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 $1,139 per month in Santo Domingo vs $646 in La Romana, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,775 per month in Santo Domingo vs $1,050 in La Romana, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,410 per month in Santo Domingo vs $1,454 in La Romana, rent included.

Santo Domingo costs about 76% more than La Romana, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Santo Domingo and La Romana are more affordable than the global median – Santo Domingo 17% lower, La Romana 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.24 DOP 601

$8.35 DOP 490

22.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 DOP 3,036

$43.03 DOP 2,528

20.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 DOP 445

$7.32 DOP 430

3.55%

Cappuccino

$2.46 DOP 144

$1.89 DOP 111

30.16%

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

$1.12 DOP 66.0

$0.74 DOP 43.32

51.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 DOP 37.29

$0.35 DOP 20.74

80.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 DOP 145

$2.61 DOP 153

-5.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 DOP 204

$4.08 DOP 240

-15.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 DOP 81.8

$1.11 DOP 65.4

25.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 DOP 91.9

$1.79 DOP 105

-12.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 DOP 98.0

$1.60 DOP 94.0

4.37%

Eggs

$2.41 DOP 142

$1.50 DOP 87.9

60.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.61 DOP 447

$6.43 DOP 378

18.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.55 DOP 326

$3.73 DOP 219

48.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.63 DOP 390

$4.72 DOP 277

40.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 DOP 190

$3.71 DOP 218

-12.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 DOP 47.34

$1.47 DOP 86.2

-44.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 DOP 166

$3.42 DOP 201

-17.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 DOP 108

$2.27 DOP 133

-18.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 DOP 119

$3.54 DOP 208

-42.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 DOP 134

$3.05 DOP 179

-24.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 DOP 62.0

$0.95 DOP 55.8

11.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 DOP 59.7

$1.71 DOP 100

-40.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.37 DOP 315

$4.96 DOP 292

8.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.49 DOP 616

$16.72 DOP 983

-37.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 DOP 153

$3.13 DOP 184

-16.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 DOP 181

$3.56 DOP 209

-13.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 DOP 36.10

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.37 DOP 1,080

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 DOP 194

$2.52 DOP 148

30.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.35 DOP 138

$3.45 DOP 202

-31.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 DOP 340

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 DOP 80.1

$1.43 DOP 84.1

-4.90%

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

$24.1K DOP 1.4M

$15.0K DOP 879.1K

61.07%

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

$34.5K DOP 2.0M

$26.0K DOP 1.5M

32.52%

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

$95.1 DOP 5,591

$95.8 DOP 5,631

-0.73%

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

$32.26 DOP 1,896

$10.21 DOP 600

215.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.76 DOP 2,160

$38.84 DOP 2,282

-5.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.52 DOP 1,793

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.61 DOP 1,446

Cinema Ticket

$7.72 DOP 454

$5.16 DOP 303

49.61%

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

$263 DOP 15.4K

$149 DOP 8,780

75.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,446 DOP 437.5K

$5,568 DOP 327.2K

33.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.94 DOP 2,758

$27.41 DOP 1,611

71.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.16 DOP 2,830

$46.66 DOP 2,742

3.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.4 DOP 5,133

$64.8 DOP 3,806

34.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 DOP 7,534

$66.5 DOP 3,905

92.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 DOP 42.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 DOP 21.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,460 DOP 85.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 DOP 37.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,204 DOP 129.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,204 DOP 70.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$606 DOP 35.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.56

23.27%

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

Last update for Santo Domingo: September 13, 2026

Last update for La Romana: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Santo Domingo versus $43.00 in La Romana. Groceries tell a different story – $225 in Santo Domingo vs $243 in La Romana – so Santo Domingo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 76%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,709 per month in Santo Domingo and $969 in La Romana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,139 in Santo Domingo and $646 in La Romana. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $263 per month in Santo Domingo and $149 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 $646, than in Santo Domingo at $1,139. 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.