Living Costs in the Dominican Republic

[windeguy]

Electricity will cost 8% more starting in June

Announced yesterday on TV, electricity will cost 8% more starting in June.

 

[MWpending]

This is a great budget for someone who sits alone all day and night in a dirt floor shack watching a small television connected to "rabbit ear" antenna with no cable, telephone, AC or internet. Of course to maintain that budget you'd also require an outdoor pit in which you'd burn goat chips and yam peelings to cook over. For a change of diet you could always take the safety pin off the hole in your pants and fasten it to some telephone wire and half a broomstick you found while dumpster diving and go fishing.

You could also replace that single bulb in the lamp which is affixed to a dangling cord in the middle of your shack with a nice new LED bulb which will cut your power consumption by a third and not need replacement until 2022 by which time you will have slit your wrists long ago.

Harsh very Harsh!!!!! shame on you....

 

[MWpending]

I moved here to fulfill a more "BASIC need!" :bunny::bunny::bunny::bunny::bunny::lick::lick::lick::lick::lick::lick::lick:

Now,after 25 years,that "NEED" has been satisfied.Or maybe I reached the, 10,000"limit!"


Tell us what it cost you or you are off topic...and you know what that means!!! "CLICK on the DELETE button"

Come on guys and gals: contribute, don't flame or whine...

oh please do tell CCCCCCCC what did fulfilling cost you????? jajajajaja.....

 

[keepcoming]

I could be wrong but after talking to different people who moved here at various stages when one first "lands"here it seems they will spend more due to they are still getting accustom to their new area. Where to buy their food etc..Once you get settled and learn a bit more you may find you can spend less. It takes sometime to learn the ropes so to speak.Santo Domingo is expensive but once you know your way around, meet people you may find alternatives which are more economical. You may find when you arrive it is overwhelming but little by little you grow into it. You need to have room for error when you first come because believe me it will happen. It did for me but each error turned into a learning experience that made it easier down the road. To this day if I am out and about and I stop to buy a soda and they are not familiar with me they will try to charge me just a bit more because they do not think I understand. But then I break out with my "spanish" and they quickly get the point. At first it would p???ss me off but now I actually find it comical. When I first came here I went shoppping at El Nacional (was one of the only big supermercados back then) and because I did not know too much about products here the only things I would buy were things I was familiar with back home. Well time went by and I got to know different things and soon I was able to buy products that I liked even more than the ones I was accustomed to and were cheaper. Besides money time will also be one of your biggest investments here. Learning time!!

 

[william webster]

That's right.... you learn..... you begin by redefining "necessity" and "luxury"....
What is considered a necessity elsewhere becomes a luxury in RD... and true luxuries don't really exist..

You cultivate your neighbors.... buy your 'carbon' from the man up the road..... buy your honey from the boy selling on the corner.

Soon, they all know you - teach you a little Espanol.... wave when you pass by..... you give them a lift up the hill or into town if you're going that way

Lo and behold... they begin to look out for you.... if your dog's loose..... more importantly, word gets around and they watch your property.... discouraging any wouldbe 'foul play'

at least thats how I operate...

 

[Major448]

There is almost nothing more sad to see than an "ex-pat" begging on the streets because they didn't have enough money to support themselves .... unless, of course, it's those few "ex-pats" who may commit some crimes to support themselves ....... (and both are known to happen in ex-pat havens around the world) ....

Make sure (all) that you have enough budget, and a solid backup plan, before making any moves!

Anyone who is unfamiliar enough with the cost of living in the DR, and is (rightfully) asking questions about it here, is probably gonna need more than $500 per month ... and probably much more ... regardless of who says differently.

.

 

[gandolf50]

I think it is possible to live on $500.00 if you want to . Granted I agree you need to have more money available for emergencys, travel or what ever. If you want maids A/C and SUV this is all above and aboard. But just to live ( if you have your own place which means you have more then $500 available in my mind) But for one person you can pay electric , phone, cable and food. Granted most people don't want to live such a laid back life style but it is possible to do. Granted it will be more in Santo Domingo . My point being that I agree that one should not come to the DR to live if all they can scrape together is $500 monthly , but that it is possible to live on $500 (until the sh*t hits the fan of course)

 

[cobraboy]

I think it is possible to live on $500.00 if you want to . Granted I agree you need to have more money available for emergencys, travel or what ever. If you want maids A/C and SUV this is all above and aboard. But just to live ( if you have your own place which means you have more then $500 available in my mind) But for one person you can pay electric , phone, cable and food. Granted most people don't want to live such a laid back life style but it is possible to do. Granted it will be more in Santo Domingo . My point being that I agree that one should not come to the DR to live if all they can scrape together is $500 monthly , but that it is possible to live on $500 (until the sh*t hits the fan of course)

Possibly, if you want to live in the ghetto and live on rice and beans.

