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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,112 in Santo Domingo versus $706 in Bonao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,831 in Santo Domingo versus $1,089 in Bonao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,550 in Santo Domingo versus $1,472 in Bonao.

Living in Santo Domingo is roughly 58% more expensive than Bonao, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santo Domingo 17% lower, Bonao 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.51 DOP 503

$5.63 DOP 333

51.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.4 DOP 3,040

$27.24 DOP 1,609

88.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.39 DOP 437

$5.03 DOP 297

46.92%

Cappuccino

$2.67 DOP 158

$1.96 DOP 116

36.22%

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

$0.99 DOP 58.4

$0.99 DOP 58.5

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 DOP 49.53

$0.79 DOP 46.97

6.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 DOP 147

$2.41 DOP 142

3.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 DOP 293

$3.03 DOP 179

63.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 DOP 82.6

$1.37 DOP 81.2

2.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 DOP 107

$1.42 DOP 84.1

27.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 DOP 87.9

$0.94 DOP 55.8

58.51%

Eggs

$2.29 DOP 135

$1.60 DOP 94.5

43.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.21 DOP 426

$7.32 DOP 432

-1.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 DOP 365

$5.68 DOP 336

8.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.20 DOP 662

$10.86 DOP 641

3.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 DOP 190

$2.34 DOP 139

37.18%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 DOP 51.3

$0.64 DOP 37.65

35.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 DOP 173

$2.27 DOP 134

28.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 DOP 117

$1.32 DOP 78.3

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 DOP 150

$2.17 DOP 128

17.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 DOP 140

$1.13 DOP 66.7

109.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 DOP 64.5

$0.76 DOP 44.64

43.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 DOP 54.2

$0.54 DOP 31.64

70.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.65 DOP 334

$5.75 DOP 340

-1.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.49 DOP 679

$7.24 DOP 428

58.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 DOP 154

$2.47 DOP 146

5.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 DOP 189

$3.23 DOP 191

-0.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 DOP 35.94

$0.57 DOP 33.90

7.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.4 DOP 4,039

$27.60 DOP 1,631

147.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 DOP 195

$3.36 DOP 199

-1.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 DOP 127

$2.19 DOP 130

-2.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.02 DOP 356

$2.43 DOP 144

147.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 DOP 75.6

$1.21 DOP 71.7

5.79%

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

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

$26.1K DOP 1.5M

2.95%

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

$32.1K DOP 1.9M

$32.3K DOP 1.9M

-0.79%

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

$74.8 DOP 4,421

$75.4 DOP 4,453

-0.73%

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

$25.08 DOP 1,482

$25.18 DOP 1,488

-0.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.59 DOP 2,103

$34.52 DOP 2,040

3.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.79 DOP 2,115

$16.85 DOP 996

112.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.55 DOP 860

Cinema Ticket

$6.84 DOP 404

$2.48 DOP 147

175.81%

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

$273 DOP 16.1K

$265 DOP 15.7K

2.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,074 DOP 477.1K

$8,245 DOP 487.2K

-2.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 DOP 3,579

$60.7 DOP 3,584

-0.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 DOP 3,114

$51.3 DOP 3,029

2.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.4 DOP 5,576

$33.37 DOP 1,972

182.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 DOP 6,944

$33.79 DOP 1,997

247.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$572 DOP 33.8K

$142 DOP 8,395

302.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 DOP 17.0K

$103 DOP 6,092

178.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,164 DOP 68.8K

$288 DOP 17.0K

304.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$662 DOP 39.1K

$216 DOP 12.8K

206.23%

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

7.50%

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

Last update for Santo Domingo: April 25, 2026

Last update for Bonao: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $572 in Santo Domingo and $142 in Bonao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $51.0 in Santo Domingo vs $27.00 in Bonao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $204 per month, with Bonao 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 Bonao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santo Domingo and Bonao differ by about 58% in total monthly costs ($1,112 vs $706 including rent). Bonao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,668 in Santo Domingo and $1,058 in Bonao 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $572 in Santo Domingo versus $142 in Bonao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Bonao runs roughly 148% less than in Santo Domingo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $273 in Santo Domingo versus $265 in Bonao. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $706 in Bonao versus $1,112 in Santo Domingo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bonao but tight or insufficient in Santo Domingo. The gap between the two cities makes Bonao 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.

Expats usually find Bonao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Santo Domingo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.