so expensive ... worthy? (I enclose prices Bav vs SD)

rubenpriego

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Feb 28, 2011
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Just came back from Santo Domingo after some relaxing, no work days.
I got shocked about some prices. Here there are some examples. First price is Santo Domingo one, second is Bavaro one.

Tomatoe: 10 pesos/libra - 30 pesos
Yuca: 15 pesos/libra - 25 pesos
Chinolas: 15 pesos a dozen - 35-40 pesos
Potatoes: 7 pesos/libra - 30 pesos
Lechosa: 15 pesos a medium one - 40-50 pesos
Eggs: 3 pesos for one - 5 pesos
Green banana: 3 pesos one - 10 pesos
Pineapple: small one 5 pesos - big one in Bavaro more than 50 pesos, so I assume that a small about 20 pesos

As you can see, prices are from 200% to even 400% higher than in SD.

This is extremely ridiculous, you can face an increase of 20-30% that even that is a lot, but we are talking about 200-400% increase!!!! There is no real excuse to have that INSANE increase of prices, more taking into account we are talking about basic food.

Also prices of big apartments in good areas of SD are more or less the same or a bit lower than in Bavaro.

Guaguas are a bit cheaper for even longer rides, etc, etc

Now I am wondering, is it worthy keeping living in Bavaro, where there is NOTHING, just beach? Maybe too expensive living here to just have the addition of beach ...

Cheers people.
 

ElvisNYC

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Where's pi2 ?? LOL ! Just two things - solar cookers and home grown food.. You can easily live in SD for under $300.. :p
 

KateP

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May 28, 2004
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In part, what we DON'T have in this area is exactly what attracts people. No traffic jams, almost no pollution, (usually) no car horns going all night, no black-outs, almost no crimes... Yes, prices across the board are more expensive but I personally wouldn't move back to Santo Domingo for a million bucks.
 

Chirimoya

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Dec 9, 2002
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What KateP said. It's true though that one of the compensations for having to endure a couple of days in the capital is the lower cost of eating out and shopping generally.
 

rubenpriego

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Feb 28, 2011
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In part, what we DON'T have in this area is exactly what attracts people. No traffic jams, almost no pollution, (usually) no car horns going all night, no black-outs, almost no crimes... Yes, prices across the board are more expensive but I personally wouldn't move back to Santo Domingo for a million bucks.

I know Kate all of those good things Bavaro have, I am enjoying them for sure, but not sure if worthy enough. I miss many things like sit down in a green park for a while getting a snack, going for a drink at night in a nice, not expensive bar, going to the cinema or theatre, being able to buy anything in a big mall at a reasonable price, and going further, having some options talking about schools for children, universities for the future, etc
I think there is too much lack of those things here.

I am wondering if in this country there is any other beach town with more options and cheaper than Bavaro, or at least same expensive but with many more options for everything ...

Any suggestion?
 

caribmike

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Jul 9, 2009
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"I know Kate all of those good things Bavaro have, I am enjoying them for sure, but not sure if worthy enough. I miss many things like sit down in a green park for a while getting a snack, going for a drink at night in a nice, not expensive bar, going to the cinema or theatre, being able to buy anything in a big mall at a reasonable price, and going further, having some options talking about schools for children, universities for the future, etc
I think there is too much lack of those things here."

There are various good schools here (my boy is in one of them), University we have, too. Cinemas are in two malls. What I still haven't found are the reasonable prices (my mall is called "amazon", lol) and a park.

Beach town comparable w/ Bavaro which has more to offer I doubt there is one...
 

AlterEgo

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Jan 9, 2009
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South Coast
I personally HATE big cities in general and especially Santo Domingo. I am just not a city person, much preferring the north coast.

I'm the first to admit that I'm a city girl, grew up with concrete under my feet in NYC. I feel safe around lots of people.

My husband grew up in Santo Domingo, but he's a country boy through and through. We've lived in US cities the past 35 years - Jackson Heights in Queens, Princeton, a beach town near Atlantic City. However, our house in DR is in the campo near a beach on the south coast. Not a tourist for miles. 15 tareas and a small house. No TV. No sidewalks. No English. Trucks coming by with the freshest [and cheapest] vegetables you can imagine. Half the price of Santo Domingo. Neighbors stop by with a couple of pieces of fruit they just picked from their tree and ask me to come visit. Some people set up rickety little tables in front of their houses selling fruit and vegetables.

Surprisingly, I love it there - I expected to hate it. Sometimes you just have to try new things.
 

Acira

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Sep 20, 2009
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www.blazingfuries.com
All of what you said, AE, is available on the North Coast also. Its just in another way for some things. Fresh fruit and vegetables...you gonna have to stop a truck on its way to or either have the chance that he is tanking and ask the driver and you can buy all kinds of fruits and vegetables at very reasonable prices.
As soon as you get out of Cabarete towards Sabaneta, the little tables are visible but not as much as we had in Jarabacoa, must admit that but they are there.
We have friends, Dominicans and ex-pats coming over and handing over fruit they picked freshly from their trees. We have some fruit trees in our yard and the gardener shares with us what is ripe and ready to eat so we share equally with our friends. But there is one three with three very big fruits on it and he refuses to tell us what it is and he has his eye on it. Must be something delicious is my guess :)

I cannot call myself a city girl, neither am I country girl although brought up for a big part of my life in the country, so the Cabarete/Sosua area just suits me fine as it is not too big and big enough to supply all my 'needs'.

