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: $1,116 in Santo Domingo versus $706 in Bonao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,815 in Santo Domingo versus $1,099 in Bonao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,514 in Santo Domingo versus $1,492 in Bonao.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Santo Domingo 16% lower, Bonao 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.45 DOP 491

$5.59 DOP 325

51.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.4 DOP 2,987

$27.06 DOP 1,572

89.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 DOP 432

$5.00 DOP 291

48.60%

Cappuccino

$2.63 DOP 153

$2.00 DOP 116

31.50%

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

$0.99 DOP 57.6

$1.02 DOP 59.4

-2.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 DOP 44.90

$0.83 DOP 48.08

-7.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 DOP 146

$2.40 DOP 140

4.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 DOP 298

$3.12 DOP 181

64.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 DOP 77.1

$1.35 DOP 78.4

-1.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 DOP 104

$1.42 DOP 82.4

26.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 DOP 86.3

$0.96 DOP 55.5

54.17%

Eggs

$2.19 DOP 127

$1.57 DOP 91.5

39.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.23 DOP 420

$7.03 DOP 408

2.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 DOP 364

$5.56 DOP 323

12.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 DOP 631

$11.07 DOP 643

-1.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 DOP 194

$2.26 DOP 131

47.79%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 DOP 53.9

$0.65 DOP 37.82

43.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 DOP 175

$2.26 DOP 132

32.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 DOP 117

$1.33 DOP 77.3

51.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 DOP 144

$2.20 DOP 128

12.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 DOP 139

$1.14 DOP 66.3

110.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 DOP 63.6

$0.76 DOP 44.38

43.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 DOP 56.4

$0.57 DOP 33.37

70.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.72 DOP 332

$5.61 DOP 326

1.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.84 DOP 630

$7.23 DOP 420

49.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 DOP 161

$2.37 DOP 137

16.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 DOP 181

$3.26 DOP 189

-4.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 DOP 32.87

$0.53 DOP 31.06

7.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.3 DOP 3,912

$27.16 DOP 1,578

147.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 DOP 194

$3.30 DOP 192

1.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 DOP 122

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.99 DOP 348

$2.42 DOP 140

147.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 DOP 77.7

$1.20 DOP 69.9

11.67%

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

$26.6K DOP 1.5M

$26.5K DOP 1.5M

0.14%

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

$31.8K DOP 1.8M

$32.3K DOP 1.9M

-1.79%

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

$77.2 DOP 4,483

$76.8 DOP 4,460

0.52%

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

$25.62 DOP 1,489

$25.53 DOP 1,484

0.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.56 DOP 2,125

$34.39 DOP 1,998

6.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.14 DOP 2,100

$17.13 DOP 995

110.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.08 DOP 818

Cinema Ticket

$6.67 DOP 388

$2.58 DOP 150

158.53%

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

$272 DOP 15.8K

$268 DOP 15.6K

1.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,123 DOP 472.0K

$7,993 DOP 464.4K

1.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 DOP 3,442

$60.5 DOP 3,514

-2.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 DOP 3,041

$51.0 DOP 2,964

2.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 DOP 5,584

$34.22 DOP 1,989

180.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 DOP 6,676

$33.36 DOP 1,938

244.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$564 DOP 32.8K

$142 DOP 8,231

298.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 DOP 16.6K

$101 DOP 5,866

183.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 DOP 69.1K

$289 DOP 16.8K

311.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$666 DOP 38.7K

$215 DOP 12.5K

210.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,172 DOP 126.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,180 DOP 68.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 DOP 35.0K

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Bonao: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $564 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 $202 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 ($1,116 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 $1,674 in Santo Domingo and $1,059 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: $564 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 $272 in Santo Domingo versus $268 in Bonao. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $706 in Bonao versus $1,116 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.