That would be living extremely well in the U.S., but Mike generally gives very good advice. Frankly, I think more highly of most of Mike's guesses than many other peoples' facts....
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Living Costs in the Dominican Republic
That would be living extremely well in the U.S., but Mike generally gives very good advice. Frankly, I think more highly of most of Mike's guesses than many other peoples' facts....
See what the locals are eating or consult www.fishbase.org.
Lionfish are good to eat , tricky to catch.
yapask1
DRob, rich is to able to afford a ferrari 
two SUVs, a house and few workers is nothing fancy. do not compare that to USA: here people do not take mortgages, they pay cash. parents save to be able to provide the kids for the future, by the time kids grow up and get married they can put enough money together to buy their own place. often they inherit from grandparents or other family members. therefor housing - solved. how do you think we were able to get the house we live in? bank of mum and dad, that's how. mortgage free too.
a car is a status symbol. it has to be nice. often it a second hand vehicle from the rich, who change their cars all the time. most middle class families will have a more fancy SUV for a man and normal sedan for missus.
finally, the cheapest thing in DR are dominicans themselves. labour is easily available and very cheap. a maid, gardener, nanny working in a typical dominican family will earn less that the same people working for gringos. they would also get one or two meals a day and all sorts of hand me downs.
two SUVs, a house and few workers is nothing fancy. do not compare that to USA: here people do not take mortgages, they pay cash. parents save to be able to provide the kids for the future, by the time kids grow up and get married they can put enough money together to buy their own place. often they inherit from grandparents or other family members. therefor housing - solved. how do you think we were able to get the house we live in? bank of mum and dad, that's how. mortgage free too.
a car is a status symbol. it has to be nice. often it a second hand vehicle from the rich, who change their cars all the time. most middle class families will have a more fancy SUV for a man and normal sedan for missus.
finally, the cheapest thing in DR are dominicans themselves. labour is easily available and very cheap. a maid, gardener, nanny working in a typical dominican family will earn less that the same people working for gringos. they would also get one or two meals a day and all sorts of hand me downs.
DRob, rich is to able to afford a ferrari
two SUVs, a house and few workers is nothing fancy. do not compare that to USA: here people do not take mortgages, they pay cash. parents save to be able to provide the kids for the future, by the time kids grow up and get married they can put enough money together to buy their own place. often they inherit from grandparents or other family members. therefor housing - solved. how do you think we were able to get the house we live in? bank of mum and dad, that's how. mortgage free too.
a car is a status symbol. it has to be nice. often it a second hand vehicle from the rich, who change their cars all the time. most middle class families will have a more fancy SUV for a man and normal sedan for missus.
finally, the cheapest thing in DR are dominicans themselves. labour is easily available and very cheap. a maid, gardener, nanny working in a typical dominican family will earn less that the same people working for gringos. they would also get one or two meals a day and all sorts of hand me downs.
dv8,
I understand and agree with what you're saying. My only (and admittedly not fully developed-upon) point was that two "expensive" SUVs could easily run into the six figure range in the states, so you'd have to add an additional 30-40% in DR. Thats pretty pricey anywhere you are, especially in a country where there's still a relatively small middle class. That can be prohibitively expensive, especially if you're a NA or EU expat-wannabe with certain (dangerously inaccurate) notions in your head as to what constitutes "middle class."
Totally agree on the next-to-nil labor costs. I've seen posts where people living in 2 br apartments have more than one caretaker because it's so cheap.
ah, cars...
as far as i know it works like this:
new SUVs are bought at competitive prices and zero interest. oh my, how is that possible, you ask? it is. my father in law changes his car maybe once every two years. and his wife's car. and his daughter's car (both sons are now out of the equation since they moved out). a dealer knows that. a dealer wants him to come back for the next car. so he offers as low price as he can, down payment from 0 to 50%, the rest over next 6 months, maybe more. if he will not offer that the person will go elsewhere. and they will get that deal. and then come back to a different seller.
second hand SUVs are often exchanged. an owner will give his old car, pay whatever difference (in cash or installments) and take a different car.
