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: $1,139 in Santo Domingo versus $648 in Santo Domingo Este.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,775 in Santo Domingo versus $1,061 in Santo Domingo Este.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,410 in Santo Domingo versus $1,474 in Santo Domingo Este.

Living in Santo Domingo is roughly 76% more expensive than in Santo Domingo Este, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santo Domingo 17% lower, Santo Domingo Este 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.24 DOP 601

$5.10 DOP 300

100.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 DOP 3,036

$42.40 DOP 2,492

21.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 DOP 445

$6.87 DOP 404

10.33%

Cappuccino

$2.46 DOP 144

$0.99 DOP 58.4

148.48%

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

$1.12 DOP 66.0

$1.08 DOP 63.5

3.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 DOP 37.29

$0.64 DOP 37.44

-1.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 DOP 145

$2.59 DOP 152

-4.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 DOP 204

$3.58 DOP 211

-3.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 DOP 81.8

$1.39 DOP 81.6

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 DOP 91.9

$1.52 DOP 89.3

2.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 DOP 98.0

$1.65 DOP 96.9

1.21%

Eggs

$2.41 DOP 142

$2.45 DOP 144

-1.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.61 DOP 447

$7.48 DOP 439

1.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.55 DOP 326

$5.77 DOP 339

-3.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.63 DOP 390

$7.01 DOP 412

-5.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 DOP 190

$3.18 DOP 187

1.89%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 DOP 47.34

$0.81 DOP 47.44

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 DOP 166

$2.80 DOP 165

0.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 DOP 108

$1.82 DOP 107

1.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 DOP 119

$2.08 DOP 122

-2.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 DOP 134

$2.22 DOP 131

3.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 DOP 62.0

$1.07 DOP 62.9

-0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 DOP 59.7

$0.97 DOP 57.1

5.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.37 DOP 315

$5.30 DOP 311

1.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.49 DOP 616

$10.61 DOP 623

-1.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 DOP 153

$2.67 DOP 157

-2.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 DOP 181

$3.09 DOP 181

-0.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 DOP 36.10

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.37 DOP 1,080

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 DOP 194

$3.45 DOP 203

-4.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.35 DOP 138

$2.33 DOP 137

0.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 DOP 340

$5.90 DOP 347

-1.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 DOP 80.1

$1.29 DOP 75.7

5.43%

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

$24.1K DOP 1.4M

$23.3K DOP 1.4M

3.42%

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

$34.5K DOP 2.0M

$34.1K DOP 2.0M

1.06%

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

$95.1 DOP 5,591

$93.1 DOP 5,472

2.16%

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

$32.26 DOP 1,896

$32.16 DOP 1,890

0.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.76 DOP 2,160

$36.97 DOP 2,173

-0.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.52 DOP 1,793

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.61 DOP 1,446

Cinema Ticket

$7.72 DOP 454

$7.82 DOP 460

-1.28%

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

$263 DOP 15.4K

$262 DOP 15.4K

0.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,446 DOP 437.5K

$7,462 DOP 438.4K

-0.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.94 DOP 2,758

$47.06 DOP 2,765

-0.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.16 DOP 2,830

$48.60 DOP 2,856

-0.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.4 DOP 5,133

$90.0 DOP 5,290

-2.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 DOP 7,534

$126 DOP 7,412

1.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 DOP 42.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 DOP 21.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,460 DOP 85.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 DOP 37.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,204 DOP 129.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,204 DOP 70.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$606 DOP 35.6K

$595 DOP 35.0K

1.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.56

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

Last update for Santo Domingo: September 13, 2026

Last update for Santo Domingo Este: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Santo Domingo pays 2% 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: $52.0 in Santo Domingo vs $42.00 in Santo Domingo Este. Groceries flip the comparison at $225 vs $226, with Santo Domingo cheaper for home cooking.

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 76% in total monthly costs ($1,139 vs $648 including rent). Santo Domingo Este is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 2% higher in Santo Domingo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $263 in Santo Domingo versus $262 in Santo Domingo Este. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Santo Domingo Este – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $52.0 in Santo Domingo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $648 in Santo Domingo Este versus $1,139 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 76% less than in Santo Domingo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.