You will have to pay 2 + 1 in Bavaro, possibly 3 + 1, but I wouldn't pay that as there are sufficient apartments to rent, it is a renters market, you could even get away with 1 + 1 if you can Speak Spanish and sell yourself as a risk free tenant.
You mention inexpensive 'Until you find work', you will not find work to cover your living costs so set out to rent what you can pay for with your savings, use your salary to live on and if lucky pay bills.
Plenty of very cheap rooms in Fruisa, but your survival depends how street you are as it can be very rough there and there and it is only getting worse, personally I wouldn't like your chances there.
A lot of the bar staff are homed in Veron by the bars they work for, 4 to a 2 bedroomed apartment n so on. Or you can get a bedroom for yourself for RD2,000 per month, but again I don't like your chances there either.
There are apartments by the beach between Bibijagua and Corticito for $350 p/m which will suit you better, easy to find, just put your walking shoes on and get a moto to the plaza at the Bibijagua turn off and spend the day walking back to Corticito collecting numbers as you pass, there are loads of them.
But yes you will have to pay out around $1000us initial at least almost anywhere. Be sure you have enough saving to cover your rent at least for the duration of your stay as you won't find work to cover it, only to live on, if you are going to struggle to pay out the deposits then I'd forget it until you have that covered. Don't go thinking it will fall into place, it won't unless you are organized, at least financially.
If you are asking if it is financially viable without you working then no it isn't, you need to have this money to burn and some, expect to spend double what you have in your mind, especially if you are going to have the two of you to support once you have made a commitment and can't back out.
Good luck, but don't be daft, think it through before you throw away your hard earned on a passage to nowhere!