many options are available for dominicans. more than a gringo can imagine. deals are done outside of the normal zone. people "help" each other out. because each favour will give a certain payback.
as far as i know it works like this:
new SUVs are bought at competitive prices and zero interest. oh my, how is that possible, you ask? it is. my father in law changes his car maybe once every two years. and his wife's car. and his daughter's car (both sons are now out of the equation since they moved out). a dealer knows that. a dealer wants him to come back for the next car. so he offers as low price as he can, down payment from 0 to 50%, the rest over next 6 months, maybe more. if he will not offer that the person will go elsewhere. and they will get that deal. and then come back to a different seller.
second hand SUVs are often exchanged. an owner will give his old car, pay whatever difference (in cash or installments) and take a different car.
many options are available for dominicans. more than a gringo can imagine. deals are done outside of the normal zone. people "help" each other out. because each favour will give a certain payback.
I combine the Deviate's ideas.
I used to and still do , enjoy the interaction w/ the local community but when push comes to shove for a costly or hard to get item, I send some of that cheap labor to do the shopping. Works like a charm.
Shoes fixed for much less.... this is a great place they get you.
Yesterday, we needed a wrench - big one- to work on the pool pump.
My man went off and was gone quite awhile..... we anticipated 1000DRP for this item.
It was about 1500DRP...... he refused and kept hunting(hence the long absence)...
Returned w/ a used one costing 225DRP... perfect solution.
The classic line was on another thread.....expressing life in RD
The easy is hard, the hard is impossible, the impossible is easy
I used to and still do , enjoy the interaction w/ the local community but when push comes to shove for a costly or hard to get item, I send some of that cheap labor to do the shopping. Works like a charm.
Shoes fixed for much less.... this is a great place they get you.
Yesterday, we needed a wrench - big one- to work on the pool pump.
My man went off and was gone quite awhile..... we anticipated 1000DRP for this item.
It was about 1500DRP...... he refused and kept hunting(hence the long absence)...
Returned w/ a used one costing 225DRP... perfect solution.
The classic line was on another thread.....expressing life in RD
The easy is hard, the hard is impossible, the impossible is easy
In many countries the middle class cannot retire with a couple of servants and fleet of vehicles. Even in Brazil it is getting difficult as wages go up and the number of people willing to accept life under stairs goes down.
If you accept a typical middle class lifestyle for much of the World, moderate house, no servants, no SUV DR costs are low - about $400 a month. On a $2000 income you have a choice a house full of servants, SUVs in the drive etc. or lead a more moderate lifestyle, give to charity etc. , travel the World on luxury cruises etc.
yapask1
If you accept a typical middle class lifestyle for much of the World, moderate house, no servants, no SUV DR costs are low - about $400 a month. On a $2000 income you have a choice a house full of servants, SUVs in the drive etc. or lead a more moderate lifestyle, give to charity etc. , travel the World on luxury cruises etc.
yapask1
Today breakfast porridge - oats are 25 pesos a lb approx.
With honey 60 pesos for 37.5 ml.
Slice of mango, milk.
Dinner chicken curry - chicken breast 120 pesos a lb.
Beans 30 pesos a lb.
Rice 17 pesos a lb.
Today low budget day - about 120 pesos for food.
yapask1
Yappy,
If you eliminate your (utterly absurd and completely unrealistic in the real world) budget of $400 a month from $2000 income, that leaves $1600 per month, or $19,000 per year.
At $5+ per gallon in the DR, filling the earlier referenced SUV once a week would cost approximately $100, or over $5,000 a year (you really shouldn't try to transport a family on your solar powered moto.) That's more than 25% of the "luxury cruise" budget.
My point is, your numbers only work under the most severe, survivalist, hyper-frugal of circumstances. You enjoy living like the unabomber, good for you. But that doesn't mean it works for anybody else who isn't masochism-minded.
What else to expect from someone who would put liver and semolina in their (imaginary) kid's lunchbox?
Plenty of people enjoy riding bikes. Liver pate is good in sandwiches also.
Liver Pt Recipe | Simply Recipes
Try mangos with your semolina....\
http://www.blogtoplist.com/rss/semolina.html
No need for a SUV in much of the DR. Just ideal for a small family...
yapask1
I am French and never even met someone who does their pate from scratch. LOL !!
