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: $1,096 in Santo Domingo versus $890 in Azua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,824 in Santo Domingo versus $1,258 in Azua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,552 in Santo Domingo versus $1,625 in Azua.

Living in Santo Domingo is roughly 23% more expensive than in Azua, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santo Domingo 18% lower, Azua 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.66 DOP 504

$8.74 DOP 509

-0.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 DOP 2,961

$51.6 DOP 3,007

-1.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 DOP 421

$7.31 DOP 426

-1.09%

Cappuccino

$2.63 DOP 153

$1.38 DOP 80.3

90.58%

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

$0.99 DOP 57.4

$1.02 DOP 59.5

-2.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 DOP 48.02

$0.78 DOP 45.24

5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 DOP 150

$2.50 DOP 146

2.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 DOP 291

$5.06 DOP 295

-1.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 DOP 78.0

$1.25 DOP 73.0

7.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 DOP 99.6

$1.78 DOP 104

-3.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 DOP 87.4

$1.09 DOP 63.7

37.61%

Eggs

$2.27 DOP 132

$1.64 DOP 95.6

38.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.18 DOP 418

$7.17 DOP 418

0.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.29 DOP 366

$6.14 DOP 358

2.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.19 DOP 652

$11.06 DOP 644

1.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 DOP 187

$3.27 DOP 191

-1.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 DOP 49.84

$0.92 DOP 53.8

-6.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 DOP 168

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 DOP 112

$2.03 DOP 118

-4.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 DOP 147

$2.46 DOP 143

2.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 DOP 138

$2.36 DOP 137

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 DOP 63.5

$1.14 DOP 66.1

-4.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 DOP 52.3

$0.89 DOP 51.8

1.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.78 DOP 337

$5.67 DOP 330

1.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.70 DOP 623

$17.30 DOP 1,007

-38.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 DOP 153

$2.61 DOP 152

0.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 DOP 186

$3.10 DOP 180

3.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 DOP 33.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.7 DOP 4,000

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 DOP 196

$3.37 DOP 196

-0.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 DOP 128

$2.21 DOP 129

-0.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 DOP 348

$5.89 DOP 343

1.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 DOP 77.2

$1.33 DOP 77.3

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

$26.1K DOP 1.5M

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

-2.99%

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

$32.3K DOP 1.9M

$29.3K DOP 1.7M

10.46%

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

$75.6 DOP 4,403

$75.1 DOP 4,373

0.68%

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

$25.29 DOP 1,473

$25.36 DOP 1,477

-0.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.48 DOP 2,066

$36.58 DOP 2,130

-3.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.45 DOP 2,123

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.32 DOP 834

Cinema Ticket

$6.76 DOP 394

$6.97 DOP 406

-3.01%

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

$263 DOP 15.3K

$268 DOP 15.6K

-1.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,020 DOP 467.1K

$8,133 DOP 473.6K

-1.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 DOP 3,513

$61.1 DOP 3,557

-1.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 DOP 3,027

$52.2 DOP 3,041

-0.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.9 DOP 5,641

$96.8 DOP 5,640

0.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 DOP 6,656

$115 DOP 6,700

-0.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$564 DOP 32.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 DOP 16.6K

$200 DOP 11.7K

42.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 DOP 68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 DOP 39.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,168 DOP 126.2K

$3,735 DOP 217.5K

-41.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,179 DOP 68.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$621 DOP 36.2K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Azua: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $51.0 in Santo Domingo vs $52.0 in Azua for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $251 per month, with Santo Domingo 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 vs Azua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Azua is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,643 in Santo Domingo and $1,335 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 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,096 per month in Santo Domingo versus $890 in Azua – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $890 in Azua versus $1,096 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 23% less than in Santo Domingo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.