How much money will I need to support myself in the D.R.?

FarOut

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Jul 26, 2004
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Hi DR1,

I defnetly love your side but it should reflect the reality :bandit:

/QUOTE
How much money will I need to support myself in the D.R.?
As everywhere, the answer varies according to the lifestyle you wish to lead. Housing may be the single largest expense. It is possible to find very modest housing for RD$3,000 per month, so one person should be able to live very austerely on RD$8,000 per month. RD$15,000 per month will allow you to live in reasonable comfort, while RD$25,000 per month will allow you to indulge in some luxuries?and perhaps save enough money for your plane ticket home for Christmas.
/QUOTE

So long,
Stefan
 

Robert

Stay Frosty!
Jan 2, 1999
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FarOut said:
Hi DR1,

I defnetly love your side but it should reflect the reality :bandit:

/QUOTE
How much money will I need to support myself in the D.R.?
As everywhere, the answer varies according to the lifestyle you wish to lead. Housing may be the single largest expense. It is possible to find very modest housing for RD$3,000 per month, so one person should be able to live very austerely on RD$8,000 per month. RD$15,000 per month will allow you to live in reasonable comfort, while RD$25,000 per month will allow you to indulge in some luxuries?and perhaps save enough money for your plane ticket home for Christmas.
/QUOTE

So long,
Stefan

Is this a question or an answer?
 

ricktoronto

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Jan 9, 2002
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And RD$15,000 lets you live in reasonable comfort as a Dominican defines it. I cannot imagine an ex-pat living on US$500 a month.
 

caro

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Sep 24, 2003
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I living very well on 25 000 pesos but it s was when the exchange was much better.I think now I will need a little bit less of double for the same kind of live!!! and that just few month later.....

and sorry but I can t save any money on this for buy a ticket plane....
 

ustelephone

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Mar 31, 2004
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Strange

One could survive living in a hole in a barrio and eating rice and beans for $15,000 pesos per month. If you want an apartment, furnature, a phone, electricity, and a reasonable menu for the month you should be making at least $50,000 pesos per month. If you want to buy a plane ticket (a destination would help us give you a realistic price) you should have an extra $10,000 to $30,000 pesos per month. If you are saying that you want to live here with some comfort and be able to travel to the US monthly you should have an income of $3,000 to $4,000 USD per month. You will not be able to achieve your goal with less than this with the current value of the dollar.
 

sweetdbt

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Sep 17, 2004
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ustelephone said:
One could survive living in a hole in a barrio and eating rice and beans for $15,000 pesos per month. If you want an apartment, furnature, a phone, electricity, and a reasonable menu for the month you should be making at least $50,000 pesos per month. If you want to buy a plane ticket (a destination would help us give you a realistic price) you should have an extra $10,000 to $30,000 pesos per month. If you are saying that you want to live here with some comfort and be able to travel to the US monthly you should have an income of $3,000 to $4,000 USD per month. You will not be able to achieve your goal with less than this with the current value of the dollar.

"Surviving in a hole in the barrio and eating rice and beans" is what a lot of Dominican families do, and they do it for about 6000 a month (or less), not 15,000! I understand gringos pay more for many things, but the prices at the supermercado are the same for everyone. Furnishing an apartment is a one time expense.

I have an expat friend who lives in a very nice 2 bedroom apt. in a nice neighborhood in PP (Edificio Liriano, owned by the former ML ballplayer). His total cost for rent, electric, gas, cable and high speed internet service is less than RD12,000/mth (He does not use AC). I know this because he shared it with me, and I can't speak for his other expenses, but based on this. I feel confident that in the same housing situation, I could do very well on RD25,000. Quite frankly, since I could be perfectly content with a more modest apartment, I could probably do it for less.

I'm not sure where the rant about the cost of flying to the US every month came from, since the OP talked about saving to fly back for Christmas. Assuming a worst case scenario for the airfare, this would be aboutRD2000 a month.

Hey, we all get the point that living in the DR isn't the bargain it was. Would RD50,000 a month income be a good figure to shoot for if you are planning on living there? Sure. Is it necessary to live comfortably and return to your country of origin once or twice a year? I think not!
 

liam1

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Jun 9, 2004
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what's the point in moving to the DR if you're just going to get by? as ricktoronto said: "I cannot imagine an ex-pat living on US$500 a month". neither can i. i'd say at least $1500 USD to get by. (with the current exchange rate)
 

sweetdbt

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liam1 said:
what's the point in moving to the DR if you're just going to get by? as ricktoronto said: "I cannot imagine an ex-pat living on US$500 a month". neither can i. i'd say at least $1500 USD to get by. (with the current exchange rate)

I can think of a lot of reasons. Climate, culture(with all it's flaws), beaches, mountains, women (or men), and the laid back style of living. All of these are there regardless of your income (although the women always cost $, one way or another ;) ).

