For any of you thinking of moving to the D.R. and wondering how much it'll take to live here, here are some prices that I have encountered and I pass them on so you can decide how much it will actually cost YOU depending on how many of the items below you will require. This is on the North Coast for a family of 2 without kids.
1 medium tank of propane fuel (for cooking) 300 pesos (roughly 10 bucks)
mail forwarding service $3-$6 dollars for a small or medium delivery (in addition to sign up costs)
to mail a letter out: 1.60 each
motoconcho transport: 70 cents a trip
jeepeta 15 - 25 K
gas for the jeepeta: $150 a month for moderate driving
car insurance 1,200 - 1,500 a year (but the older the vehicle, the more the cost goes up)
dog food: about 75 bucks for 40 pounds of quality dog food
electricity: 50 - 100 dollars a month (more if you use air conditioning)
trash collection: 7 dollars a month
health insurance: $55 a month for a couple if you're in a group plan, and that doesn't include prescription coverage which is available but not practical
renters/homeowners insurance: $50 - 75 a month depending on how much you're insuring
haircut and style: 10 bucks
telephone with broadband internet: 78 dollars a month (with no cell calls and no long distance calls) There's a hefty chanrge for installation and/or changes to your service. Dial up internet service is less expensive.
cable television: $15 a month
satellite tv: $50 a month
5 gallon bottle of water: $1
housekeeper: $125 a month (full time)
gardener: About $25 per visit
Add to this the costs you'll have for rent, groceries, household products, car repairs, security fees, school costs, dining out, vet bills, prescriptions, doctors/dentists/hospital, electricians, plumbers, and miscellaneous items such as inverter batteries, generator, furniture, & appliances and you'll get an idea of how much you'll need to have per month to live in the style which YOU choose. As you can see, you can get by on 1,000 - 1,500 a month if you choose to live very austerely and don't care about insurance, etc. But if you choose a lifestyle comparable to that of a middle-class North American, you could need as much as 5,000 a month.
In my experience, food costs are extremely high, as are costs for dining out (as much or more than in North America). Costs for electricity are higher than in the States. However, I have found that medical costs for both humans and animals is much cheaper than in the United States. Plumbers and electricians are cheaper, too. But transportation is more expensive.
Other posters may have experienced other prices (higher or lower) and if so, they may wish to pass them on for the benefit of everyone. I wish I'd had a better idea of specific costs before coming down here, rather than just a "you can live well here on "X" amount of dollars per month." Hope this is helpful for some of you.
1 medium tank of propane fuel (for cooking) 300 pesos (roughly 10 bucks)
mail forwarding service $3-$6 dollars for a small or medium delivery (in addition to sign up costs)
to mail a letter out: 1.60 each
motoconcho transport: 70 cents a trip
jeepeta 15 - 25 K
gas for the jeepeta: $150 a month for moderate driving
car insurance 1,200 - 1,500 a year (but the older the vehicle, the more the cost goes up)
dog food: about 75 bucks for 40 pounds of quality dog food
electricity: 50 - 100 dollars a month (more if you use air conditioning)
trash collection: 7 dollars a month
health insurance: $55 a month for a couple if you're in a group plan, and that doesn't include prescription coverage which is available but not practical
renters/homeowners insurance: $50 - 75 a month depending on how much you're insuring
haircut and style: 10 bucks
telephone with broadband internet: 78 dollars a month (with no cell calls and no long distance calls) There's a hefty chanrge for installation and/or changes to your service. Dial up internet service is less expensive.
cable television: $15 a month
satellite tv: $50 a month
5 gallon bottle of water: $1
housekeeper: $125 a month (full time)
gardener: About $25 per visit
Add to this the costs you'll have for rent, groceries, household products, car repairs, security fees, school costs, dining out, vet bills, prescriptions, doctors/dentists/hospital, electricians, plumbers, and miscellaneous items such as inverter batteries, generator, furniture, & appliances and you'll get an idea of how much you'll need to have per month to live in the style which YOU choose. As you can see, you can get by on 1,000 - 1,500 a month if you choose to live very austerely and don't care about insurance, etc. But if you choose a lifestyle comparable to that of a middle-class North American, you could need as much as 5,000 a month.
In my experience, food costs are extremely high, as are costs for dining out (as much or more than in North America). Costs for electricity are higher than in the States. However, I have found that medical costs for both humans and animals is much cheaper than in the United States. Plumbers and electricians are cheaper, too. But transportation is more expensive.
Other posters may have experienced other prices (higher or lower) and if so, they may wish to pass them on for the benefit of everyone. I wish I'd had a better idea of specific costs before coming down here, rather than just a "you can live well here on "X" amount of dollars per month." Hope this is helpful for some of you.