LMAO @ DRob's" What else to expect from someone who would put liver and semolina in their (imaginary) kid's lunchbox?"
Thank you I know what my next April fool's joke will be on my kids, oh, I can't wait (the look on their face will be priceless)
LMAO @ DRob's" What else to expect from someone who would put liver and semolina in their (imaginary) kid's lunchbox?"
Thank you I know what my next April fool's joke will be on my kids, oh, I can't wait (the look on their face will be priceless)
Liver Pate Recipe
Many French friends make pate - not much work. I generally chop rather than mince. A little mustard powder and herbs is good also.
You can swap it with neighbors for something they have made.
Pork is widely available at a good pirce in the DR. A friend here used to smoke it German style to make delicious ham.
yapask1
Many French friends make pate - not much work. I generally chop rather than mince. A little mustard powder and herbs is good also.
You can swap it with neighbors for something they have made.
Pork is widely available at a good pirce in the DR. A friend here used to smoke it German style to make delicious ham.
yapask1
"Bronx, SOMEHOW, I KNEW you, "Liked It In The CAN"!!!!!!!!
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The more I think about it, the more I begin to conclude that happiness for me, as a future retiree, would involve extended visits to various countries, while using a "gateway city" like Miami or Atlanta as a home base.
The truth is, renting a condo in Cabarete or Santiago or LT (or Medellin, or Lima, or Tamarindo, or Nassau, or....) is easily affordable, and doesn't come with the headaches (or sense of being anchored down) as owning a property. As is the cost of renting a small car, over buying something either various expensive and/or of dubious condition.
Frankly, I've concluded I'm the guy who would rather come down and spend a few thousand over 2-3 weeks and live a true "vacation-like" lifestyle than worry about the cable guy's definition of "manana" and ask yappy for advice on how many ways to pinch a peso.
I love the adventure of trying something new, but also enjoy creature comforts a bit too much. The house is almost paid off, so most of my income is increasingly becoming "disposable." So more money for fun. I also really love the women down there, but the women here love me just fine, so no issues. Perhaps that'll change as I transition from early-middle age into my late 40s, 50s and 60s, but I'm actually looking forward to getting married and having a family soon. If I act decently, maybe they'll stick around for a while, lol.
Caribbean weather is admittedly amazing, but it's pretty nice in Miami and Atlanta, too.
The truth is, renting a condo in Cabarete or Santiago or LT (or Medellin, or Lima, or Tamarindo, or Nassau, or....) is easily affordable, and doesn't come with the headaches (or sense of being anchored down) as owning a property. As is the cost of renting a small car, over buying something either various expensive and/or of dubious condition.
Frankly, I've concluded I'm the guy who would rather come down and spend a few thousand over 2-3 weeks and live a true "vacation-like" lifestyle than worry about the cable guy's definition of "manana" and ask yappy for advice on how many ways to pinch a peso.
I love the adventure of trying something new, but also enjoy creature comforts a bit too much. The house is almost paid off, so most of my income is increasingly becoming "disposable." So more money for fun. I also really love the women down there, but the women here love me just fine, so no issues. Perhaps that'll change as I transition from early-middle age into my late 40s, 50s and 60s, but I'm actually looking forward to getting married and having a family soon. If I act decently, maybe they'll stick around for a while, lol.
Caribbean weather is admittedly amazing, but it's pretty nice in Miami and Atlanta, too.
I am French and never even met someone who does their pate from scratch. LOL !!
LMAO @ DRob's" What else to expect from someone who would put liver and semolina in their (imaginary) kid's lunchbox?"
Thank you I know what my next April fool's joke will be on my kids, oh, I can't wait (the look on their face will be priceless)
My friend ( USA friend) makes his own pate here - a la Yappy -
I was as dubious as you are.... its sensational, extremely good.
He buys the organs already cooked/smoked and we food process it, adding whatever we feel like.
If he'll release the recipe, I'll post on the Cooking Channel here
ah. no wonder even your friends don't like you. it was the liver swapping that did it, wasn't it?