New member living in AL, USA.

RyanCastle

New member
May 15, 2014
16
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0
Hello,

My name is Ryan, I am 34 years old and I currently live in AL, USA. My wife is originally from DR, but has not lived there since 1990. We love visiting DR and most of my wife's family still lives there and we would like to move there in the near future. We live a slow pace lifestyle and our primary excitement is growing fruit and vegetables and playing with our dogs and cat. My wife's family live in the south and south west of DR, but we are thinking we would like to live in or near Cabrera. From what we have read and seen, Cabrera seems to be the most likely to meet our wants and needs.

I have been reading the forum for some time and I joined today in hopes that I could ask questions and get advice as we get closer to our transition. If there is anyone currently living in the Cabrera area that would allow me to ask them questions, it would be appreciated.

Very Respectfully,

Ryan
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,211
5,966
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Welcome Ryan. I used to visit your state from time to time. Mostly Huntsville. I never made it to LA.
 

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
21,843
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yahoomail.com
If you like growing fruits & "Veggies" and playing with your "Dogs & Cats" THIS is the place to be!!!
That's pretty much what I do all day, everyday, add 4 kids & that's my day!
AND, it's a 365 day growing season!
"Come HOME Soon"!
Just be sure you have a large US Dollar income following you!
Cris Colon
aka.,...CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
83
0
Hello,

My name is Ryan, I am 34 years old and I currently live in AL, USA. My wife is originally from DR, but has not lived there since 1990. We love visiting DR and most of my wife's family still lives there and we would like to move there in the near future. We live a slow pace lifestyle and our primary excitement is growing fruit and vegetables and playing with our dogs and cat. My wife's family live in the south and south west of DR, but we are thinking we would like to live in or near Cabrera. From what we have read and seen, Cabrera seems to be the most likely to meet our wants and needs.

I have been reading the forum for some time and I joined today in hopes that I could ask questions and get advice as we get closer to our transition. If there is anyone currently living in the Cabrera area that would allow me to ask them questions, it would be appreciated.

Very Respectfully,

Ryan

any ideas how you will make a living?

please don't say you are going to open a restaurant..
 

TravelHippo

Active member
Mar 24, 2008
504
32
28
My husband and I (and now our daughter with another on the way) live in Cabrera and have for the past 6 years. Wonderful little town which I couldn't recommend more! We love it here! Please feel free to ask any questions you may have about the town and I will try to help in anyway I can.
 

RyanCastle

New member
May 15, 2014
16
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0
any ideas how you will make a living?

please don't say you are going to open a restaurant..

(Warning: Sarcasm follows) I will be coming from lower Alabama so clearly I plan to make a living by opening a Waffle House, a Chick-Fil-A, and a Dollar General. It will be a three stores in one building like the KFC/Taco Bell/Pizza Hut places they have in the states. I'm expecting a continuous line out the door, except on Sundays when I will be closed. (Sarcasm complete)

We will not be opening a restaurant. We like to cook for fun, but not for an occupation. Plus, working is hard! We plan to live off of our investment income. Obviously that is susceptible to market changes and strength and weaknesses of currencies, but we think we can manage. We have money set aside to purchase a house/land and a vehicle. We currently live on US$2000 a month (live on, that is not our income) and that includes US$750 for rent. If we could do the same in DR we would be set. And if we purchased a home and were not paying rent, we would be living on US$1,250 a month. Our biggest expense here in AL is groceries. Fresh fruits and veggies are quite expensive, especially after this crazy winter killed a lot of our garden. A single lime at the store is US$0.70 right now.

Our biggest concerns at the moment about moving to DR are 1) veterinary care for our animals (My father-in-law has had terrible luck with vets in Santo Domingo), 2) mail reliability (Can you reliably send things back and forth to the states? Can you order off of places like Amazon.com and have it make it to you intact?), and 3) crime (my wife's family says that crime has gotten out of control in DR and they are concerned about us moving here especially since I am white like a vampire. There is no hiding that I am a gringo. I read that less than a year ago someone was killed in Cabrera, and I thought Cabrera was one of the safest places.)

