Cost of Living Comparison Between Santo Domingo and San Francisco de Macoris Cost of Living Comparison Between Santo Domingo and San Francisco de Macoris

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,116 per month in Santo Domingo vs $618 in San Francisco de Macoris, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,815 per month in Santo Domingo vs $979 in San Francisco de Macoris, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,514 per month in Santo Domingo vs $1,341 in San Francisco de Macoris, rent included.

Santo Domingo costs about 81% more than San Francisco de Macoris, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Santo Domingo and San Francisco de Macoris are more affordable than the global median – Santo Domingo 16% lower, San Francisco de Macoris 54% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Santo Domingo
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.45 DOP 491
$3.71 DOP 216
127.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$51.4 DOP 2,987
$13.61 DOP 791
277.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.43 DOP 432
$6.67 DOP 387
11.39%
Cappuccino
$2.63 DOP 153
$2.54 DOP 148
3.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99 DOP 57.6
$0.58 DOP 33.68
70.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77 DOP 44.90
$0.53 DOP 31.00
45.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.51 DOP 146
$2.14 DOP 124
17.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.13 DOP 298
$2.48 DOP 144
106.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Santo Domingo
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.33 DOP 77.1
$1.19 DOP 68.9
11.76%
White Bread (500g)
$1.79 DOP 104
$1.74 DOP 101
2.87%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.48 DOP 86.3
$1.10 DOP 63.8
34.55%
Eggs
$2.19 DOP 127
$1.40 DOP 81.3
56.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.23 DOP 420
$4.01 DOP 233
80.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.26 DOP 364
$3.50 DOP 204
78.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.85 DOP 631
$6.66 DOP 387
62.91%
Apples (1kg)
$3.34 DOP 194
$2.60 DOP 151
28.46%
Banana (1kg)
$0.93 DOP 53.9
$0.77 DOP 44.99
20.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.00 DOP 175
$1.29 DOP 74.9
132.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.01 DOP 117
$0.86 DOP 50.2
133.72%
Potato (1kg)
$2.48 DOP 144
$1.16 DOP 67.4
113.79%
Onion (1kg)
$2.40 DOP 139
$1.24 DOP 71.8
93.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.09 DOP 63.6
$0.58 DOP 33.61
87.93%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.97 DOP 56.4
$0.98 DOP 56.7
-1.02%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.72 DOP 332
$3.47 DOP 202
64.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.84 DOP 630
$10.60 DOP 616
2.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.77 DOP 161
$2.65 DOP 154
4.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.12 DOP 181
$3.12 DOP 181
-
🚌 Getting Around
Santo Domingo
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.57 DOP 32.87
$0.61 DOP 35.32
-6.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.3 DOP 3,912
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.34 DOP 194
$3.35 DOP 195
-0.30%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.10 DOP 122
$2.02 DOP 117
3.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.99 DOP 348
$5.84 DOP 340
2.57%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 DOP 77.7
$1.12 DOP 65.2
19.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K DOP 1.5M
$26.7K DOP 1.6M
-0.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.8K DOP 1.8M
$31.5K DOP 1.8M
0.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Santo Domingo
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$77.2 DOP 4,483
$39.55 DOP 2,298
95.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.62 DOP 1,489
$8.35 DOP 485
206.83%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.56 DOP 2,125
$35.88 DOP 2,085
1.90%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Santo Domingo
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.14 DOP 2,100
$16.84 DOP 979
114.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.08 DOP 818
$8.41 DOP 489
67.42%
Cinema Ticket
$6.67 DOP 388
$4.34 DOP 252
53.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Santo Domingo
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$272 DOP 15.8K
$169 DOP 9,823
61.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,123 DOP 472.0K
$2,003 DOP 116.4K
305.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Santo Domingo
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.2 DOP 3,442
$25.10 DOP 1,458
136.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.3 DOP 3,041
$52.0 DOP 3,020
0.73%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.1 DOP 5,584
$67.2 DOP 3,904
43.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$115 DOP 6,676
$68.5 DOP 3,979
67.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Santo Domingo
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$564 DOP 32.8K
$161 DOP 9,363
250.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$286 DOP 16.6K
$107 DOP 6,215
167.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,189 DOP 69.1K
$339 DOP 19.7K
250.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$666 DOP 38.7K
$261 DOP 15.2K
155.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,172 DOP 126.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,180 DOP 68.5K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Santo Domingo
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$603 DOP 35.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.9
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 San Francisco de Macoris: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $564 in Santo Domingo versus $161 in San Francisco de Macoris. 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 $14.00 in San Francisco de Macoris. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $177 – making San Francisco de Macoris 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 San Francisco de Macoris: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Santo Domingo or San Francisco de Macoris?
Santo Domingo costs about 81% more than San Francisco de Macoris, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Santo Domingo and in San Francisco de Macoris?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,674 per month in Santo Domingo and $927 in San Francisco de Macoris. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Santo Domingo or San Francisco de Macoris?
Rent is clearly cheaper in San Francisco de Macoris, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Santo Domingo and in San Francisco de Macoris?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Santo Domingo and $14.00 in San Francisco de Macoris. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Santo Domingo or in San Francisco de Macoris?
Groceries cost about 39% more in Santo Domingo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Santo Domingo or in San Francisco de Macoris?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Francisco de Macoris, where all-in costs run around $618, than in Santo Domingo at $1,116. In San Francisco de Macoris it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santo Domingo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward San Francisco de Macoris – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Santo Domingo or to San Francisco de Macoris?
If budget matters most, go with San Francisco de Macoris. 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.

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