Cost of Living Comparison Between Santo Domingo and La Romana Cost of Living Comparison Between Santo Domingo and La Romana

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,098 per month in Santo Domingo vs $797 in La Romana, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,815 per month in Santo Domingo vs $1,431 in La Romana, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,532 per month in Santo Domingo vs $2,064 in La Romana, rent included.

Santo Domingo costs about 38% more than La Romana, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Santo Domingo and La Romana are more affordable than the global median – Santo Domingo 18% lower, La Romana 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.39 DOP 489

$8.33 DOP 485

0.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.2 DOP 2,980

$50.3 DOP 2,932

1.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 DOP 423

$7.35 DOP 429

-1.09%

Cappuccino

$2.62 DOP 152

$2.74 DOP 160

-4.38%

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

$0.99 DOP 57.6

$1.04 DOP 60.5

-4.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 DOP 46.13

$0.36 DOP 21.24

119.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 DOP 150

$2.48 DOP 145

3.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 DOP 293

$5.07 DOP 295

-0.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 DOP 80.1

$1.08 DOP 62.9

26.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 DOP 100

$1.79 DOP 104

-3.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 DOP 91.6

$1.56 DOP 91.2

0.64%

Eggs

$2.23 DOP 130

$2.19 DOP 128

1.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.07 DOP 412

$7.12 DOP 415

-0.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 DOP 372

$5.19 DOP 302

22.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 DOP 651

$5.02 DOP 293

122.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 DOP 194

$3.21 DOP 187

3.74%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 DOP 52.8

$0.88 DOP 51.2

3.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 DOP 176

$2.87 DOP 167

5.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 DOP 117

$2.01 DOP 117

-0.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 DOP 146

$2.44 DOP 142

2.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 DOP 139

$2.36 DOP 138

1.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 DOP 66.6

$1.08 DOP 63.2

5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 DOP 56.1

$0.89 DOP 52.1

7.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.62 DOP 327

$5.33 DOP 310

5.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.83 DOP 631

$16.74 DOP 976

-35.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 DOP 153

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 DOP 190

$3.27 DOP 191

-0.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 DOP 33.03

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.0 DOP 4,019

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 DOP 194

$3.33 DOP 194

0.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 DOP 123

$2.21 DOP 129

-4.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.92 DOP 345

$6.03 DOP 351

-1.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 DOP 77.3

$1.33 DOP 77.7

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

$26.8K DOP 1.6M

$26.7K DOP 1.6M

0.22%

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

$31.4K DOP 1.8M

$31.7K DOP 1.8M

-0.70%

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

$74.8 DOP 4,361

$67.0 DOP 3,904

11.70%

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

$25.09 DOP 1,462

$18.05 DOP 1,052

39.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 DOP 2,119

$34.02 DOP 1,982

6.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.50 DOP 2,068

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.33 DOP 835

Cinema Ticket

$6.59 DOP 384

$6.85 DOP 399

-3.80%

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

$266 DOP 15.5K

$272 DOP 15.9K

-2.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,260 DOP 481.3K

$8,176 DOP 476.4K

1.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 DOP 3,532

$60.8 DOP 3,544

-0.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 DOP 3,050

$52.3 DOP 3,048

0.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.6 DOP 5,631

$98.1 DOP 5,713

-1.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 DOP 6,834

$114 DOP 6,669

2.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 DOP 33.2K

$207 DOP 12.1K

175.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 DOP 16.3K

$134 DOP 7,806

109.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 DOP 68.5K

$433 DOP 25.2K

171.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$669 DOP 39.0K

$495 DOP 28.9K

34.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,206 DOP 128.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,193 DOP 69.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$643 DOP 37.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.9

11.5

12.17%

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

Last update for Santo Domingo: June 15, 2026

Last update for La Romana: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $571 in Santo Domingo versus $207 in La Romana. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Santo Domingo versus $50.0 in La Romana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 vs $229 – making La Romana the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 La Romana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Santo Domingo is pricier by about 38%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,647 per month in Santo Domingo and $1,196 in La Romana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in La Romana, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,098 in Santo Domingo and $797 in La Romana. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $266 per month in Santo Domingo and $272 in La Romana. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in La Romana, where all-in costs run around $797, than in Santo Domingo at $1,098. In La Romana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santo Domingo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with La Romana. 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.