If you have any advice on any of those three things I would be very appreciative.

Ryan
 
Apr 13, 2011
680
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After purchasing house/land, furniture, appliances, split AC units and an SUV (with no loan payments) and trying to live on a $1250/month budget may be tight - but if it is only you and your wife, it could be possible, because you will already own a lot of the needed items - just expect additional expenses to come up periodically!!! But if you plan to add kids in your near future, then at least double your budget!!! And still expect additional expenses to come up... Do a search on some of the Budget topics.

There are safe and dangerous areas - so rent for a while (most people say 6 months) until you find the neighborhood that is right for you.
There are various older topics/threads about using mail services that connect through Miami - and you can still use Fedex, though it will cost more. I have used the local postal system for less important things and it worked ok, but at times took longer.
I do not have any pets, but I have seen posts about vets in the DR, so someone will be able to give some good recommendations, if you are not able to search for the older topics/thread posts.
 

TravelHippo

Active member
Mar 24, 2008
504
32
28
Personally, I would say you will be just fine living off of that each month with just the two of you, especially after purchasing a vehicle and possibly even a house outside of that. And I don't mean fine as in very basic, I mean fine as in comfortably, eating what you want, when you want and eating out when you please. Fruit and veg are especially cheap here so that works well!

To address your concerns...

1) We have 3 dogs, 2 cats, 2 donkeys, 10 chickens, 3 turtles, and a load of fish so the veterinary care here certainly didn't stop us from having animals. The vet in town is quite good, not amazing, but he cares and does his best. For major emergencies, there is an American vet just over an hour here which I know many people use and we have used a couple of times with our dogs. His name is Dr. Bob located in Sosua.

2) We don't order much ourselves so I can't help with this one. Any packages we have had sent down from friends have made it here in about 2 - 3 weeks. Not sure about ordering off of Amazon as taxes may then come in to play. There are threads on here you will find for larger item shipping. We personally usually just wait until we are visiting Canada/UK/USA or have friends/family visiting from those places to bring us anything we need. But now you can find so much here (especially in the big cities) compared to even 5-6 years ago so there isn't that much we worry about needing from abroad.

3) I feel very safe here in Cabrera. I have no problem going out on my own during the day or out with my daughter, walking, driving, whatever it may be. I wouldn't be out wandering the streets alone late at night but I wouldn't do that anywhere! I don't think I would live here without a dog (or three!) as they are great guards, plus of course, we lock our gate and doors when out, at night, etc. but nothing out of the ordinary. I feel as safe here as I have anywhere. I still think Cabrera is much safer than a lot of other towns. Yes, a lady was killed here just under a year ago but it was not a random attack.

Like others, I recommend renting for a while. We rented for over a year before buying our house which allowed us to know for sure it was the right choice. I also recommend living in town if you really want to be a part of the community. Outside of Cabrera there are many expats that live in 'the hills' and only come down to shop or occasionally eat out but don't seem to really get to know the people of the town and become a part of it. Obviously, this is personally choice but I certainly prefer to be in town and getting involved.

I hope that helps a bit for now!
 
Ryan I don't find it dangerous here at all. People from Cabarete and Sosua are always saying how dangerous it is where I live (near Gaspar Hernandez) but I leave the doors open all day and late into the night, swim in my pool at 3 am no problems. We have no guard or gated community, just lots of dogs and a huge wall, cameras, bars and some other things...

Vet care is not nearly as good, we have a good vet in Sosua but after hours and weekends we are almost on our own. Dr Bob is very good in Sosua but maybe a far trek for you?

We have no issues with mail, just go into Sosua to get our stuff at Empaq, I am sure people in Cabrera have mail contacts.

You cannot blend in here so don't bother trying! I feel like rock stars how people stare at us!

I don't find it cheap here at all, we (wife and I) need $2500+ a month and we own, but we are on the ocean so we spend more on maintenance.
 