And for those (yanandudu:cheeky who say it's possible-remember he has a nice condo and other toys (fridge, a/c, TV, moto, etc.) A real cost left out is the opportunity cost that $50,000-70,000 would have accrued. Compound interest over the years it took to acquire and use said funds has to be close to $500 per month.

 

[cobraboy]

There is almost nothing more sad to see than an "ex-pat" begging on the streets because they didn't have enough money to support themselves .... unless, of course, it's those few "ex-pats" who may commit some crimes to support themselves ....... (and both are known to happen in ex-pat havens around the world) ....

Just beware of those Tambo calls "grifters."

 

[mountainannie]

Gandolf.. it is not a hey man way cool "laid back life style" on $500 a month

a laid back life style

does not include worrying if you can afford a chicken this week

 

[keepcoming]

Even for 1 person I have serious doubts about $500. True Santo Domingo is expensive but I have in-laws that live in the "campo" and after conversations with them I am not sure the "campo" is all that cheap. They own their own house but electric, cooking propane and other basic needs for them (there are 3 of them in the house) are over $500. Food costs vary depending on what is going on (visitors and what not). They do grow yuca, platanos, and other things. Personally I can go there to relax but after a couple of days I am ready to go (besides the mosquitos have already sucked all the blood out me). I am sure there are many who would enjoy that lifestyle but again I have doubts about it costing only $500 per month. One of my biggest issues is there is not a lot of variety offered in smaller towns. Also keep in mind that in a majority of the smaller towns weather can be a huge issue which in turn will affect your quality of life. When services are affected in some of these areas it can be some time before they are working again. Roads can be washed out making navigating the area impossible. Now I am not trying to be "Debbie Downer" but even living the simple life can turn out to be anything but simple. It seems trying to live on $500 per month would be more of a "survivalist lifestyle" than "island lifestyle". I just do not see how that would be all that enjoyable myself. But to each his own.

 

[bob saunders]

Even for 1 person I have serious doubts about $500. True Santo Domingo is expensive but I have in-laws that live in the "campo" and after conversations with them I am not sure the "campo" is all that cheap. They own their own house but electric, cooking propane and other basic needs for them (there are 3 of them in the house) are over $500. Food costs vary depending on what is going on (visitors and what not). They do grow yuca, platanos, and other things. Personally I can go there to relax but after a couple of days I am ready to go (besides the mosquitos have already sucked all the blood out me). I am sure there are many who would enjoy that lifestyle but again I have doubts about it costing only $500 per month. One of my biggest issues is there is not a lot of variety offered in smaller towns. Also keep in mind that in a majority of the smaller towns weather can be a huge issue which in turn will affect your quality of life. When services are affected in some of these areas it can be some time before they are working again. Roads can be washed out making navigating the area impossible. Now I am not trying to be "Debbie Downer" but even living the simple life can turn out to be anything but simple. It seems trying to live on $500 per month would be more of a "survivalist lifestyle" than "island lifestyle". I just do not see how that would be all that enjoyable myself. But to each his own.

I'm not sure what the size of a town has to do with weather. Perhaps you can enlighten me. There are towns that are affected by flooding and washed out roads but there are many more that are not affected at all. Do you mean that Small towns are boring. Boredom is a state of mind, not being.

 

[DMV123]

Let me post my basic bills again for everyone. I am a single person with a 2 bedroom 1 bathroom apartment in a decent middle class Dominican neighborhood. I have 24 hour electric and good security:

Apt rent 8,000 RD
Internet 1,811 RD
Cable TV 500 RD
Cell Phone 500 RD
Electricity 700 RD
Medical Insurance 700 RD

Total 12,211 RD

$500. US = approximately 18,500 RD

That leaves 6,300RD for food, propane for cooking, fun and transportation. There is nothing for emergencies, dental etc. BUT I want to make the point that you CAN live for US 500 a month. BUT it is NOT my choice!

I live on about US 750 per month quite comfortably! I live a modified Dominican / expat lifestyle. For example in the summer I use my air conditioner and my electric bill will go up! But I live simply and modestly, no expensive restaurants are needed but once in a while I cannot live without Pizza Hut........

So again we go back to the main point US $1500 per month for a couple is very doable especially if the house or apt is paid for.

