Cost of Living Comparison Between Santo Domingo and Nagua Cost of Living Comparison Between Santo Domingo and Nagua

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,116 per month in Santo Domingo vs $729 in Nagua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,815 per month in Santo Domingo vs $1,193 in Nagua, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,514 per month in Santo Domingo vs $1,656 in Nagua, rent included.

Santo Domingo costs about 53% more than Nagua, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Santo Domingo and Nagua are more affordable than the global median – Santo Domingo 16% lower, Nagua 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.45 DOP 490

$8.52 DOP 494

-0.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.4 DOP 2,982

$51.2 DOP 2,969

0.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 DOP 431

$7.32 DOP 425

1.50%

Cappuccino

$2.63 DOP 153

$2.66 DOP 154

-1.13%

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

$0.99 DOP 57.5

$1.04 DOP 60.1

-4.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 DOP 44.82

$0.84 DOP 48.91

-8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 DOP 146

$2.60 DOP 151

-3.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 DOP 298

$5.01 DOP 290

2.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 DOP 77.0

$1.34 DOP 77.8

-0.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 DOP 104

$1.80 DOP 104

-0.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 DOP 86.1

$1.56 DOP 90.2

-5.13%

Eggs

$2.19 DOP 127

$2.30 DOP 133

-4.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.23 DOP 419

$7.06 DOP 409

2.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 DOP 363

$6.43 DOP 373

-2.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 DOP 630

$10.82 DOP 628

0.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 DOP 194

$3.34 DOP 193

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 DOP 53.8

$0.85 DOP 49.54

9.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 DOP 174

$3.04 DOP 176

-1.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 DOP 117

$1.98 DOP 115

1.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 DOP 144

$2.43 DOP 141

2.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 DOP 139

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 DOP 63.5

$1.08 DOP 62.7

0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 DOP 56.3

$0.91 DOP 53.0

6.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.72 DOP 332

$5.88 DOP 341

-2.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.84 DOP 629

$17.34 DOP 1,006

-37.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 DOP 160

$2.72 DOP 158

1.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 DOP 181

$3.20 DOP 186

-2.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 DOP 32.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.3 DOP 3,905

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 DOP 194

$3.37 DOP 196

-0.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 DOP 122

$2.12 DOP 123

-0.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.99 DOP 347

$5.82 DOP 337

2.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 DOP 77.6

$1.28 DOP 74.1

4.69%

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

$26.6K DOP 1.5M

-0.02%

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

$31.8K DOP 1.8M

-0.23%

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

$77.2 DOP 4,476

$77.6 DOP 4,504

-0.63%

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

$25.62 DOP 1,486

$25.35 DOP 1,470

1.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.56 DOP 2,121

$36.11 DOP 2,095

1.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.14 DOP 2,097

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.08 DOP 817

Cinema Ticket

$6.67 DOP 387

$6.78 DOP 393

-1.62%

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

$272 DOP 15.8K

$263 DOP 15.2K

3.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,123 DOP 471.2K

$7,946 DOP 461.0K

2.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 DOP 3,436

$59.1 DOP 3,425

0.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 DOP 3,036

$51.3 DOP 2,978

1.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 DOP 5,575

$94.4 DOP 5,476

1.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 DOP 6,665

$117 DOP 6,761

-1.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$564 DOP 32.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 DOP 16.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 DOP 69.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$666 DOP 38.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,172 DOP 126.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,180 DOP 68.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 DOP 35.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.9

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

Last update for Santo Domingo: July 28, 2026

Last update for Nagua: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Santo Domingo versus $51.0 in Nagua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $259 – making Santo Domingo 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 Nagua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,116 in Santo Domingo, $729 in Nagua – roughly 53% apart. Santo Domingo costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,674 per month in Santo Domingo and $1,094 in Nagua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,116 in Santo Domingo and $729 in Nagua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $272 per month in Santo Domingo and $263 in Nagua. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nagua, where all-in costs run around $729, than in Santo Domingo at $1,116. In Nagua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santo Domingo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nagua – 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 Nagua. 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.