Living in Sosua on a low budget

zephyr1957

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Mar 17, 2006
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Hi,

Last year, I was living alone in Puerto Plata on a 6000 pesos monthly budget.

1500 for the room
3000 for eating in and out
1500 for movies, second hand book and transportation.

I m going back soon with my girlfriend and we are aiming at Sosua but if necessary we will consider surrounding locations like Cangrejo, Eslabon, Rio San Juan or Cabrera, yet we haven t established our budget.

Is it difficult to find a small and cheap accomodation in Sosua? If you know any place cheap to rent, please let us know, if acceptable in this section of the forum.

we expect to stay in DR from 4 months to a year.

Any comment regarding accomodation, budget or recent inflation is more than welcome.

Thanks ahead,

Kia and Pierre
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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Look at the apartments in La Union, the big development near the airport.
 

Manzana

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Jan 23, 2007
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Impressive

That's about the lowest budget I've seen - though 6000 pesos is what many basic jobs pay. I'd thought most dominicans survived by living together and pooling resources rather than trying to live alone on that.

How did those budget items break down? What did you eat (la bandera dominicana I suppose) but what else?Where did you find a room? No electricity? It seems like you'd have some interesting stories behind that budget.
 

PabloPaul

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Dec 21, 2006
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Honestly, I'm trying tolive here now too and all I can say is that the place is ruined (for that kinda thing) might as well stay in Canada (where I'm from) or wherever.... it's cheaper and you'll speak the language. It's sad really but, what can I say the prices keep going up, the minimum wage does not... so the crime goes up... hey, welcome to the world and welcome to life. Sure, taxes are less to none, but the benefits from taxes are also less to none... it's all relative. I really, really, really wish it was different but from what I see it is getting harder here. If you want my advice.... get down to Margarita island, Venezuela... Cheapest place I've ever been in my life (been around the world) 2 dollar two four... fill the car up for 1 dollar (no sh#t) Thanks Hugo!
 

coho

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Mar 4, 2007
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Honestly, I'm trying tolive here now too and all I can say is that the place is ruined (for that kinda thing) might as well stay in Canada (where I'm from) or wherever.... it's cheaper and you'll speak the language. It's sad really but, what can I say the prices keep going up, the minimum wage does not... so the crime goes up... hey, welcome to the world and welcome to life. Sure, taxes are less to none, but the benefits from taxes are also less to none... it's all relative. I really, really, really wish it was different but from what I see it is getting harder here. If you want my advice.... get down to Margarita island, Venezuela... Cheapest place I've ever been in my life (been around the world) 2 dollar two four... fill the car up for 1 dollar (no sh#t) Thanks Hugo!

Check out Nicaragua.......or even Equador......
 

lucine

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Mar 21, 2007
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i was on margarita island 24 years ago. stunded by men with machine guns in the air-port, they never heard of cold milk, and the beef was like jerky.
 

jrf

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Jan 9, 2005
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I have to say I admire your determination to live on such a small amount per month.
I actually would like to know how it went and what your life was like?

I can spend close to that in a couple of days and I haven't left the area.
 

DR Mpe

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Mar 31, 2003
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i was on margarita island 24 years ago. stunded by men with machine guns in the air-port, they never heard of cold milk, and the beef was like jerky.

I was there 4 months ago and a gallon of gas was 25 cents. Water was more expensive... Margarita Island was cheaper than DR, for sure.
 

coho

On Vacation!
Mar 4, 2007
42
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i was on margarita island 24 years ago. stunded by men with machine guns in the air-port, they never heard of cold milk, and the beef was like jerky.

Ya it's actually a hang out for bad guys from the mainland.....
 

zephyr1957

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Mar 17, 2006
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Hi,

To reply to a few comments, I was having a room on 30 de marzo close to antera mota. We seldom were out of electricity and had water pumped morning and evening for a couple of hours otherwise you could pick it up with a pale from the cistern.

I was eating local food for 60 pesos for lunch, 30 pesos for breakfast, tostadas or snack at home for dinner.

No, I m not planning to have that budget around Sosua with my girlfriend but around 10 to 12,000 pesos. Hopefully we can make it on that.

