Thinking of moving to the D.R.?

BigDaddy

Member
Jan 16, 2005
195
2
18
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.
 

Escott

Gold
Jan 14, 2002
7,716
6
0
www.escottinsosua.blogspot.com
BigDaddy said:
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.

5k a month is what I said a while ago as my magic number but that is as a single person.

Escott
 
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sweetdbt

Bronze
Sep 17, 2004
1,574
70
0
I have to give you credit

Escott said:
Some items are right and others are wrong.
I pay 35 pesos for a 5 gallon bottle of drinking water and other items are way different than what I pay but 5k a month is what I said a while ago as my magic number but that is as a single person.

Escott

Escott, you're consistent!
 

Naufrago

New member
Sep 1, 2004
392
0
0
US5K=$140,000RD/Month, Yes you could "live well" on that, but you could live on $35,000RD/Month. Do you need to live like a BigDaddy? Or, could you handle surviving like a Naufrago? It all depends on what you're coming down here to do. ;)
 
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Escott

Gold
Jan 14, 2002
7,716
6
0
www.escottinsosua.blogspot.com
I didn't come to the DR to live Low. I plan on living as well as I did in the states. I am not Dominican (YET) and for the life of me figure out how they do it and don't even want to.

I tried staying at a hotel in the Zona Colonial someone recommended for 20$ a night. When I found out they had NO HOT WATER the next morning I moved to the Courtyard by Marriot the next day and cursed myself out for being a jerk. Stay there sometimes once a month for 3-4 days although not in a couple of months. Even tried the Jaragua but like the Courtyard way better. No more Fleabags for me.

I spend between 2000 and 3000 pesos a week on gas. I spend over 11 ,000 pesos a month on basic maintenence on my condo with another 2000 Pesos for electric (in the winter without much A/C), 41,000 pesos a year on car insurance, 4000 pesos a month on a maid, 5000 pesos a month on a gardener and I haven't bought a meal, a beer or even drinking water. Hell AZB spends more than 35000 pesos a month on his UBH's!

I spent 1300 US dollars on Airline tickets already this year although I earned a 400$ voucher for future travel. I could have had 800 in vouchers but my wife insisted my daughter fly home on Easter Sunday instead of the monday after.

An average dinner for 2 people is 1000 pesos in Sosua these days and that is NOT extravagent.

Life isn't cheap here no mo!
 

carina

Silver
Mar 13, 2005
2,691
4
0
Also, lets add for those who have kids...mine is 14, I see y?u mentioned this.
I live in Puerto Plata and my son goes to school here in the city.

- School 2200 pesos /month
- All school supplies, books, uniforms, sportswear etc

Every year school starts another 6000 pesos goes away on this, plus the monthly fee, plus the fact that lunch is delivered to him every day.
Delivered means, either I send a driver I know with food from home, or I send him to buy lunch and deliver it. With the heat here the kids cannot have the food in their bags all day, it wont be fresh.
It is also a cost.

To that lets add the afternoon activities for children, that actually is cheap here. For my son it is:
Basketball - 150 pesos per year
Karate - 200 pesos per month
Gym 250 pesos per month

Not included is of course transport, clothes etc, but this I consider cheap.
For higher education, when that day comes, a higher cost will be actual of course.

Another cost to take in to the monthly amount must as well be maintenance of your place where you live, rent or own, you still do the maintenance.
Meaning paint, cement etc etc.
I rent, but still I have just finished the painting of my house on the outside, and some fixings inside as well.
This is not a must, but to live the way we want to live.. then it is a must..
 

Naufrago

New member
Sep 1, 2004
392
0
0
Escott said:
I didn't come to the DR to live Low. I plan on living as well as I did in the states.

Absolutely no arguement, If you want to live an American lifestyle in the DR, it will cost you more here than there.
 

mountainannie

Platinum
Dec 11, 2003
16,350
1,358
113
elizabetheames.blogspot.com
A simple life

I came down here two years ago to simplify my life a bit - found that when I lived in Las Terrenas the rent alone was comparable to the States. I moved to the Capital about 8 months ago and have a sweet little studio in Gascue - two blocks from the Malecon, for $250. Don't have a car - take taxis whenever I want. I have met quite a number of people who are living fine for under $2k a month. The beach areas are of course more expensive - but I also found that for me, single and intellectual, the Capital more suited me. From there it has been easy for me to travel about, to the border areas, back up to Samana.... And I love the freedom of renting - no worries about maintenance.. Of course, you can rent deluxe apartments in the capital for $3000 a month so I guess there is something for everyone..I have spent two years here - but have gone home to visit friends and family (and my car) for three months each year. A pretty good life for a modest amount of money.
annie
 

pol73

New member
May 21, 2006
25
0
0
I'm scared....

I was lead to believe that my salary in DR (part peso, part dollars) was more than generous (I have to send money back to cover my house in the UK) but reading all these posts i wonder how on earth I am going to manage. I have signed a contract so there is no going back. I don't work in Dollars and have never lived in the US so i have no idea about standards/coosts of living there but am incresingly concerned that i will struggle to keep my bills covered, despite being told that I would easily be able to save money, as well as send about ?500 a month home! Is there anybody there from the Uk that can draw some comparisons for me?
 

pol73

New member
May 21, 2006
25
0
0
not a lot!

ha ha ok, if i must...my salary is paid in 2 parts the US part is $17,000 a year
but paid over 10 months- we get 2 and a half months off ( i was told i would have sufficient funds to travel in this time but looking at it I seriously doubt it!) and 160,500 in RD$ (is RD$ the same as pesos?) which means i have to make sure the shortfall in my mortgage is covered for July and August too. I do have accommodation provided, but the scary price of other stuff according to this forum is worrying me! It's all in currencies i'm not used to so it's hard to make it mean anything- i've translated it into pounds and it's a lot less (about 60% pay cut!) than i'm earning now- but i was reassured my outgoings would be less. Now i'm not so sure...
 

mountainfrog

On Vacation!
Dec 8, 2003
3,146
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www.domrep-info.com
Not Too Bad

Let me see, that amounts to appr. 60,000 RD$ (about 1,875 US$) a month, which should be quite sufficient to keep you alive and jumping.

Subtract your mortgage payments in the UK and I am sure you can adjust your lifestyle to that income as you have free accommodation.

All in all, you'll become rich in experiences...

m'frog
 

pol73

New member
May 21, 2006
25
0
0
mmm....

Jumping eh?! I look forward to that new experience! not had much of a jump in my step for the last couple of years! Cheers!