So ive just moved in. What will initial outlay costs be?

just moved

We have been here two months, and I have asked many many questions and still do... our electricity is included in our maintainence fees, our "high speed"
internet which runs our own router costs around $110.00 US per month.
Necessary for us because of work. Keep researching the posts, living forum has lots of good threads and lots of people willing to help us newbies.
Welcome

Not sure what the actuall KW charge is for electric, but after 700kw it does just about double. The bad news is that it is not double from 700 on, but is retro to 0 so the amount is double for the whole bill. Keep it under 700. If you can bring lots of low watt bulbs for your lamps with you. The ones here are not very reliable and are expensive.

Being conservative on a two bedroom villa with pool and using the AC very little we keep our bill to about 450 KW a month.

Bob K

Internet price

It maybe a better deal is available, we needed the speed and reliablity and it seems to be working for us. Home use, dial up all different sorts are available at different prices. Just look for the package that suits you, just like cell phones etc. Right attitude, if we wanted to live in our native lands we would not have moved or be moving ...... Some days are a challenge but in beautiful weather and amongst some terrific people it makes it easier to deal.
My opinion only....

W&J: You are asking too much. there is no way in hell that you will use less than 700 KW a month.
So, get used to paying about 24? US$ per KW/hr....for everything you use, from 0 to 701 if such were to be the case.

As far as a DSL line, there are different programs with the different phone service, CODETEL/CLARO or Tricom. There is even some cable internet service, but i do not know what Cabarete offers. Not much I should think.

If you just use the internet, you can get programs for less than US$35 a month. But do not use the phone, since you only get about 500 minutes of phone time for even local calls.

Good Luck

HB

Here's the rates from my Codetel bill:

Basic Home plan (400 mins local): 390
DSL 768k up/ 128k down: 1395

Add 16% ITBIS,2% for telecom law, 10% phone service tax, and 3.95 pesos per minute for calls to cell phones, about 5 pesos per minute long distance (with automatic 30% discount with plan), my total for the month:

$2615.63, or about $81.00 USD

My average bill is right about $100 USD.

I just received a flyer for a combo plan that includes 1 MB up/ 128kb down DSL, and unlimited local calls, plus long distance, including the USA and Puerto Rico, for 1.45 pesos per minute for: 2,155 pesos/month...with taxes, would be about 2784 pesos per month...(less than $90 USD)

Im going to change to that plan...

As for electricity, I have a big hot water heater, washing machine, 6 ceiling fans, 2 tvs, computer, 1 small a/c (which I rarely use) etc, and it averages about $100/month.

Hope this helps...

I live in Sosua (moved from UK last Aug) and I have cable internet from De Lancer. It cost $115 to connect it and costs $35 pm for 356 kbps and $51 pm for 568 kbps (which is what I have). I've had it approx 3 months now and it's been very reliable and plenty fast enough for my use (internet/banking etc). I also have cable TV from De Lancer which costs 350 pesos a month (approx $10). They don't do as a package because it's 2 different lots of people collecting the money and it's pretty reasonable anyway........