There is more to life than just cost. It is however, possible to live in the DR for much less than the rising minimum costs of living at home. When people retire and begin living on a fixed income, and the cost of living continues to climb every year at home: property taxes, electricity, gas, food etc, one can easily do the math and figure out how many years one can remain there before they begin to feel the hurt. When all the excess money is gone and one is merely subsisting, relocating is a much more daunting prospect then than getting out of Dodge when the bank account has a surplus.
One
can live more cost effectively here
if one chooses to do so.
Other reasons if money is not a factor are climate, a change of pace, a year round garden to help with food costs, and of course that pesky warrant hanging around one's neck back home...
Cheap quality stuff is a pain in the a$$ but there is a formula for that which I ignore almost always. Couldn't find a suitable kitchen garbage can locally, so brought one in from amazon. I could have chosen a plastic version but I'm not yet merely subsisting.
It's nice to have a choice and those that do are free to choose. The aim of the game is to ensure one always has choices. If my thinking is correct, I should have choices long after such an option would expire at home for the same amount of $$$. The DR just has to get the cost increases for coffee under control...
If one can't afford to live well in the DR, then one certainly cannot afford to live well in NA. My rent is cheaper here than it would be at home. Food is on par with what I spent at home. My utilities are cheaper here, internet is more expensive but cable is much less etc. I am hoping that inflation here proceeds at a slower pace than at home - at least until I check out then I don't have to worry about it anymore.