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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.51 DOP 503

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.4 DOP 3,040

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.39 DOP 437

Cappuccino

$2.67 DOP 158

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

$0.99 DOP 58.4

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 DOP 49.53

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 DOP 147

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 DOP 293

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 DOP 82.6

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 DOP 107

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 DOP 87.9

Eggs

$2.29 DOP 135

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.21 DOP 426

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 DOP 365

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.20 DOP 662

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 DOP 190

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 DOP 51.3

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 DOP 173

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 DOP 117

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 DOP 150

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 DOP 140

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 DOP 64.5

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 DOP 54.2

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.65 DOP 334

Wine (Bottle)

$11.49 DOP 679

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 DOP 154

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 DOP 189

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 DOP 35.94

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.4 DOP 4,039

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 DOP 195

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 DOP 127

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.02 DOP 356

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 DOP 75.6

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

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

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

$32.1K DOP 1.9M

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

$74.8 DOP 4,421

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

$25.08 DOP 1,482

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.59 DOP 2,103

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.79 DOP 2,115

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.55 DOP 860

Cinema Ticket

$6.84 DOP 404

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

$273 DOP 16.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,074 DOP 477.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 DOP 3,579

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 DOP 3,114

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.4 DOP 5,576

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 DOP 6,944

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$572 DOP 33.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 DOP 17.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,164 DOP 68.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$662 DOP 39.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,167 DOP 128.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,205 DOP 71.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$629 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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Barahona: April 27, 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.