Thanks for your comments.

Bye,:bunny:

Kia and Pierre
 

PabloPaul

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Good luck with the low budgets... it seems that life is becoming tougher at a rapid rate here. Maybe just me being an outsider... getting charged more. But I doubt it, it's tough all over for everyone (except the wealthy) but still of course expensive for them too. The problem with overcharging gringos is that for Dominicans it's a quick fix, leading to pee'd off people who maybe won't ever come back because NOBODY enjoys being ripped off, now do they?
NO
Margarita is great I must say and although people have guns there, they also have guns here too. Coche is also a great spot for windsports and a very beautiful lil sand island near Margarita. I'm just wondering what the climate is like there for foreigners nowadays?
If you are American, forget it.. Cuba and now moreso Venezuela are practically off-limits for you. Most Americans I speak with have a distorted view of these places, especially Cuba. But let me tell you from experience. These places have leaders who take care of their people. The poor are regarded as people and not scum. They have access in Cuba to health care and other services like education, regardless of class or monetary standing. They are making it work the best they can considering the ridiculous, antiquated death-grip the US govt. has on innocent people there. THAT is the tragedy there.
 

Sholly24

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Mar 5, 2006
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If you are american, forget it Cuba and now moreso Venezuela are practically off-limits for you.

I would not exactly say that. Chavez has a problem with the american government and moreso with Bush but not with american citizens.

Most Americans I speak with have a distorted view of these places, especially Cuba.

That is understandable. Our view of cuba is based on what the american press and the miami exile community want us to believe. It might seem to be one-sided but I think that the cuban government also uses it's propaganda machinery in an attempt to color-up the truth to cubans. Cubans have a distorted view of america also. Both sides are guilty.

But let me tell you from experience. These places have leaders who take care of their people. The poor are regarded as people and not scum. They have access in Cuba to health care and other services like education, regardless of class or monetary standing. They are making it work the best they can considering the ridiculous, antiquated death-grip the US govt. has on innocent people there. THAT is the tragedy there.

I am not sure whether you are writing this based on a visit or visits to cuba but if you have visited cuba and all you did is stay in varadero then I can understand your statement. The fact is that Castro cares only about himself and his revolution and nobody else. For him, there is no sacrifice that is too much for cubans to pay for his revolution and if they have to prostitute or pan-handle just to survive, then all is okay as far as he is concerned. I am not sure whether you have ever visited a cuban hospital before. Drugs are scarce and even vitamins are a luxury item in cuba. A person with a sane mind might have second thoughts even on sleeping on the mattresses in some of the hospitals. And then what does he do, he farms-out his doctors to venezuela when there is inadequacy in his country.

I think the american embargo has created some problems for cuba but Castro can ease the effect with some reforms (like the chinese have done) but he will not. Why?. Because he does not want any affluent or rich cubans other than people in his circle. As long as cubans depend on him for everything and continue to worry on a daily basis about survival, then his hold onto power is assured.

He has some good things for his country also but by large cubans are paying too high a price for his ideal. He is a selfish leader.
 

Chris

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Oct 21, 2002
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Sholly24, PabloPaul ... the topic here is a low budget. Let's not drift off into Venezuela and Cuba for this one please..

More off topic posts will be deleted to avoid the train wreck which will certainly follow. ;)
 

PabloPaul

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Dec 21, 2006
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Point taken... good points sholly
Have travelled extensively in Cuba.
Let's talk about how I'm paying too much for EVERYTHING in DR now.
Anyone know of a cheap gas station?
:)
 

HIRAM

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Mar 19, 2005
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Low Budget

Dear DRoners,

With all respect but I think low budget tourists and residents are not a good deal for the Dominican Republic which allready have a reputation of a non-classy proletarian destination : "much sun for less money".
A moneystream can be created to nice upperclass real estate developments, boutiques, gastronomic restaurants so that we can compete with St Bartlemy, Barbados and other places.
I repeat, with all respect for all human beings, but I think that a higher social economic and cultural level of foreigners can contribute to the dominican society.

Dear DRoners, this are my thoughts from this moment. Don't shoot the pianist.