LTSteve

Gold
Jul 9, 2010
5,449
23
38
Ryan:

If you and your family move here there is a risk involved just as there would be if you moved to any place that you are currently not living. In Las Terrenas there is a very reliable animal vet. I am not sure about Cabrera but I am sure you can find adequate care. Yes, crime is a problem and being a Gringo you will stand out but as long as you are low keyed and don't flash money and jewerly you should be fine. Remember though, security should be your number 1 priority in buying property in the DR. Many ex-pats buy in a gated community that has reliable 24hr security. If you buy a house that is free standing out in the country you will need to take precautions to prevent crime. Cost of living is not that cheap. Things like fruits and vegetables which are grown locally are. Things that are imported are not. Electricity costs and more expensive than the US and the cost of vehicle is more expensive to buy and run. Gas, as you probably no, is very expensive. Is it a nice place to live. It can be but it is not like visiting or being on vacation down here. You will need to leave your North American thinking in the US and adopt a different attitude to prosper here. Also remember that you will have to apply for temporary residency. This will cost you about $1200usd per person. This process starts before you leave the US in that you will need to get documentation together and have it translated into Spanish. This is best done through a Dominican consulate in the US. When you get to the DR you will then have to hire a lawyer to walk you through and complete the process. Yes, you can order things online and they will get to you. No, there is not reliable direct mail service from the States. You will have to get a mail forwarding company, like EPS. They give you a Florida address and your mail is sent there and then forwarded to the DR. A little more complicated but effective. So, as you can see there is a lot to consider before making the big "move". Good luck. Without kids in the picture it will be easier.
 

bob saunders

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
32,504
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dr1.com
Ryan I don't find it dangerous here at all. People from Cabarete and Sosua are always saying how dangerous it is where I live (near Gaspar Hernandez) but I leave the doors open all day and late into the night, swim in my pool at 3 am no problems. We have no guard or gated community, just lots of dogs and a huge wall, cameras, bars and some other things...

Vet care is not nearly as good, we have a good vet in Sosua but after hours and weekends we are almost on our own. Dr Bob is very good in Sosua but maybe a far trek for you?

We have no issues with mail, just go into Sosua to get our stuff at Empaq, I am sure people in Cabrera have mail contacts.

You cannot blend in here so don't bother trying! I feel like rock stars how people stare at us!

I don't find it cheap here at all, we (wife and I) need $2500+ a month and we own, but we are on the ocean so we spend more on maintenance.

I believe you have both air-conditioning and a pool, is that correct. Both of those can be(are) big money eaters.
 

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
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Your $2,000 US a month budget is not NEARLY enough!
Those who tell you "It Is", don't have enough monthly income to live well here, and like to "Low Ball" the cost of living here.
I doubt you are moving here to "Live Poor"???????????
You budget to purchase a home shuld be $100,000 US, and up, Waaaaaaay UP"!
You should not even be considering purchasing a home here for at least a YEAR!
Rent FIRST!!!!
Home appliances are twice what the cost at "Brand's Mart"!
Furniture is also expensive, if you buy something that won't fall apart in a year!
Decisions made in haste can be regretted at leisure!
A good vehicle is $12,000 US, and up!
Car insurance is expensive.
Gasoline is $6.00 a gallon!!!!!
Vehicle maintenance is expensive, and CONSTANT!
Have you thought about medical insurance???
You MUST!!!!!!!
That "Mail Service" from Miami will cost you about $5,00 a pound.
That "Amazon" purchase price can easily double if you add shipping!
I say $3,000 US, when you include "rent" and the cost of electricity.
My electric bill is 15,000 pesos a month.
There are 9 of us here, and we are "Energy Hogs", but we like air conditioning, and "Stuff"!
As I said, we didn't come here to "Live Poor"!
Neither should you!
As far as your "Skin Color" is concerned being "White" has more advantages here than not being "White"!
Except for "Sun Burn"!
You aren't a "Target" anymore than a poor person.
"Crime" is usually committed against people you live with/near.
I would come if I were you.
But come expecting the cost-of-living to be double what you think it will be!
Nothing worse for a foreigner than to live here with not enough money!
Cris Colon
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
 

