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 $1,093 per month in Santo Domingo vs $715 in Nagua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,825 per month in Santo Domingo vs $1,203 in Nagua, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,557 per month in Santo Domingo vs $1,691 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 19% lower, Nagua 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.70 DOP 510

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.3 DOP 3,005

$51.3 DOP 3,002

0.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.39 DOP 433

$7.23 DOP 424

2.21%

Cappuccino

$2.64 DOP 155

$2.65 DOP 155

-0.38%

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

$1.02 DOP 60.0

$0.99 DOP 58.2

3.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 DOP 48.16

$0.85 DOP 49.71

-3.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 DOP 152

$2.60 DOP 152

-0.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 DOP 307

$5.07 DOP 297

3.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 DOP 81.8

$1.39 DOP 81.6

0.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 DOP 104

$1.74 DOP 102

2.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 DOP 91.1

$1.56 DOP 91.6

-0.64%

Eggs

$2.21 DOP 130

$2.23 DOP 130

-0.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 DOP 425

$7.34 DOP 430

-1.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 DOP 380

$6.43 DOP 377

0.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.82 DOP 634

$11.18 DOP 655

-3.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 DOP 191

$3.24 DOP 190

0.62%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 DOP 53.8

$0.91 DOP 53.3

1.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 DOP 176

$2.94 DOP 172

2.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 DOP 118

$1.94 DOP 114

3.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 DOP 149

$2.54 DOP 149

0.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 DOP 138

$2.37 DOP 139

-0.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 DOP 66.2

$1.14 DOP 66.7

-0.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 DOP 56.5

$0.97 DOP 56.7

-1.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.64 DOP 331

$5.89 DOP 345

-4.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.87 DOP 637

$16.86 DOP 988

-35.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 DOP 153

$2.71 DOP 159

-3.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 DOP 191

$3.27 DOP 192

-0.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 DOP 33.11

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.5 DOP 3,952

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 DOP 195

$3.41 DOP 200

-2.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 DOP 123

$2.17 DOP 127

-3.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.89 DOP 345

$5.82 DOP 341

1.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 DOP 75.5

$1.26 DOP 74.1

2.38%

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

$26.3K DOP 1.5M

$26.5K DOP 1.6M

-0.80%

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

$31.6K DOP 1.9M

$32.0K DOP 1.9M

-0.98%

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

$77.6 DOP 4,547

$76.2 DOP 4,463

1.88%

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

$25.78 DOP 1,510

$25.74 DOP 1,508

0.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.34 DOP 2,070

$36.47 DOP 2,136

-3.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.18 DOP 2,061

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.20 DOP 832

Cinema Ticket

$6.59 DOP 386

$6.92 DOP 406

-4.77%

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

$271 DOP 15.9K

$272 DOP 15.9K

-0.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,996 DOP 468.4K

$7,988 DOP 467.9K

0.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 DOP 3,452

$59.1 DOP 3,460

-0.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.7 DOP 3,027

$51.3 DOP 3,004

0.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.3 DOP 5,583

$97.7 DOP 5,723

-2.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 DOP 6,873

$118 DOP 6,884

-0.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$560 DOP 32.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 DOP 16.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,177 DOP 68.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$669 DOP 39.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,164 DOP 126.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,193 DOP 69.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$651 DOP 38.1K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Nagua: June 8, 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: $247 vs $260 – 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: $1,093 in Santo Domingo, $715 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 $1,640 per month in Santo Domingo and $1,072 in Nagua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,093 in Santo Domingo and $715 in Nagua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $271 per month in Santo Domingo and $272 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 $715, than in Santo Domingo at $1,093. 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.