Some people are or were "just getting by" in their native country. I'm one of them, although I'm currently living well below my means in the US in order to save for early retirement to the DR. If it's where you want to be, within reasonable limits you don't need to have any certain standard of living to be happy.

Having said this, I'm also realistic, and plan on having an income (seperate from work pension, IRAs and Social Security, (which will all be waiting in reserve for my old age) of at least RD30,000. If I find that I need more to be "comfortable", I'll either make adjustments to my comfort level or look for a way to suppliment with a job or small business.
 

Danny W

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Mar 1, 2003
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Certain things are much cheaper in the DR than in the US. Insurance, medical, private school, housing, help, clothing because it's more casual and you wear less of it - no winter, summer wardrobe - entertainment because drinking a beer on the beach is cheaper than going to a multiplex. Other things like food, electric and auto cost the same or more in the DR. Escott says 50K a year which is this is the equivalent of at least 125K here in NY. And you don't live that great on 125K in NY. By the way, when you're in the DR you are away from your family which can be a hefty saving in itself. - D
 

gringo in dr

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May 29, 2003
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sweetdbt said:
"Surviving in a hole in the barrio and eating rice and beans" is what a lot of Dominican families do, and they do it for about 6000 a month (or less), not 15,000! I understand gringos pay more for many things, but the prices at the supermercado are the same for everyone. Furnishing an apartment is a one time expense.

I have an expat friend who lives in a very nice 2 bedroom apt. in a nice neighborhood in PP (Edificio Liriano, owned by the former ML ballplayer). His total cost for rent, electric, gas, cable and high speed internet service is less than RD12,000/mth (He does not use AC). I know this because he shared it with me, and I can't speak for his other expenses, but based on this. I feel confident that in the same housing situation, I could do very well on RD25,000. Quite frankly, since I could be perfectly content with a more modest apartment, I could probably do it for less.

I'm not sure where the rant about the cost of flying to the US every month came from, since the OP talked about saving to fly back for Christmas. Assuming a worst case scenario for the airfare, this would be aboutRD2000 a month.

Hey, we all get the point that living in the DR isn't the bargain it was. Would RD50,000 a month income be a good figure to shoot for if you are planning on living there? Sure. Is it necessary to live comfortably and return to your country of origin once or twice a year? I think not!

Buying groceries will cost you about 14,000 pesos per month.
 

gringo in dr

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Danny W said:
Certain things are much cheaper in the DR than in the US. Insurance, medical, private school, housing, help, clothing because it's more casual and you wear less of it - no winter, summer wardrobe - entertainment because drinking a beer on the beach is cheaper than going to a multiplex. Other things like food, electric and auto cost the same or more in the DR. Escott says 50K a year which is this is the equivalent of at least 125K here in NY. And you don't live that great on 125K in NY. By the way, when you're in the DR you are away from your family which can be a hefty saving in itself. - D

As far as being away from our families, I would say that is not the case for most of us.
 

sweetdbt

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Sep 17, 2004
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gringo in dr said:
Buying groceries will cost you about 14,000 pesos per month.

Hmmm, I guess I'll just have to EAT OUT twice a day (I don't eat breakfast), because I know from multiple vacations that I can do that for less than RD14,000 a month. Admittedly that would be mostly Dominican food, but I could splurge for a more expensive meal occasionally.

I understand that a lot of the expats here want to curb people's enthusiasm with a dose of reality about the cost of living, but there is no need to make up ridiculous figures to do it. I've been to the supermercados, and I've read the threads here, and that figure is just out of line. I guess I should add that I am single, so I will only be feeding one for the most part.
 

ustelephone

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Mar 31, 2004
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sweetdbt said:
"Surviving in a hole in the barrio and eating rice and beans" is what a lot of Dominican families do, and they do it for about 6000 a month (or less), not 15,000! I understand gringos pay more for many things, but the prices at the supermercado are the same for everyone. Furnishing an apartment is a one time expense.

I have an expat friend who lives in a very nice 2 bedroom apt. in a nice neighborhood in PP (Edificio Liriano, owned by the former ML ballplayer). His total cost for rent, electric, gas, cable and high speed internet service is less than RD12,000/mth (He does not use AC). I know this because he shared it with me, and I can't speak for his other expenses, but based on this. I feel confident that in the same housing situation, I could do very well on RD25,000. Quite frankly, since I could be perfectly content with a more modest apartment, I could probably do it for less.

