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 $1,139 per month in Santo Domingo vs $663 in Nagua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,775 per month in Santo Domingo vs $1,068 in Nagua, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,410 per month in Santo Domingo vs $1,473 in Nagua, rent included.

Santo Domingo costs about 72% more than Nagua, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Santo Domingo and Nagua are more affordable than the global median – Santo Domingo 17% lower, Nagua 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.24 DOP 603

$8.68 DOP 511

17.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 DOP 3,045

$42.76 DOP 2,520

20.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 DOP 447

$7.06 DOP 416

7.37%

Cappuccino

$2.46 DOP 145

$1.85 DOP 109

32.97%

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

$1.12 DOP 66.2

$0.75 DOP 43.91

49.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 DOP 37.40

$0.41 DOP 24.23

53.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 DOP 146

$2.60 DOP 153

-5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 DOP 204

$4.15 DOP 245

-16.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 DOP 82.0

$1.18 DOP 69.8

17.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 DOP 92.1

$1.77 DOP 104

-11.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 DOP 98.3

$1.61 DOP 95.1

3.73%

Eggs

$2.41 DOP 142

$1.55 DOP 91.6

55.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.61 DOP 449

$6.32 DOP 372

20.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.55 DOP 327

$3.61 DOP 213

53.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.63 DOP 391

$4.93 DOP 290

34.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 DOP 191

$3.71 DOP 219

-12.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 DOP 47.48

$1.42 DOP 83.7

-42.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 DOP 166

$3.43 DOP 202

-17.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 DOP 108

$2.21 DOP 130

-16.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 DOP 119

$3.65 DOP 215

-44.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 DOP 135

$2.91 DOP 172

-21.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 DOP 62.2

$0.96 DOP 56.5

10.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 DOP 59.8

$1.64 DOP 96.8

-37.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.37 DOP 316

$4.94 DOP 291

8.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.49 DOP 618

$16.75 DOP 987

-37.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 DOP 153

$3.11 DOP 183

-16.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 DOP 182

$3.46 DOP 204

-10.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 DOP 36.20

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.37 DOP 1,083

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 DOP 194

$2.50 DOP 147

32.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.35 DOP 138

$3.36 DOP 198

-30.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 DOP 341

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 DOP 80.4

$1.39 DOP 81.7

-2.16%

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

$24.1K DOP 1.4M

$15.1K DOP 889.3K

59.67%

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

$34.5K DOP 2.0M

$25.3K DOP 1.5M

36.60%

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

$95.1 DOP 5,607

$98.9 DOP 5,829

-3.81%

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

$32.26 DOP 1,901

$27.88 DOP 1,643

15.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.76 DOP 2,166

$39.99 DOP 2,357

-8.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.52 DOP 1,798

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.61 DOP 1,450

Cinema Ticket

$7.72 DOP 455

$5.00 DOP 295

54.40%

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

$263 DOP 15.5K

$153 DOP 8,991

72.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,446 DOP 438.8K

$5,657 DOP 333.3K

31.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.94 DOP 2,766

$27.30 DOP 1,609

71.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.16 DOP 2,838

$46.70 DOP 2,752

3.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.4 DOP 5,148

$62.4 DOP 3,678

39.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 DOP 7,556

$67.2 DOP 3,962

90.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 DOP 42.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 DOP 21.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,460 DOP 86.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 DOP 37.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,204 DOP 129.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,204 DOP 70.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$606 DOP 35.7K

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 Nagua: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Santo Domingo versus $43.00 in Nagua. Groceries tell a different story – $225 in Santo Domingo vs $242 in Nagua – 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 Nagua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,139 in Santo Domingo, $663 in Nagua – roughly 72% apart. Santo Domingo costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,709 per month in Santo Domingo and $995 in Nagua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,139 in Santo Domingo and $663 in Nagua. 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 $153 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 $663, than in Santo Domingo at $1,139. 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.