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 $1,112 per month in Santo Domingo vs $804 in La Romana, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,831 per month in Santo Domingo vs $1,423 in La Romana, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,550 per month in Santo Domingo vs $2,043 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 17% lower, La Romana 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.51 DOP 503

$8.45 DOP 499

0.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.4 DOP 3,040

$50.5 DOP 2,984

1.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.39 DOP 437

$7.25 DOP 429

1.93%

Cappuccino

$2.67 DOP 158

$2.75 DOP 162

-2.91%

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

$0.99 DOP 58.4

$1.00 DOP 59.0

-1.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 DOP 49.53

$0.39 DOP 23.11

115.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 DOP 147

$2.50 DOP 148

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 DOP 293

$5.23 DOP 309

-5.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 DOP 82.6

$1.12 DOP 66.1

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 DOP 107

$1.79 DOP 106

1.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 DOP 87.9

$1.57 DOP 92.8

-5.10%

Eggs

$2.29 DOP 135

$2.23 DOP 132

2.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.21 DOP 426

$7.00 DOP 414

3.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 DOP 365

$4.98 DOP 294

24.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.20 DOP 662

$4.99 DOP 295

124.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 DOP 190

$3.34 DOP 197

-3.89%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 DOP 51.3

$0.91 DOP 53.6

-4.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 DOP 173

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 DOP 117

$1.92 DOP 113

3.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 DOP 150

$2.46 DOP 145

3.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 DOP 140

$2.32 DOP 137

2.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 DOP 64.5

$1.12 DOP 66.5

-2.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 DOP 54.2

$0.97 DOP 57.6

-5.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.65 DOP 334

$5.15 DOP 304

9.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.49 DOP 679

$11.61 DOP 686

-1.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 DOP 154

$2.74 DOP 162

-4.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 DOP 189

$3.27 DOP 193

-1.83%

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

$3.34 DOP 198

-1.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 DOP 127

$2.17 DOP 128

-1.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.02 DOP 356

$5.84 DOP 345

3.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 DOP 75.6

$1.34 DOP 78.9

-4.48%

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

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

$26.6K DOP 1.6M

1.17%

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

$32.1K DOP 1.9M

$31.8K DOP 1.9M

0.93%

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

$74.8 DOP 4,421

$66.6 DOP 3,938

12.27%

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

$25.08 DOP 1,482

$17.60 DOP 1,040

42.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.59 DOP 2,103

$34.37 DOP 2,031

3.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.79 DOP 2,115

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.55 DOP 860

Cinema Ticket

$6.84 DOP 404

$6.89 DOP 407

-0.73%

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

$273 DOP 16.1K

$266 DOP 15.7K

2.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,074 DOP 477.1K

$8,181 DOP 483.4K

-1.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 DOP 3,579

$59.8 DOP 3,532

1.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 DOP 3,114

$52.1 DOP 3,079

1.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.4 DOP 5,576

$96.8 DOP 5,722

-2.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 DOP 6,944

$114 DOP 6,761

2.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$572 DOP 33.8K

$202 DOP 11.9K

183.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 DOP 17.0K

$135 DOP 7,952

113.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,164 DOP 68.8K

$420 DOP 24.8K

177.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$662 DOP 39.1K

$494 DOP 29.2K

33.85%

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

11.5

12.17%

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

Last update for Santo Domingo: April 25, 2026

Last update for La Romana: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $572 in Santo Domingo versus $202 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: $246 vs $220 – 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 $1,668 per month in Santo Domingo and $1,206 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 $1,112 in Santo Domingo and $804 in La Romana. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $273 per month in Santo Domingo and $266 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 $804, than in Santo Domingo at $1,112. 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.