I'm not sure where the rant about the cost of flying to the US every month came from, since the OP talked about saving to fly back for Christmas. Assuming a worst case scenario for the airfare, this would be aboutRD2000 a month.

Hey, we all get the point that living in the DR isn't the bargain it was. Would RD50,000 a month income be a good figure to shoot for if you are planning on living there? Sure. Is it necessary to live comfortably and return to your country of origin once or twice a year? I think not!

The original post was edited and originally asked how much is costs to buy a "ticket plane". I think in order to give good information, the question needs to be posted with more information.
 

ustelephone

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Mar 31, 2004
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Escott said:
I need 5k US a month to get along. No struggle, go where I want and whenever I want. Plenty for travel as well. Maybe a bit more not that the peso has strengthened but can probably make due.

I don't want to "GET BY". Screw that poor sh1t, I am not Haitian nor do I want to live like one.

I knew we had important things in common.

This is not a country that's fun to "get by" in. For just a little more, you're a B-rate movie star.
 

Toronto2inDR

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If you have to ask then you can?t afford it. Living well or better then just getting by, is not much cheaper then in a city like Toronto. Sure there you have to drive an Acura and here your cool with a Daewoo. There you shop at the Gap and here it?s Casa Nelson (top of the line).

The issue is not one of savings or cost of living but really if you can adjust to the change in life style because $15,000 Pesos or $15,000 Dollars a month means nothing?lest we forget, you?re still in a third world country.
 

Danny W

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Mar 1, 2003
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gringo in dr said:
As far as being away from our families, I would say that is not the case for most of us.
Gringo - I'm with you. I am supporting 3 people in Sosua as well as god knows how many others on the south coast. But Thanksgiving in NY will be costing me at least $500, not to mention the vacuum cleaner I bought for my ex wife yesterday. By the way, I love doing it. I only meant that I'll save a little by being out of "touch". - D
 

Lambada

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sweetdbt said:
Hmmm, I guess I'll just have to EAT OUT twice a day (I don't eat breakfast), because I know from multiple vacations that I can do that for less than RD14,000 a month. Admittedly that would be mostly Dominican food, but I could splurge for a more expensive meal occasionally.

I understand that a lot of the expats here want to curb people's enthusiasm with a dose of reality about the cost of living, but there is no need to make up ridiculous figures to do it. I've been to the supermercados, and I've read the threads here, and that figure is just out of line. I guess I should add that I am single, so I will only be feeding one for the most part.

I'm with you, sweetdbt. I keep a record of what I spend on groceries because I am always being asked. I have kept this record for nearly 2 years now. There are 2 of us & I spend between 8000-10,000 pesos monthly depending on which bulk purchases I am buying in any one month. And we eat well. The only time my bill went above 10,000 was when I bought 10 cartons of cigarettes in one month to beat the tax hikes (& then it was 11,000).
 

sweetdbt

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I knew you'd back me on this

Lambada said:
I'm with you, sweetdbt. I keep a record of what I spend on groceries because I am always being asked. I have kept this record for nearly 2 years now. There are 2 of us & I spend between 8000-10,000 pesos monthly depending on which bulk purchases I am buying in any one month. And we eat well. The only time my bill went above 10,000 was when I bought 10 cartons of cigarettes in one month to beat the tax hikes (& then it was 11,000).

Your earlier post to that effect, along with those of some other vets, was one of the reasons I felt confident in saying this, even though my own grocery shopping experience in the DR is still somewhat limited. ;) As far as the part about eating out, I have plenty of experience there, and for less than RD14,000 I could eat every meal in resteraunts and get fat. I guess I should give gringo in DR the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps he thought I have a large family?
 

gringo in dr

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sweetdbt said:
Your earlier post to that effect, along with those of some other vets, was one of the reasons I felt confident in saying this, even though my own grocery shopping experience in the DR is still somewhat limited. ;) As far as the part about eating out, I have plenty of experience there, and for less than RD14,000 I could eat every meal in resteraunts and get fat. I guess I should give gringo in DR the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps he thought I have a large family?

It was in the reported right here on the front page just a couple of weeks ago. That it now costs the average middle class dominican family 16,000+ pesos per month to buy the basic foods.

I have a wife, 2 teenagers, and a new born. My grocery bills can be more or less than that depending on if I stick to local items only or decide that I "need" some imported stuff.