Living Costs in the Dominican Republic

[mountainannie]

Ok, here it goes (figures are in RD$):
Rent-$8500
Fuel-$1,000 per week
Tuiton-950
Recreo (snack money)-$900
Light-$1,100 Cable-$450 Phone-$1,600 Internet (Banda Ancha)-$2,042
Groceries (Jose Luis supermarket, Puerto Plata)-$10,000
Health insurance-$1,500
Water-$210
Pet food-$1,800 (large bag, premium)
Vet visits-$2,000

Truck is already paid for

Hope this helps!
Al

Thanks for posting.. You probably do not actually spend 2000 a month for the vet, right?

Guess the deals are in your rent... have you been there a long time? Are there other similar houses for rent in your neighborhood at this price? (Since it is $229 US and about half of what a one bedroom would go for in the Capital.. do not know Sosua at all)

And in your food costs.. at US $270 for four people... which is half the cost for the "thrifty" plan in the US...
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/FoodPlans/2011/CostofFoodMar2011.pdf

 

[yanandu]

Many food prices in DR are 1/2 of US. In addition Americans waste 25% of their food.

Yanandu

 

[avi8or57]

If you know where to shop for the best prices at local markets you can do very well...you need to shop around! I got a very good deal on my rent because the home is family-owned, however, the average rent for a 3BR 2ba in my area is going for $10-12,000. My vet expenses are generated a few months out of the year when Bruno goes for check-ups and shots when needed.

 

[JuanDolioLiving]

Hey I have an office phone line with Codetel that also includes a 1.5m wi-fi internet access and with 400 free minutes to call anywhere in the country to land line numbers also to the USA and PR for only 1900.00 pesos a month.
1900.00pesos = 51.00US

 

[Snuffy]

Cheaper or the same as 5 years ago.

I lived there five years ago and spent about $2000 USD per month. Although I have heard that there have been price increases on everything...I am surprised to see that some can live there on 32,000 pesos per month for a family. Is this correct??? Comfortable middle class living???

 

[avi8or57]

I lived there five years ago and spent about $2000 USD per month. Although I have heard that there have been price increases on everything...I am surprised to see that some can live there on 32,000 pesos per month for a family. Is this correct??? Comfortable middle class living???

Sir, you lived where 5 years ago???? Montellano, Santo Domingo???? Be specific please, that is a lot of money my friend! I live very comfortably and I enjoy just about all the conveniences here that I had back in the states for almost half the price!! Nice home, quiet neighborhood, good food and produce, etc. Please give us a breakdown if you could on your past expenses here.

 

[Frank the Tank]

In addition Americans waste 25% of their food.

Yanandu

Good Lord. Sometimes I think you just speak and type out of your arse.

 

[cobraboy]

Many food prices in DR are 1/2 of US. In addition Americans waste 25% of their food.

Yanandu

It's not wasted.

I eat it.

More, please.

 

[mountainannie]

Sir, you lived where 5 years ago???? Montellano, Santo Domingo???? Be specific please, that is a lot of money my friend! I live very comfortably and I enjoy just about all the conveniences here that I had back in the states for almost half the price!! Nice home, quiet neighborhood, good food and produce, etc. Please give us a breakdown if you could on your past expenses here.

Not so much money, really

Please let us not start a class war here...


Seg?n la Encuesta Nacional de Fuerza de Trabajo de octubre de 2010, los ingresos individuales promedio por quintil y por mes son (en Pesos Dominicanos):

I: $5,501 ($11,002 por hogar; 6% sobre el costo de la canasta b?sica)
II: $9,061 ($18,122 por hogar; 74% m?s que la canasta b?sica)
III: $12,495 ($24,990 por hogar; 140% superior a la canasta b?sica)
IV: $19,409 ($38,818 por hogar; 273% sobre la canasta b?sica)
V: $51,312 ($102,624 por hogar; 886% por encima de la canasta b?sica)

You are living just below level 4 .. although I do not remember seeing anything for clothing... or travel or entertainment

and he was living a bit below level five

these figures represent 90% of the cost of living for the different economic levels...

so level five is 114026,,, or $3081 US per month

NOTE that level ONE in the DR is BELOW the cost of providing for the "canasta basica"


level three is 22491 or US $697

level four is 43131 or US $ 1165

Here is some USA Data from 2009
The bottom income quintile (households earning $20,453 or less a year) earned 0.5% less on average in 2009 than in 2008.
The 2nd income quintile (households earning $20,454 to $38,550 a year) also earned 0.5% less on average in 2009 than in 2008.
The 3rd income quintile (households earning $38,551 to $61,801 a year)
The 4th income quintile (households earning $61,802 to $100,000 a year)
The top income quintile (households earning more than $100,000 a year)
Within the top quintile, the top 5% (households earning more than $180,000 a year)


I think that most of us here will agree that we get a bigger bang for the buck here than back in our respective homelands...

 

[JimmyGibbon]

Hi Al,

Thank you so very much for your detailed post......the information you provided is very helpful. Can I please ask you how you were able to find your house rental. Did you know someone or find it by word of mouth. I am currently scouting apartments/condo rentals in the Cabarete/Sosua area and am not finding anything as reasonably priced as you have. Thanks again for all of the info you have provided, Al.