 

[Major448]

Let me post my basic bills again for everyone. I am a single person with a 2 bedroom 1 bathroom apartment in a decent middle class Dominican neighborhood. I have 24 hour electric and good security:

Apt rent 8,000 RD
Internet 1,811 RD
Cable TV 500 RD
Cell Phone 500 RD
Electricity 700 RD
Medical Insurance 700 RD

Total 12,211 RD

$500. US = approximately 18,500 RD

That leaves 6,300RD for food, propane for cooking, fun and transportation. There is nothing for emergencies, dental etc. BUT I want to make the point that you CAN live for US 500 a month. BUT it is NOT my choice!

I live on about US 750 per month quite comfortably! I live a modified Dominican / expat lifestyle. For example in the summer I use my air conditioner and my electric bill will go up! But I live simply and modestly, no expensive restaurants are needed but once in a while I cannot live without Pizza Hut........

So again we go back to the main point US $1500 per month for a couple is very doable especially if the house or apt is paid for.

Just curious ...

-- how long have you lived in the DR?
-- do you speak Spanish?
-- Do you have family/friends (locals) in the DR?
-- that 700 Rd ($18.35 USD) for Medical insurance looks really good ... could a 60 year old get that same rate?

Appreciate the insight!! Thanks.

.

 

[DMV123]

Just curious ...

-- how long have you lived in the DR?
-- do you speak Spanish?
-- Do you have family/friends (locals) in the DR?
-- that 700 Rd ($18.35 USD) for Medical insurance looks really good ... could a 60 year old get that same rate?

Appreciate the insight!! Thanks.

.

I've been here almost 10 years.

Yes I speak pretty good Spanish.

I've made lots of friends here but no family, and I have learned some of my lessons the hard way.

The medical insurance is thru a group plan for expats. So yes you can get it for that price.

 

[Major448]

I've been here almost 10 years.

Yes I speak pretty good Spanish.

I've made lots of friends here but no family, and I have learned some of my lessons the hard way.

The medical insurance is thru a group plan for expats. So yes you can get it for that price.

So ... would it be fair to say that someone fresh off the plane (potential ex-pat/retiree), with no real local connections, and unable to hold a conversation in Spanish (and not having 10 years of hard learned lessons) might find it difficult to live within the same budget level that you can?

Thanks again for your insight .... this is for someone who ends up in this thread after doing a search on cost of living in the DR (NOT for someone who has the "non-monetary" resources that you have access to ...).

.

 

[RacerX]

Heres is a question Major, where would you want to live and what things do you expect to do in this place? Just to get an idea of the life you think to live, apart from tourist enclaves?

 

[mountainannie]

DMV .. where do you live and are there are comparable apartments for rent now for that price? (for instance I know that my neighbor pays a lot less than I do but she has been here a lot longer)..

Can you tell us more about the medical insurance plan for expats?

As far as I know, there is only one medical insurance policy here that will cover you after the age of 70 and that is ARS Universal.

And your electric is impressively low.. really.. (I am just going to check and see if I may have left a light on somewhere)

 

[DMV123]

So ... would it be fair to say that someone fresh off the plane (potential ex-pat/retiree), with no real local connections, and unable to hold a conversation in Spanish (and not having 10 years of hard learned lessons) might find it difficult to live within the same budget level that you can?

Thanks again for your insight .... this is for someone who ends up in this thread after doing a search on cost of living in the DR (NOT for someone who has the "non-monetary" resources that you have access to ...).

.

My guess is someone fresh off the plane is not likely to live this way - AGREED. I am adjusted and accustomed to things here.

 

[Major448]

Heres is a question Major, where would you want to live and what things do you expect to do in this place? Just to get an idea of the life you think to live, apart from tourist enclaves?

Thanks Racer ... but this is NOT for me. I have a handle on the budget.

I just think that it's tough for "others" who read these posts to get good info. It's one thing for someone familiar with the DR to say that one can live on $500 per month. I do agree that it can be done. BUT ... those who do it successfully are generally NOT the people who will be asking about budgets on this board.

For the sake of accuracy (and full disclosure) someone unfamiliar with the DR, and reading this thread should know that THEY will probably not live in the DR on $500 per month. That is my only point. I do not say it's not possible. Just not probable for a non-Spanish speaking newbie with no local connections and who wants to live in a location like Sosua.

I could put it this way (only a hypothetical) ....

There are six of us traveling to the DR together for a 1-2 week visit. The total cost of our travel will NOT be more than $200 USD. That will include the trip, all food and water, utilities, and a comfortable place to stay. Only $200 total for six people!! (Not including entertainment.)

If someone gets the idea that they can do it too, they would need to know that we are coming on a large, fully stocked luxury sailboat ... with plans to anchor out and stay aboard (except for "entertainment" runs). Ooops ... a minor detail that was missed.

Yes.... someone can do it IF they have the same resources, and live the same lifestyle. But, without that extra little detail, it probably ain't gonna happen.

Thanks again, Racer.