Hi all!
I know that there are many threads on this subject, but I hope
you can forgive me if I write these most common asked questions.
I have just few questions about Santo Domingo.
I got business offer to work there, but i have few issues. There
are lots of stories about people being robbed, etc, but I do know that
newspapers tend to make things bigger than they usually are.
but still, these stories rings few bells, that you can't shake off easily.
a) what can I get for USD 2900$ starting monthly salary?
Is that enough for comfortable living for 2 persons?
(we get medical insurance covered by the company).
b) How much is apartment rent?
One says 250$, the other one 800$, 3 bedroom apartment
with big kitchen, 2 bathrooms and pool 1100$...
But how much would cost a small apartment in nice area with bedroom, living
room and ONE bathroom, fully accommodated?
Could you add a link for most popular website to search for apartment?
(spanish or english, it does not matter).
c) Is utilities bill (electricity, gas, water, etc) included in rent or is it not?
Some says it includes certain stuff, the others say it includes just rent.
How much would be my top utility bill? I know that it depends, but let's
say that I do not care how much electricity I use, or how much water\gas I spend.
Let's pretend that I use it all as much as possible.:ermm:
d) Some people say santo domingo is safe, some say it is not.I believe it is
as safe as any big city. However, every big city has names for parts of town,
what parts of Santo Domingo should I avoid?
And what are the best places to rent apartment?
e) All articles say "try not to look like tourist. Do not wear jewelry, camera,short pants...".
So, if I have Esprit watch that costs 100 euro am I gonna be marked as tourist?
Or what if I bring with me average digital camera to shoot photos?
Or what if I use Iphone 4 or Ipad in public? According to
all these stupid articles, you can only walk on streets without money in your pocket,
can't use credit card because they will steal number and use it, and Dominican
residents do not use rings, necklases, watches and they certainly do not know what is
cell phone, and if you use anything like that on street everybody will look at you and try to
steal all that from you. And they do not wear short pants on 30 degrees Celsius
Now, since this is nonsense could somebody explain what I can and what I can't use,
and how not to look like tourist? :ermm:
f) What do people men when they say that there are lots of scams and frauds?
If I buy thing in normal shop with my card, am I gonna find out that somebody
copied my credit card and spent
few thousand of dollars?
(I know that I am paranoid freak at this moment :disappoin:disappoin:disappoinaranoid
g) How much costs a new car?
Nothing special, average car (renault clio, ford focus, anything like that).
Or how much would cost 5-10 year old car, same class as mentioned above? :nervous:
i) is there any significant difference between prepaid and post paid mobile service?
How much costs 1 mine of call to same or other network? What is the cheapest network?
Do they have options like 100 MB of traffic for 5$ or something like that?
How much costs blackberry service?
j) How much costs used iphone 4?
Could you give me a link to most popular ads site?
k) How much would cost 2 big pizzas and 4 0.5l beers in decent restaurant?
l) How much 2 person would spend on groceries?
Let's say that they buy only domestic products (eggs, yogurt, bread, vegetables,fruits).
m) How much costs ticket to baseball\basketball football game?
n) How much costs car registration and car registration test? and repair?
o) Is traffic situation as chaotic as written? Is it true if you're involved in accident you
will end up in police station and stay there until everything is checked?
Is it true that they tend to favor motorcyclists?
p) What kind of prisons are there?
(in the case that somebody puts my name on bag with drugs and I end up in prison
for 12 years like the Australian guy in Cuba (or Porto Rico) 20 years ago :nervous::nervous
I guess that's it!
Sorry for that many questions! I do not have much time so I can't search forum for answers.
At some points this post can sound aggressive, but it's not. I tend to fool around a lot, and I like sarcasm
But I'm not being sarcastic much in unknown area
Thank you all for your answers
I know that there are many threads on this subject, but I hope
you can forgive me if I write these most common asked questions.
I have just few questions about Santo Domingo.
I got business offer to work there, but i have few issues. There
are lots of stories about people being robbed, etc, but I do know that
newspapers tend to make things bigger than they usually are.
but still, these stories rings few bells, that you can't shake off easily.
a) what can I get for USD 2900$ starting monthly salary?
Is that enough for comfortable living for 2 persons?
(we get medical insurance covered by the company).
b) How much is apartment rent?
One says 250$, the other one 800$, 3 bedroom apartment
with big kitchen, 2 bathrooms and pool 1100$...
But how much would cost a small apartment in nice area with bedroom, living
room and ONE bathroom, fully accommodated?
Could you add a link for most popular website to search for apartment?
(spanish or english, it does not matter).
c) Is utilities bill (electricity, gas, water, etc) included in rent or is it not?
Some says it includes certain stuff, the others say it includes just rent.
How much would be my top utility bill? I know that it depends, but let's
say that I do not care how much electricity I use, or how much water\gas I spend.
Let's pretend that I use it all as much as possible.:ermm:
d) Some people say santo domingo is safe, some say it is not.I believe it is
as safe as any big city. However, every big city has names for parts of town,
what parts of Santo Domingo should I avoid?
And what are the best places to rent apartment?
e) All articles say "try not to look like tourist. Do not wear jewelry, camera,short pants...".
So, if I have Esprit watch that costs 100 euro am I gonna be marked as tourist?
Or what if I bring with me average digital camera to shoot photos?
Or what if I use Iphone 4 or Ipad in public? According to
all these stupid articles, you can only walk on streets without money in your pocket,
can't use credit card because they will steal number and use it, and Dominican
residents do not use rings, necklases, watches and they certainly do not know what is
cell phone, and if you use anything like that on street everybody will look at you and try to
steal all that from you. And they do not wear short pants on 30 degrees Celsius
Now, since this is nonsense could somebody explain what I can and what I can't use,
and how not to look like tourist? :ermm:
f) What do people men when they say that there are lots of scams and frauds?
If I buy thing in normal shop with my card, am I gonna find out that somebody
copied my credit card and spent
few thousand of dollars?
(I know that I am paranoid freak at this moment :disappoin:disappoin:disappoinaranoid
g) How much costs a new car?
Nothing special, average car (renault clio, ford focus, anything like that).
Or how much would cost 5-10 year old car, same class as mentioned above? :nervous:
i) is there any significant difference between prepaid and post paid mobile service?
How much costs 1 mine of call to same or other network? What is the cheapest network?
Do they have options like 100 MB of traffic for 5$ or something like that?
How much costs blackberry service?
j) How much costs used iphone 4?
Could you give me a link to most popular ads site?
k) How much would cost 2 big pizzas and 4 0.5l beers in decent restaurant?
l) How much 2 person would spend on groceries?
Let's say that they buy only domestic products (eggs, yogurt, bread, vegetables,fruits).
m) How much costs ticket to baseball\basketball football game?
n) How much costs car registration and car registration test? and repair?
o) Is traffic situation as chaotic as written? Is it true if you're involved in accident you
will end up in police station and stay there until everything is checked?
Is it true that they tend to favor motorcyclists?
p) What kind of prisons are there?
(in the case that somebody puts my name on bag with drugs and I end up in prison
for 12 years like the Australian guy in Cuba (or Porto Rico) 20 years ago :nervous::nervous
I guess that's it!
Sorry for that many questions! I do not have much time so I can't search forum for answers.
At some points this post can sound aggressive, but it's not. I tend to fool around a lot, and I like sarcasm
But I'm not being sarcastic much in unknown area
Thank you all for your answers