Jimmy

 

[Acira]

Hi Al,

Thank you so very much for your detailed post......the information you provided is very helpful. Can I please ask you how you were able to find your house rental. Did you know someone or find it by word of mouth. I am currently scouting apartments/condo rentals in the Cabarete/Sosua area and am not finding anything as reasonably priced as you have. Thanks again for all of the info you have provided, Al.

Jimmy

Those are the key words and driving a lot around to see.

 

[La Mariposa]

Hi Al,

Thank you so very much for your detailed post......the information you provided is very helpful. Can I please ask you how you were able to find your house rental. Did you know someone or find it by word of mouth. I am currently scouting apartments/condo rentals in the Cabarete/Sosua area and am not finding anything as reasonably priced as you have. Thanks again for all of the info you have provided, Al.

Jimmy

He said the house is family-owned

 

[JimmyGibbon]

I need to meet a nice family, lol

 

[Snuffy]

Santiago

Sir, you lived where 5 years ago???? Montellano, Santo Domingo???? Be specific please, that is a lot of money my friend! I live very comfortably and I enjoy just about all the conveniences here that I had back in the states for almost half the price!! Nice home, quiet neighborhood, good food and produce, etc. Please give us a breakdown if you could on your past expenses here.

three bedroom house, a/c at night to sleep, cable/internet, nissan pathfinder running on gas, what else...we ate most what we wanted, but I would call it lower middle class. There are several great things about the DR...your living on a freakin beautiful tropical island, the fruits and veggies are excellent, it is a very social environment...you never feel alone. If you wanted to open a clinic to treat depressive disorders that are due to modern world isolation issues...the DR would be a great place. You go there and you instantly have many people that will just sit and chat. The experience definitely makes one more extroverted. You tend to throw off some of your 'anal' hangups. CHILL. Once you get settled in and most of the day to day issues worked out....you worry a lot less. I'm here in Florida with mortgage and all that is here is pretty much renting from the bank. In DR you can buy a small plot of land and build your home a section at a time. And when you finish building it, it is yours for keeps....as long as you have absolute certain clear title.

 

[DMV123]

Jimmy - part of the issue is where you are looking. Sosua and Cabarete - in large part are tourist and expat driven communities. Prices are higher. You need to go into very typical Dominican neighborhoods to get good pricing. It will be tough in those areas to find.

We cannot compare costs of living in completely different areas. Costs in Puerto Plata are very different then the same type of neighborhood in Santo Domingo or Santiago. A 2 bedroom apartment in Cabarete will not compare to one in Costanza. We need to make sure we compare apples to apples not to mangos.....otherwise it is very misleading.

Bottom line is that your cost of living will decide on your personal choices. You CAN live here comfortably and more reasonably then some other countries. You can also spend a great deal of money here if you choose. It is up to you.

 

[mountainannie]

three bedroom house, a/c at night to sleep, cable/internet, nissan pathfinder running on gas, what else...we ate most what we wanted, but I would call it lower middle class. .

What would have moved you on up to the middle class? I mean, what were you lacking? can you explain?

 

[JimmyGibbon]

Hi DMV,

Thanks very much for the info. I have stayed in Cabarete a few times for a couple months and was sometimes able to find reasonably priced condo rentals at Orilla Del Mar, for instance. Are you saying that Puerto Plata would likely be less expensive? Thank you very kindly for your help.

Jimmy

 

[DMV123]

You are welcome! Yes it is less expensive in POP but it is very different then Cabarete. It is all about what you are looking for and what you are willing to spend.

 

[imafreakinggod]

we always set Limits, say "if it reach's this or that point we are on the Max and can not move further, but those Limits been always passed and we always moved on. here at the Marina Fueling Stations we already passed the $5.- Limit, and we will move on. the same for the Travel Industry, People will not stop to Travel, Cry out loud about higher rates/Fuel Surcharges etc, YES, but they will not stop to Travel. as Fact every Year there are more People Travelling abroad/Long Distance etc, every year more, even during World Economy LowPoints etc.



ha ha ha, I can't read Yanadu's Postings since a longer while as I blocked them.
not a bad Idea Fuelcost wise, but those Sailors have other high Maintenance Costs and they do not move quick enough to chase those Big Fishy Predators down, lol.
btw, the Fuel Costs for Diesel are Not the Biggest Expoense when running Offshore Yachts, the Big expense is the Transportation to bring Guests from the Large PC Area to the Boats, Transportation/maintenance/purchases/Insurances/Permits etc for those Vehicles are the Big Cost Factor, and Yes, with Higher Fuel Costs those Transfer costs sure will not go anywhere Lower.



a Aluminium Door should be done with a few thousand Pesos, real Price depends on how Thick You want to have that Door.
Inverters for a normal household cost You depending on required KW Powers all the way between 15-40.000.- Pesos including Installation and cables/Materials etc.

Mike

whay block yanudus posts..., just curious. if you disagree just... read on/skip them. im new and am unawares of this Yanudu issue

 

[Criss Colon]

'GOOD NEWS'!!! You Don't Have To Worry About "YanaDoDo's" Posts Anymore!!

He has been "Banned" from posting by the "Owners" of DR1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:bunny::bunny::bunny::bunny:

"There IS a GOD!"

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