bob saunders

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
32,504
5,932
113
dr1.com
Your $2,000 US a month budget is not NEARLY enough!
Those who tell you "It Is", don't have enough monthly income to live well here, and like to "Low Ball" the cost of living here.
I doubt you are moving here to "Live Poor"???????????
You budget to purchase a home shuld be $100,000 US, and up, Waaaaaaay UP"!
You should not even be considering purchasing a home here for at least a YEAR!
Rent FIRST!!!!
Home appliances are twice what the cost at "Brand's Mart"!
Furniture is also expensive, if you buy something that won't fall apart in a year!
Decisions made in haste can be regretted at leisure!
A good vehicle is $12,000 US, and up!
Car insurance is expensive.
Gasoline is $6.00 a gallon!!!!!
Vehicle maintenance is expensive, and CONSTANT!
Have you thought about medical insurance???
You MUST!!!!!!!
That "Mail Service" from Miami will cost you about $5,00 a pound.
That "Amazon" purchase price can easily double if you add shipping!
I say $3,000 US, when you include "rent" and the cost of electricity.
My electric bill is 15,000 pesos a month.
There are 9 of us here, and we are "Energy Hogs", but we like air conditioning, and "Stuff"!
As I said, we didn't come here to "Live Poor"!
Neither should you!
As far as your "Skin Color" is concerned being "White" has more advantages here than not being "White"!
Except for "Sun Burn"!
You aren't a "Target" anymore than a poor person.
"Crime" is usually committed against people you live with/near.
I would come if I were you.
But come expecting the cost-of-living to be double what you think it will be!
Nothing worse for a foreigner than to live here with not enough money!
Cris Colon
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

As per usual CC exaggerates. He does have a valid point in that it will probably cost you more than you think as there are always hidden costs that one is not aware of until they hit you in the wallet. Not everyone lives in a sweltering city away from ocean breezes and feeds an army of relatives. We live quite comfortably without air conditioning because our house is situated correctly and we have a good cement roof and shade trees. Granted Jarabacoa is not quite as hot as Santo Domingo, but neither is Cabrera. I think the amount you mention is quite doable given the type of lifestyle you say you have.
 

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
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BOB, he HAS, "An Army of Relatives".
Read his first post!
People do no one a service when they try to "Low Ball" the cost of living here.
I KNOW you are not living on $2,000 US a month, why do you think HE can?????

Who would you rather be, the guy who comes to live in the DR and says,... "Wow, it is not costing me as much to live here as "CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC" predicted, we can save $500 dollars a month"!!!!!!
OR, the guy who says,..."Damn, if I only had listened to "CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC",(And Some Others) who said it costs a LOT more to live here than Bob, (And Some Others) said it would"!!!!!!
"I'm glad we have Two Way Tickets"!!!!!!!

Using "air conditioning" costs me about $200 US a month, that is not a "Make Or Break" expense for me.
We don't live in a "Sweltering City", we live "ABOVE" a "Sweltering City" with an almost constant breeze, a LOT of big shade trees, and EVEN, a "Cement Roof", wow, how about THAT, CEMENT!!!!!
"Air Conditioning is MUCH MORE than keeping cool.
It is about keeping clean, bug free, low humidity, and not listening to "Dominicanos" at night!
Give it a try!
"It's KKKKKKKKKKKKKoooooooooooooooooool inside"!
You sound like the people who live in Pheonix Arizona, daytime temps over 120 degrees.
They say, "Yes, but it's a "Dry Heat"!!!!!!!!

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
 
Last edited:
Apr 10, 2014
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I have to agree with Criss Colon. I am planning on making the "Big Move" in two years and I feel I will need at least $3000 per month if not more.