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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.70 DOP 510

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.3 DOP 3,005

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.39 DOP 433

Cappuccino

$2.64 DOP 155

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

$1.02 DOP 60.0

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 DOP 48.16

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 DOP 152

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 DOP 307

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 DOP 81.8

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 DOP 104

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 DOP 91.1

Eggs

$2.21 DOP 130

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 DOP 425

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 DOP 380

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.82 DOP 634

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 DOP 191

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 DOP 53.8

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 DOP 176

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 DOP 118

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 DOP 149

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 DOP 138

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 DOP 66.2

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 DOP 56.5

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.64 DOP 331

Wine (Bottle)

$10.87 DOP 637

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 DOP 153

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 DOP 191

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 DOP 33.11

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.5 DOP 3,952

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 DOP 195

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 DOP 123

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.89 DOP 345

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 DOP 75.5

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

$26.3K DOP 1.5M

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

$31.6K DOP 1.9M

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

$77.6 DOP 4,547

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

$25.78 DOP 1,510

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.34 DOP 2,070

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.18 DOP 2,061

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.20 DOP 832

Cinema Ticket

$6.59 DOP 386

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

$271 DOP 15.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,996 DOP 468.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 DOP 3,452

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.7 DOP 3,027

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.3 DOP 5,583

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 DOP 6,873

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$560 DOP 32.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 DOP 16.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,177 DOP 68.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$669 DOP 39.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,164 DOP 126.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,193 DOP 69.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$651 DOP 38.1K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Barahona: June 7, 2026

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 Barahona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Families tend to lean toward Barahona – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Barahona. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Santo Domingo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.