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: $1,090 in Santo Domingo versus $897 in Azua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,825 in Santo Domingo versus $1,259 in Azua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,559 in Santo Domingo versus $1,621 in Azua.

Living in Santo Domingo is roughly 22% more expensive than Azua, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santo Domingo 19% lower, Azua 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.65 DOP 505

$8.58 DOP 501

0.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.1 DOP 2,922

$51.0 DOP 2,973

-1.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 DOP 419

$7.24 DOP 422

-0.83%

Cappuccino

$2.73 DOP 159

$1.40 DOP 81.6

95.00%

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

$0.99 DOP 58.0

$1.04 DOP 60.5

-4.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 DOP 48.30

$0.79 DOP 45.87

5.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 DOP 152

$2.59 DOP 151

0.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.10 DOP 298

$5.12 DOP 298

-0.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 DOP 81.4

$1.24 DOP 72.4

12.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 DOP 105

$1.73 DOP 101

4.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 DOP 88.6

$1.05 DOP 61.1

44.76%

Eggs

$2.26 DOP 132

$1.70 DOP 99.1

32.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.33 DOP 428

$7.34 DOP 428

-0.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.43 DOP 375

$6.37 DOP 372

0.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 DOP 633

$11.13 DOP 649

-2.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 DOP 195

$3.27 DOP 191

2.14%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 DOP 53.0

$0.86 DOP 50.2

5.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 DOP 173

$2.89 DOP 169

2.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 DOP 116

$2.02 DOP 118

-1.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 DOP 142

$2.43 DOP 141

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 DOP 136

$2.32 DOP 136

0.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 DOP 65.9

$1.14 DOP 66.7

-0.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 DOP 51.8

$0.97 DOP 56.6

-8.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.74 DOP 335

$5.67 DOP 331

1.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.80 DOP 630

$10.53 DOP 614

2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 DOP 155

$2.65 DOP 155

0.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 DOP 189

$3.21 DOP 187

0.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 DOP 33.23

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.9 DOP 3,962

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 DOP 194

$3.31 DOP 193

0.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 DOP 124

$2.18 DOP 127

-2.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 DOP 338

$6.11 DOP 356

-5.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 DOP 77.7

$1.33 DOP 77.3

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

$26.2K DOP 1.5M

$26.8K DOP 1.6M

-2.18%

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

$31.2K DOP 1.8M

$29.6K DOP 1.7M

5.29%

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

$77.6 DOP 4,527

$76.2 DOP 4,446

1.82%

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

$25.52 DOP 1,488

$25.83 DOP 1,506

-1.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.50 DOP 2,071

$36.41 DOP 2,124

-2.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.44 DOP 2,067

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.29 DOP 834

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 DOP 402

$6.86 DOP 400

0.29%

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

$271 DOP 15.8K

$266 DOP 15.5K

1.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,089 DOP 471.9K

$8,174 DOP 476.8K

-1.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 DOP 3,519

$60.1 DOP 3,507

0.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 DOP 3,031

$51.0 DOP 2,975

1.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 DOP 5,600

$95.7 DOP 5,580

0.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 DOP 6,728

$118 DOP 6,860

-1.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$562 DOP 32.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 DOP 16.9K

$204 DOP 11.9K

41.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 DOP 69.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$676 DOP 39.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,192 DOP 127.9K

$3,709 DOP 216.4K

-40.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,219 DOP 71.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$638 DOP 37.2K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Azua: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $50.0 in Santo Domingo vs $51.0 in Azua. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $240, with Azua 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 Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,635 in Santo Domingo 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 3% higher in Santo Domingo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,090 per month in Santo Domingo versus $897 in Azua – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $897 in Azua versus $1,090 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 22% less than in Santo Domingo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.