Surprisingly, from all the big cities I visited in all my long voyages over the the whole world, the only big city I felt immediately at 'home' was and still is NYC.
 

rubenpriego

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Feb 28, 2011
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"I know Kate all of those good things Bavaro have, I am enjoying them for sure, but not sure if worthy enough. I miss many things like sit down in a green park for a while getting a snack, going for a drink at night in a nice, not expensive bar, going to the cinema or theatre, being able to buy anything in a big mall at a reasonable price, and going further, having some options talking about schools for children, universities for the future, etc
I think there is too much lack of those things here."

There are various good schools here (my boy is in one of them), University we have, too. Cinemas are in two malls. What I still haven't found are the reasonable prices (my mall is called "amazon", lol) and a park.

Beach town comparable w/ Bavaro which has more to offer I doubt there is one...

Could you tell me the name of those schools? on the other hand, which university are you talking about? the Punta Cana one? if that is the one, you must be a rich expat to afford every monthly bill I have been told ... cheers
 

southwardbound2

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Jun 5, 2008
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"I know Kate all of those good things Bavaro have, I am enjoying them for sure, but not sure if worthy enough. I miss many things like sit down in a green park for a while getting a snack, going for a drink at night in a nice, not expensive bar, going to the cinema or theatre, being able to buy anything in a big mall at a reasonable price, and going further, having some options talking about schools for children, universities for the future, etc
I think there is too much lack of those things here."

There are various good schools here (my boy is in one of them), University we have, too. Cinemas are in two malls. What I still haven't found are the reasonable prices (my mall is called "amazon", lol) and a park.

Beach town comparable w/ Bavaro which has more to offer I doubt there is one...

I love Amazon.com, but always wondered how much more $$ to add for shipping/taxes/duty to Amazon price to arrive at a final delivered cost. So since you shop that way, can you give me some general information about that. I live in Cabarete.
Thanks!
 

caribmike

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Jul 9, 2009
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"Could you tell me the name of those schools? on the other hand, which university are you talking about? the Punta Cana one? if that is the one, you must be a rich expat to afford every monthly bill I have been told ... cheers"

Bavaro Bilingual School, Calasanz, Punta Cana Intl. School and some.

And no, I don't consider myself a "rich expat", but I doubt that the fees for a good school in SDQ are much cheaper than they are here.
University I don't know the fees yet since my son is 8 yrs old and there is still time, but as far as I know there are two Universities here, maybe someone can jump in and name the second one which I has more reasonable fees than the one in Cap Cana.
 

caribmike

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Jul 9, 2009
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"I love Amazon.com, but always wondered how much more $$ to add for shipping/taxes/duty to Amazon price to arrive at a final delivered cost. So since you shop that way, can you give me some general information about that. I live in Cabarete.
Thanks!"

Hi, use the search, there are various threads about it, with examples of cost etc.

I use Vimenpaq, reasonable prices, fast, never lost a package or stuff, no problems when buying bigger items like TV etc., they do all the customs etc. Buying almost weekly they never let me down.

For example, I bought a 32" LED 1080p TV at tigerdirect for around 400 US$, had to pay like 7,500 RD for shipping (weight, handling) and 8,000 RD aduanas. total price around 30,000 RD$ for a latest generation TV, while same time Corripio still asked for 35,000 or so for a 720p "two generations back" LCD TV.

I'm sure you will find more examples in the other threads.
 

La Rubia

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Jan 1, 2010
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It's also very expensive for Dominicans to live there. Basic provisions (rice, beans etc.) much higher than other places.

Many are attracted to the are for jobs in hotels, that don't end up working out because of the cost of living.
 

belgiank

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Jun 13, 2009
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I love Amazon.com, but always wondered how much more $$ to add for shipping/taxes/duty to Amazon price to arrive at a final delivered cost. So since you shop that way, can you give me some general information about that. I live in Cabarete.
Thanks!

I also live in Cabarete and use Amazon regularly.

Amazon ships taxfree to my EPS-account in Florida. A lot of the items they ship for free, others are 5$ (I think, as I am now a Prime member and they ship everything for free). My EPS account ships it then to Cabarete. If it is below 200$, there are no import taxes. You just have to add the 16% itbis. Above 200$, it depends on the items imported how much duty you have to add. Computers, and internal parts for computers are duty free. External computer parts are subject to 20% duty. EPS gives you a complete list of all duties on different items, so you know beforehand. The charge per pound is quite high, around 6$ if you include the surcharge for fuel, etc...

I heard there is a much cheaper shipping company through NY, but you have to collect your stuff in STI. I also heard Vimenpaq is a lot cheaper, as they charge only 5$ for the first 3 lbs.

Time between ordering and arrival is generally around 7 working days.

Practical example, even if it is a bit stupid. I ordered 2 Black Kong Large dog toys from Amazon. Price per piece at Amazon: 7.50$. Price in SD: 18$ per piece. Through EPS I paid a total of 22$ for the 2 of them, compared to the 36$ I would have paid in SD. SD has an online delivery store as well, and then I would have had to add 5$ in shipping. Total 41$.
 

windeguy

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Jul 10, 2004
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The strange but true bottom line about getting items shipped to you from the US, at least for using TranxExpress, is that it is almost always cheaper than buying locally. Belgiank points out just another example of how local prices don't make sense.

Think about it. Why should it be cheaper for you to import just two of anything than to purchase it locally?