

10.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 DOP 616

$17.11 DOP 1,002

-38.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 DOP 153

$3.11 DOP 182

-15.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 DOP 178

$3.42 DOP 200

-11.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 DOP 35.92

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.63 DOP 1,091

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 DOP 195

$2.50 DOP 146

32.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 DOP 131

$3.29 DOP 193

-31.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.11 DOP 358

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 DOP 79.0

$1.39 DOP 81.2

-2.88%

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

$23.3K DOP 1.4M

$15.5K DOP 905.0K

50.89%

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

$34.6K DOP 2.0M

$26.0K DOP 1.5M

33.09%

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

$95.3 DOP 5,580

$98.3 DOP 5,756

-3.06%

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

$31.73 DOP 1,858

$27.86 DOP 1,631

13.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.90 DOP 2,161

$39.86 DOP 2,334

-7.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.78 DOP 1,744

$20.21 DOP 1,183

47.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.29 DOP 1,481

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 DOP 459

$5.21 DOP 305

50.48%

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

$262 DOP 15.4K

$152 DOP 8,874

72.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,076 DOP 414.4K

$5,515 DOP 323.0K

28.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.44 DOP 2,719

$26.70 DOP 1,564

73.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.90 DOP 2,746

$47.53 DOP 2,784

-1.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 DOP 5,296

$64.5 DOP 3,774

40.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 DOP 7,301

$69.1 DOP 4,049

80.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 DOP 42.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 DOP 20.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,475 DOP 86.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 DOP 36.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,265 DOP 132.7K

$3,649 DOP 213.7K

-37.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,209 DOP 70.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 DOP 35.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.56

23.27%

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

Last update for Santo Domingo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Azua: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $52.0 in Santo Domingo vs $43.00 in Azua. Groceries flip the comparison at $228 vs $242, 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 vs Azua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Azua is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,685 in Santo Domingo and $1,001 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.

Shoppers in Santo Domingo pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,124 per month in Santo Domingo versus $667 in Azua – a 68% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $667 in Azua versus $1,124 in Santo Domingo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Azua but tight or insufficient in Santo Domingo. The gap between the two cities makes Azua 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 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 Azua gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Santo Domingo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.