Hi from jersey city

jook said:

I guess it's time for a brief intro. I am planning to retire in the next few years and am looking in Latin America, the DR included. I've been to DR a number of times but still don't know squat.

Compared to other countries, i.e., Colombia, Panama, Belize, the DR doesn't seem like a great bargain for someone on a limited budget. I'm curious why other non Dominicans choose to live here.

I have a girlfriend in the DR who speaks little English. We get by with my Spanish, though it is not very good. I plan to improve my Spanish. In this regard, I am going to post a few things in the other forums.

Nice to be here.

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because the DR is living off its reputation. 15 or so years ago it was cheap to live here, and the rush to move here was justifiable , then. now it has become very expensive, and what you get for your money is not competitive with other countries in the region any more. i have buddies from Panama, for example, and whenever they visit, they tell me that there is no comparison between the countries when it comes to value for money.

I still manage to save quite a bit more here than I did living in the U.S., but you are right, it is no Panama. Citizenship was easier/cheaper for me to get here so that influenced my decision in the beginning but looking back I'm not so sure how important that really is now. Panama and Costa Rica were my first choices when I decided to move but I just felt like it would be easier here with the citizenship. At the time it was important to me because I'm still young and figured on being wherever I settled for a lot of years. Since moving here I met a wonderful wife so now I wouldn't leave just to save a little more money.

Welcome to DR1

It's a short flight here, and back, from the east coast of the USA.
As you have no doubt found out, the women here are very pretty, plentiful, and "Inexpensive", UNLESS you think you can make them love you buy giving them $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and "Gifts"!
"A Fool & his "Pesos" Are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON Parted"!!!
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I agree with Gorgon the DR is no longer inexpensive. The food prices are comparable if not higher than in Boston, of course I am talking about the supermarkets. Years ago we spent very little not anymore. If you're looking for an inexpensive place forget the DR. Appliances, TVs are expensive the only inexpensive thing is labor

Criss Colon said:

As you have no doubt found out, the women here are very pretty, plentiful, and "Inexpensive", UNLESS you think you can make them love you buy giving them $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and "Gifts"!

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Hit the nail right on the head.

Welcome to the jungle jook!

The DR has never really been an inexpensive place to live ever since 1990 when I first arrived here to SPM. In those days people complained just like they are doing now and yes it can be frustrating at times but If you are "SMART" you can live here comfortable and take advantage of the cheap labor and you can import or bring with you many products from the US and make it up.

Food if you buy at the supermarket that sells mostly to gringos or has a bunch of imported products will be costly. We get our food pretty cheap. Restaurants are cheaper. Electronics, cars and anything imported is going to be much more expensive. But those are things you shouldn't be buying every day. Rent and buying a house is cheaper if you look around and are smart about it and don't need to live inside a gated community. Anything in the service industry is much cheaper. Medical with or without insurance is cheaper. The point is many things are cheaper if you are smart about how you do things and yet many things are also more expensive. But "most" of the stuff (except gasoline) that you spend money on daily should be cheaper.

After you live here for a while you will make the right connections and see the light and will be able to make the right determination of what to import here cheap and also take advantage of frequent trips to the US and bring personal items that most of the time you do not pay anything to pass through customs.

I too am surprised at how much things are in dr. A new car is prohibitively expensive. Fancy or International restaurants cost more than north east US. Dominican lunch counters are moderately priced. Anything imported is a rip. fresh local fruit is a bargain. Hotels are less, but u get what u pay for. I m a regular visitor for long weekends, so I stay in hotels and mostly hang out with other tourists I meet. It is assumed that the gringo ATM is always open and it shocks me how perfect strangers will simply ask for money. I smile and just say no. It's hard to do. Mind you, I have two experiences, a a tourist and once a year as a professional. I am very impressed with the professionalism I observe in healthcare. The roles don't compare with US, but people take their jobs seriously. I'm not talking French "m?tier", but the licensed professionals were impressive. All in all, not sure which is a better bargain, central Florida or DR. Too bad for me, cuz I couldn't survive Florida culturally. DR makes sense to me, partially because I am surrounded by Dominicans in Massachusetts.

jook.....whats this about limited budget?????
I always like to read members other or current posts
Yours regarding your D.R. girlfriend loosing her mobile for example.....you stated you are a millionaire.....was that just to shut up the guys who were questioning whether her phone was "really" lost/stolen?????
Anyway Welcome to the Forum

With 4 kids, I find living here to be very costly.
In the US, many things are paid for by people paying their taxes.
Education, health care, are the two that cost me a lot here, but would not cost me anything, "Out-Of-Pocket" in the USA.
In August, I will spend several thousand dollars for, school books, uniforms, new shoes,school supplies, and then tuition every month.
A notebook cost a dollar here, I can get 10 for a "BUCK", at "Staples" in the USA.
The average dominican diet is a nutritional disaster!
Fat, salt,sugar, and other refined "Carbs" are pretty much it.
"FOOD" is my largest monthly expense.
A single person, or a couple can live cheaper, but if you have kids, forget about "Cheap"!
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BostonMary said:

I agree with Gorgon the DR is no longer inexpensive. The food prices are comparable if not higher than in Boston, of course I am talking about the supermarkets. Years ago we spent very little not anymore. If you're looking for an inexpensive place forget the DR. Appliances, TVs are expensive the only inexpensive thing is labor

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Funny it is way cheaper for us to eat here but that is because the wife eats organic and lots of veggies which are cheap on the side of the road or the veggie guy or fish man who comes to our door for next to NOTHING prices! We come from a very expensive place though so it is INSANELY cheap here. $200,000 for a beachfront 2 bedroom. Where i am from you can GET NOTHING for that price. Not even a bach condo! 1.2 mil is THE AVERAGE PRICE of a house! All relative I guess.

I would choose Costa Rica for our next adventure in a decade or so.

Oh but I do agree it is not nearly as cheap as when i first came here years ago! I don't think I would tell anyone to move here unless they have serious money even then go to a safer cleaner country!!

Oh and Welcome Jook to DR1! Peeps will raz you about your woman but i think it is mostly trying to help you and they are just trying to help before it is too late!

I hear Costa Rica is very expensive to live also and many expats have left their or are just going straight to Panama. I would personally recommend Colombia, much nicer and very clean and organized and much more beautiful women.