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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,090 in Santo Domingo versus $773 in Santo Domingo Este.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,825 in Santo Domingo versus $1,361 in Santo Domingo Este.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,559 in Santo Domingo versus $1,949 in Santo Domingo Este.

Living in Santo Domingo is roughly 41% more expensive than Santo Domingo Este, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santo Domingo 19% lower, Santo Domingo Este 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.65 DOP 502

$8.44 DOP 490

2.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.1 DOP 2,905

$42.63 DOP 2,472

17.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 DOP 416

$7.29 DOP 423

-1.51%

Cappuccino

$2.73 DOP 158

$1.27 DOP 73.6

114.96%

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

$0.99 DOP 57.6

$1.02 DOP 59.2

-2.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 DOP 48.03

$0.50 DOP 28.99

66.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 DOP 151

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.10 DOP 296

$3.37 DOP 195

51.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 DOP 81.0

$1.24 DOP 72.2

12.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 DOP 104

$1.74 DOP 101

3.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 DOP 88.1

$1.57 DOP 90.9

-3.18%

Eggs

$2.26 DOP 131

$1.72 DOP 99.7

31.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.33 DOP 425

$7.10 DOP 412

3.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.43 DOP 373

$3.67 DOP 213

75.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 DOP 630

$6.93 DOP 402

56.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 DOP 194

$3.18 DOP 185

5.03%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 DOP 52.7

$0.74 DOP 42.90

22.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 DOP 172

$1.94 DOP 112

52.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 DOP 115

$1.33 DOP 77.3

49.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 DOP 141

$0.95 DOP 54.8

155.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 DOP 135

$1.82 DOP 106

28.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 DOP 65.6

$1.08 DOP 62.7

4.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 DOP 51.5

$0.90 DOP 52.2

-1.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.74 DOP 333

$5.61 DOP 326

2.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.80 DOP 626

$10.77 DOP 625

0.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 DOP 155

$1.68 DOP 97.5

58.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 DOP 188

$2.22 DOP 129

45.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 DOP 33.04

$0.88 DOP 51.0

-35.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.9 DOP 3,940

$33.86 DOP 1,964

100.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 DOP 193

$3.35 DOP 194

-0.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 DOP 124

$2.18 DOP 127

-2.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 DOP 336

$5.99 DOP 347

-3.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 DOP 77.3

$1.21 DOP 70.4

9.92%

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

$26.2K DOP 1.5M

$26.4K DOP 1.5M

-0.80%

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

$31.2K DOP 1.8M

$31.8K DOP 1.8M

-1.85%

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

$77.6 DOP 4,501

$40.82 DOP 2,367

90.13%

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

$25.52 DOP 1,480

$17.70 DOP 1,026

44.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.50 DOP 2,059

$36.13 DOP 2,096

-1.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.44 DOP 2,056

$28.68 DOP 1,664

23.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.29 DOP 829

$8.65 DOP 501

65.20%

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 DOP 399

$5.80 DOP 337

18.62%

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

$271 DOP 15.7K

$264 DOP 15.3K

2.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,089 DOP 469.2K

$5,885 DOP 341.3K

37.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 DOP 3,499

$42.91 DOP 2,489

40.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 DOP 3,014

$50.8 DOP 2,946

2.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 DOP 5,568

$65.5 DOP 3,799

46.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 DOP 6,690

$58.9 DOP 3,413

96.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$562 DOP 32.6K

$456 DOP 26.4K

23.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 DOP 16.8K

$170 DOP 9,874

69.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 DOP 69.1K

$1,059 DOP 61.4K

12.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$676 DOP 39.2K

$481 DOP 27.9K

40.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,192 DOP 127.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,219 DOP 70.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$638 DOP 37.0K

$609 DOP 35.3K

4.69%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Santo Domingo Este: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $562 in Santo Domingo and $456 in Santo Domingo Este. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santo Domingo pays 5% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $50.0 in Santo Domingo vs $43.00 in Santo Domingo Este for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $194 per month, with Santo Domingo Este cheaper across the board.

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 Santo Domingo Este: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santo Domingo and Santo Domingo Este differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($1,090 vs $773 including rent). Santo Domingo Este is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Santo Domingo pays 5% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $562 in Santo Domingo versus $456 in Santo Domingo Este. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Santo Domingo Este – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $50.0 in Santo Domingo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,090 per month in Santo Domingo versus $773 in Santo Domingo Este – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $773 in Santo Domingo Este versus $1,090 in Santo Domingo, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Santo Domingo Este but tight or insufficient in Santo Domingo. The gap between the two cities makes Santo Domingo Este the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Santo Domingo Este gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Santo Domingo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.