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: $1,093 in Santo Domingo versus $695 in Bonao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,825 in Santo Domingo versus $1,087 in Bonao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,557 in Santo Domingo versus $1,480 in Bonao.

Living in Santo Domingo is roughly 57% more expensive than Bonao, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santo Domingo 19% lower, Bonao 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.70 DOP 510

$5.60 DOP 328

55.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.3 DOP 3,005

$26.70 DOP 1,564

92.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.39 DOP 433

$4.98 DOP 292

48.39%

Cappuccino

$2.64 DOP 155

$1.97 DOP 116

34.01%

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

$1.02 DOP 60.0

$1.00 DOP 58.5

2.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 DOP 48.16

$0.84 DOP 49.08

-2.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 DOP 152

$2.44 DOP 143

6.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 DOP 307

$3.12 DOP 183

67.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 DOP 81.8

$1.38 DOP 80.8

1.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 DOP 104

$1.41 DOP 82.8

26.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 DOP 91.1

$0.95 DOP 55.4

63.16%

Eggs

$2.21 DOP 130

$1.60 DOP 93.9

38.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 DOP 425

$7.17 DOP 420

1.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 DOP 380

$5.55 DOP 325

16.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.82 DOP 634

$10.70 DOP 627

1.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 DOP 191

$2.34 DOP 137

39.32%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 DOP 53.8

$0.60 DOP 35.19

53.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 DOP 176

$2.21 DOP 130

36.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 DOP 118

$1.32 DOP 77.4

52.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 DOP 149

$2.21 DOP 129

15.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 DOP 138

$1.15 DOP 67.1

105.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 DOP 66.2

$0.80 DOP 47.12

41.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 DOP 56.5

$0.57 DOP 33.13

68.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.64 DOP 331

$5.67 DOP 332

-0.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.87 DOP 637

$7.22 DOP 423

50.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 DOP 153

$2.48 DOP 145

5.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 DOP 191

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 DOP 33.11

$0.55 DOP 32.04

3.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.5 DOP 3,952

$26.88 DOP 1,574

150.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 DOP 195

$3.38 DOP 198

-1.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 DOP 123

$2.20 DOP 129

-4.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.89 DOP 345

$2.49 DOP 146

136.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 DOP 75.5

$1.27 DOP 74.1

1.57%

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

$26.3K DOP 1.5M

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

-2.29%

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

$31.6K DOP 1.9M

$31.1K DOP 1.8M

1.80%

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

$77.6 DOP 4,547

$74.8 DOP 4,384

3.73%

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

$25.78 DOP 1,510

$25.29 DOP 1,482

1.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.34 DOP 2,070

$34.04 DOP 1,994

3.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.18 DOP 2,061

$17.29 DOP 1,013

103.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.20 DOP 832

Cinema Ticket

$6.59 DOP 386

$2.59 DOP 152

154.44%

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

$271 DOP 15.9K

$264 DOP 15.5K

2.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,996 DOP 468.4K

$8,104 DOP 474.7K

-1.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 DOP 3,452

$60.8 DOP 3,564

-3.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.7 DOP 3,027

$51.8 DOP 3,034

-0.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.3 DOP 5,583

$34.31 DOP 2,010

177.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 DOP 6,873

$34.16 DOP 2,001

243.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$560 DOP 32.8K

$147 DOP 8,582

282.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 DOP 16.7K

$102 DOP 5,992

179.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,177 DOP 68.9K

$292 DOP 17.1K

302.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$669 DOP 39.2K

$215 DOP 12.6K

211.47%

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

7.50%

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

Last update for Santo Domingo: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bonao: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $560 in Santo Domingo and $147 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 $247 vs $203 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 57% in total monthly costs ($1,093 vs $695 including rent). Bonao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,640 in Santo Domingo and $1,042 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: $560 in Santo Domingo versus $147 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 151% less than in Santo Domingo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $271 in Santo Domingo versus $264 in Bonao. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $695 in Bonao versus $1,093 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 57% less than in Santo Domingo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.